STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. After 25 years of unwavering dedication and exemplary service, Command Master Chief Jonas Marnick recently took part in an official retirement ceremony hosted by the Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School (NAVSCIATTS).

In a time-honored U.S. Navy tradition, a formal ceremony was held on Dec. 13, along the banks of the Pearl River on the John C. Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi, featuring Marnick’s family, friends, long-serving teammates from the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command (NSW) community, local law enforcement personnel, and a hot extraction featuring a two-boat Special Operations Craft-Riverine (SOC-R) formation.

Marnick’s career began almost 25 years ago when he enlisted in the Navy as a gunners mate. Shortly after, he received orders to attend Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman (SWCC) training, where he graduated with Class 36 in early 2001. Marnick continued his career focusing on the mission to protect his country and ensure the safety of its waters. Rising through the ranks, he distinguished himself as an exceptional enlisted leader within the SWCC community, known for his tactical expertise, leadership skills, and unwavering commitment to mission success.

In remarks to the more than 100 in attendance, retired senior chief and fellow SWCC training classmate Eric Shuman recounted memories and achievements in Marnick’s career, leaving an indelible mark on the Navy and the men and women who served alongside him.

“At 17 years old, Jonas came in, and stayed in,” Shuman explained. “Everyone else in our class faded out or retired. I met Jonas in 2001 as we were in the same SWCC class,” he continued. “So, I’ve known him quite a long time. One thing I’ll say about the Naval Special Warfare community are the bonds, friendship, and brotherhood.”

Shuman continued his remarks reminiscing on Marnick’s illustrious career, excelling in various roles and settings, showcasing his versatile capabilities in amphibious warfare and riverine operations, to include selection for the Maritime Craft Aerial Delivery System (MCADS) as an air trainer and examiner, SWCC instructor for Crewman Qualification Training with the NSW Basic Training Command, and Special Boat Team (SBT) 22, where he served as detachment chief in a four-boat SOC-R Riverine troop.

While assigned to SBT 22, Marnick, a native of Honesdale, Penn., served with current NAVSCIATTS Cmdr. Robert LeClerc, who performed the duties of presiding officer for the ceremony. LeClerc recounted Marnick’s service as the troop senior enlisted advisor for Riverine Troop Two and how Marnick was instrumental in the stand-up of NSW Group Four’s Non-Standard Maritime program as a program of record for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

“Let me say a few words about the Jonas Marnick I know,” said LeClerc, who has served in the Navy for almost 20 years, and is a graduate of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Class 286. “A fit, smart, funny, incredibly capable, and stoic operator, whose ability to lead was dynamic at all times in an incredibly frustrating situation. It left me in awe and forced me to up my game as a naval officer and a SEAL operator. I was blessed to have served with Jonas, like many of you, down here in the great state of Mississippi, in Special Boat 22, and again here at NAVSCIATTS. It’s a small, yet thunderous community.”

As command master chief at NAVSCIATTS, LeClerc credited Marnick for his integral role in navigating the command through talks of potential divesture to now being the Navy’s premier security cooperation training command.

“I won’t go over the drawn-out saga of the Phoenix that is this man, rising from the ashes,” he expressed. “But I will give credit to the command master chief, who ever so dedicated, led, and shaped the organization from divestment.

“Like people were gone,” LeClerc continued regarding talks of potential closure of the command. “There may have been 40-percent of the manning here and no budget…to investment, where he procured a $22 million yearly budget and a full complement of crew. He also co-authored our driving imperative, the three pillars NAVSCIATTS uses to operate globally. Under Jonas’s leadership, NAVSCIATTS is thriving, and I would argue one of the most exciting O-5 commands in the Navy.”

During Marnick’s three-year assignment to the historic international training command, the senior enlisted leader played a pivotal role in supporting the training and mentoring of foreign security force professionals from all over the world. His commitment to excellence ensured that almost 900 international students from 81 countries left the school fully equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide support to the full spectrum of operations in global maritime environments.

As Marnick hangs up his uniform after nearly three decades of service, he paid homage to the support of his family for ensuring his successful career.

“The path began with my dad, a man whose integrity, strength, and dedication to serving others profoundly shaped the man I am today,” an emotional Marnick expressed regarding his father, a U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran. “From an early age, he instilled in me the values of hard work, honor, and commitment to something greater than myself. It was his unwavering example that inspired me on my journey, and his quiet wisdom that guided me through the darkness in those challenging times.

“My dad passed away two years ago,” he continued. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him. I’m deeply saddened that he can’t be here today. But I carry his spirit within me, and I know he would be proud. He didn’t just teach me how to lead. He showed me how to live with purpose, resilience, and heart.”

With all the support from his family, friends, and teammates, Marnick gave full credit to his family and wife, Jennifer. “To my family: wife Jen, children Rae, Landon, and Tobias, thank you for your love, your support, and your sacrifices, because without you, none of this would be possible.”

“Jen, you’ve been my rock, my anchor, my greatest source of strength throughout my journey. You’ve stood by me through countless deployments, sleepless nights, moments of uncertainty, offering love, support, even when the road was difficult. Your sacrifices are often silent, but never unheard. You’re what allowed me to pursue the calling with focused dedication. You have been constantly guiding me along, the foundation on which I built everything. Now as I step into the next chapter, I look forward to our new adventure. One where we face the future together, side by side, finally enjoying the life we built.”

Other assignments in Marnick’s honorable career include a tour at Special Boat Unit 20 in Virginia Beach, Vir., where he deployed in support of maritime interdiction operations and special reconnaissance in the Northern Arabian Gulf, in April 2002. He conducted several more deployments and earned the SWCC senior designation on the 11-meter Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat.

Marnick found his niche in the MCADS program before transferring, in 2008, to NSW Basic Training Command. Prior to his assignment to NAVSCIATTS, he served at Headquarters, USSOCOM in Tampa, Fla., at the Joint Special Operations University as an instructor for the Joint Special Operations Senior Enlisted Academy. Proudly, Marnick is one of only five SWCC master chiefs to serve in this capacity.

As Marnick transitions into retirement, he leaves behind a legacy that will resonate with both his peers and the next generation of Sailors to pursue a career as deputy sheriff with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. While the Navy will surely miss his service, the legacy he leaves at NAVSCIATTS and within the NSW community is a testament to the power of dedication, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.