Commanding Officer, 2d Assault Amphibian Battalion
Lieutenant Colonel John G. Kennedy

Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy enlisted in the Marine Corps and earned distinction as platoon honor graduate during recruit training.  Following recruit training he was assigned the MOS of 0811, Field Artillery, with Hotel Battery, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines.

In June 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy reported to Officer Candidate’s School in Quantico, Va.  Upon graduation and commissioning, he completed subsequent entry-level assignments at The Basic School, Infantry Officer’s Course, and Assault Amphibian School (AAS).

Following graduation from AAS, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy reported to Third Assault Amphibian Battalion (3D AABn), and deployed to Iraq as a Mobile Assault Platoon Commander in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 05-07.  After OIF, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy quickly deployed again as the AAV Platoon Commander for Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC). 

Following his second of back-to-back deployments with 3D AABn, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy received orders to Marine Corps Forces Command in Norfolk, Va.  He served as Ground Operations Officer, Mission Assurance Officer, and Command Center OIC to Current Operation Section, G-3/5/7 from 2008 through 2011.  During this assignment Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy was selected to attend resident Career-Level School (CLS) at the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course in Fort Benning, Ga. 

Following CLS, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy was assigned to Second Assault Amphibian Battalion (2D AABn) in Camp Lejeune, NC where he immediately executed a ten month deployment as the Executive Officer and Operations Officer for the Provincial Police Advisor Team, II MEF (fwd) in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.  Upon return from Afghanistan, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy subsequently commanded both Headquarters and Services, and Alpha Company, 2D AABn.  During his time in command of Alpha Company, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy was selected by the Commandant’s Professional Intermediate Education Board (CPIB) to attend the twelve month resident course at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI. 

Following graduation from the Naval War College in June 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy was assigned to Galveston, TX as Inspector/Instructor (I&I) for Charlie Company, 4th AABn, 4th Marine Division.  The Company successfully supported high-visibility operations such as the first iteration of the reserve Unit Deployment Program, and destructive weather/humanitarian response efforts to Hurricane Harvey; effectively proofing the concept for both efforts. 

Following I&I duty, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy assumed the role of Executive Officer for Assault Amphibian School, where he was subsequently selected to command Second Assault Amphibian Battalion.  On 17 June 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy assumed command of Second Assault Amphibian Battalion. 

Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy earned a Master of Arts Degree from the US Naval War College, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Longwood University.  His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon.  He is married and has three children with the former Sally Emery.

Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy enlisted in the Marine Corps and earned distinction as platoon honor graduate during recruit training.  Following recruit training he was assigned the MOS of 0811, Field Artillery, with Hotel Battery, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines.

In June 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy reported to Officer Candidate’s School in Quantico, Va.  Upon graduation and commissioning, he completed subsequent entry-level assignments at The Basic School, Infantry Officer’s Course, and Assault Amphibian School (AAS).

Following graduation from AAS, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy reported to Third Assault Amphibian Battalion (3D AABn), and deployed to Iraq as a Mobile Assault Platoon Commander in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 05-07.  After OIF, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy quickly deployed again as the AAV Platoon Commander for Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC). 

Following his second of back-to-back deployments with 3D AABn, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy received orders to Marine Corps Forces Command in Norfolk, Va.  He served as Ground Operations Officer, Mission Assurance Officer, and Command Center OIC to Current Operation Section, G-3/5/7 from 2008 through 2011.  During this assignment Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy was selected to attend resident Career-Level School (CLS) at the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course in Fort Benning, Ga. 

Following CLS, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy was assigned to Second Assault Amphibian Battalion (2D AABn) in Camp Lejeune, NC where he immediately executed a ten month deployment as the Executive Officer and Operations Officer for the Provincial Police Advisor Team, II MEF (fwd) in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.  Upon return from Afghanistan, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy subsequently commanded both Headquarters and Services, and Alpha Company, 2D AABn.  During his time in command of Alpha Company, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy was selected by the Commandant’s Professional Intermediate Education Board (CPIB) to attend the twelve month resident course at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI. 

Following graduation from the Naval War College in June 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy was assigned to Galveston, TX as Inspector/Instructor (I&I) for Charlie Company, 4th AABn, 4th Marine Division.  The Company successfully supported high-visibility operations such as the first iteration of the reserve Unit Deployment Program, and destructive weather/humanitarian response efforts to Hurricane Harvey; effectively proofing the concept for both efforts. 

Following I&I duty, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy assumed the role of Executive Officer for Assault Amphibian School, where he was subsequently selected to command Second Assault Amphibian Battalion.  On 17 June 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy assumed command of Second Assault Amphibian Battalion. 

Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy earned a Master of Arts Degree from the US Naval War College, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Longwood University.  His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon.  He is married and has three children with the former Sally Emery.