PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD, Maine – A change of command ceremony for USS North Dakota (SSN 784) was held at the shipyard auditorium Friday, May 15, during which Cmdr. Towney “Trey” Kennard, III, was relieved by Cmdr. Christopher Marolt.
Capt. Jason Deichler, commodore, Submarine Squadron Two, presided over the ceremony. Capt. Mike Hollenbach, Virginia-class Program Manager, was the keynote speaker.
Kennard assumed command of North Dakota August 31, 2023. A native of Marietta, Georgia, Kennard graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and was commissioned through the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship program.
“Congratulations to my friend Trey on a successful run on North Dakota,” said Hollenbach. “Trey’s dedication to his team and to the mission has been vital to North Dakota’s success during its maintenance availability. We wish you all the best in your well-deserved new role at Special Operations Command in Tampa.”
Under Kennard’s leadership, North Dakota earned the 2024 and 2025 Battle E (Battle Efficiency) awards, which recognize the crew’s superior warfighting readiness performance and efficiency.
Marolt is a native of Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. He was commissioned through the NROTC program and holds a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University.
North Dakota, a Virgina-class nuclear powered fast-attack submarine, was commissioned October 25, 2014, and is the second U.S. warship commissioned under the name North Dakota, the first being a World War I battleship USS North Dakota (BB-29).
North Dakota is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance work and system upgrades at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. As America’s leader for attack submarine maintenance, repair and modernization, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard delivers the decisive edge required to master an era of evolving threats. It stands at the forefront of America's commitment to peace through strength, delivering combat-ready submarines that are lethal, resilient, and prepared to win. The work performed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a direct contribution to national security, ensuring the U.S. Navy remains the most dominant maritime force anywhere in the world.