Timothy Szymanski
Timothy Gerard "Tim" Szymanski, a United States Navy Vice Admiral, is deputy commander of United States Special Operations Command. He is the former commander of Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, California.Early life and education
Vice Admiral Szymanski is a native of Wilmington, Delaware. He graduated from the Salesianum School in 1980, where he was a three-year varsity letterman in wrestling and, in 1980, represented the United States in an international AAU Freestyle wrestling tournament in Tokyo, Japan. He then attended the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School from 1980 to 1981, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1985.
He completed a Masters of Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy at Joint Advanced Warfighting School.Naval career
After receiving his commission in 1985, Szymanski served in the Surface Warfare community and qualified as a surface warfare officer before transitioning to the SEALs. He volunteered for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training graduating with Class 161 in 1989.
Szymanski’s Naval Special Warfare and operational assignments include platoon and task unit commander at SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. In 1992, Szymanski was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Development Group in Damneck, Va and completed the nine month selection and training course known as green team. He then served as troop and squadron commander with the unit until 1997 and returned as operations officer from 2000 to 2002. He commanded Special Boat Unit 26, SEAL Team 2 from 2002 to 2004, O6-level Joint Task Force in Afghanistan, and Naval Special Warfare Group TWO. He served as deputy commanding general sustainment to Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan/NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan.
Szymanski’s previous staff assignments include officer community manager for NSW and enlisted community manager for SEALs, Navy Divers, explosive ordnance disposal technicians, and special warfare combatant craft crewmen. He served on the Joint Staff as the J3 deputy directorate for Special Operations as the Global War on Terror branch chief and as chief staff officer of Pakistan-Afghanistan Coordination Cell.
On 3 August 2016, Szymanski succeeded Rear Admiral Brian L. Losey as Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command. His prior assignment was the assistant commanding general of Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
On 19 July 2018, Szymanski was nominated for promotion to vice admiral but his next assignment was not disclosed at the time.Awards and decorations
Szymanski has received multiple awards and recognitions:
In 2015, Szymanski was inducted into Salesianum School's hall of fame.
