As if Plebe Summer weren't tough enough, the U.S. Naval Academy's incoming freshmen are about to get a salty Marine Corps colonel as their version of the dean of students.
The Brigade of Midshipmen will welcome Col. Stephen Liszewski on board as the 86th commandant this summer, only the second devil 'dant to ever serve at Annapolis, the academy announced in a Wednesday release.
"I am honored and excited to join the dedicated team at the Naval Academy," Liszewski said in the release.
He is currently serving as the Marine Corps commandant's military fellow on the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. The 1990 academy grad was born in Annapolis, and his father was an academy librarian.
The commandant, as the academy's second-in-command, reports to Superintendent Vice Adm. Ted Carter. The 'dant position, as it is called by midshipmen, is also a prestigious post that has been held by a variety of leaders who went on to top jobs, including Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, U.S. Pacific Command leader Adm. Samuel Locklear and Marine Gen. John Allen, the first Marine to hold the 'dant job.
As commandant, he will be responsible for the conduct, training and professional development of the brigade's 4,000 mids.
"This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I look forward to working with the incredibly talented men and women of the Brigade of Midshipmen and help them become leaders of character for the naval service and the nation," he said.
Following graduation, Lisznewski served as an artillery officer with 1st Battalion, 12 Marines, and the 3rd Marine Regiment in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, before commanding Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, at Camp Pendleton, California.
He deployed to al-Anbar province, Iraq, in 2007 as commander of 1st Battalion, 12th Marines. In 2012, he deployed to Helmand province, Afghanistan, with I Marine Expeditionary Force, before returning home and commanding the 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, at Camp Pendleton until 2014.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
