By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Richard Miller

SAN DIEGO (NNS) — Rear Adm. Tim Szymanski relieved Rear Adm. Brian L. Losey as commander, Naval Special Warfare Command (CNSWC) during a change of command ceremony at Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, Aug. 3.

Gen. Raymond Thomas, commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, was the guest speaker for the ceremony. In his remarks, Thomas praised Losey’s leadership within Naval Special Warfare (NSW).

“This ceremony commemorates the completion of 33 years of historic service for [Losey], most recently, three years of remarkable service here as commander, Naval Special Warfare Command,” Thomas said. “The global impact of this 9,000 member force under his command is hard to overstate.”

Losey will leave CNSWC and retire after more than three decades of service. Losey, a career SEAL officer, has previously served at Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) and as a director on the National Security Council in the Executive Office of the President, among other assignments.

“I want to start by first and foremost thanking the CNO and Gen. Thomas, U.S. Special Operations Command for their presence here today,” Losey said at the ceremony, “there is no higher honor within the military than to have these two leaders of our nation’s military to be here for Naval Special Warfare.”

Losey’s remarks touched heavily on the people that make up the NSW community and he specifically thanked his family for their support, the SEAL’s that came before him and his NSW staff members for all their assistance over the years. Losey also made it a point to reach out to the new class of hopeful SEAL’s by thanking Basic Underwater Demolition/Seal class 321 for showing their support and wished them well in their future careers.

Losey’s time at CNSWC was marked by an emphasis on the SEAL Ethos, a return to the community’s maritime roots and a focus on caring for the NSW force and families.

Thomas said he was impressed by Losey’s efforts to take care of those under his command.

“Most recently [Losey’s] applied his exceptional vision and energy to this organization with a special renewed focus on undersea warfare and support to the Navy in the form of full spectrum special operations,” Thomas said.

Losey was relieved by Szymanski, another career SEAL officer. Szymanski most recently served as assistant commanding general, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. A 1985 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Szymanski also served as commander, Naval Special Warfare Group 2 and commander, SEAL Team 2.

Szymanski said he was honored to take command of CNSWC from Losey.

“I thank Adm. Richardson and Gen. Thomas for attending the change of command today and recognizing the exceptional leadership and performance of Adm. Losey leading and advancing the Naval Special Warfare community the last three years and the trust and confidence to put me at the helm of this community,” Szymanski said at the ceremony.

NSW is comprised of approximately 8,900 personnel, including more than 2,400 active-duty SEALs, 700 Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC), 700 reserve personnel, 4,100 support personnel and more than 1, 100 civilians.

CNSWC in San Diego leads the Navy’s special operations force and the maritime component of USSOCOM, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla.

NSW groups command, train, equip and deploy components of NSW squadrons to meet the exercise, contingency and wartime requirements of the regional combatant commanders, theater special operations commands and numbered fleets located around the world.