{"id":22658,"date":"2021-01-20T21:08:10","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T21:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/01\/20\/us-naval-academy-taps-marine-corps-artillery-officer-as-next-commandant-of-midshipmen\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:05:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:05:27","slug":"us-naval-academy-taps-marine-corps-artillery-officer-as-next-commandant-of-midshipmen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2021\/01\/20\/us-naval-academy-taps-marine-corps-artillery-officer-as-next-commandant-of-midshipmen\/","title":{"rendered":"US Naval Academy taps Marine Corps artillery officer as next commandant of midshipmen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new commandant<\/a> is coming to the U.S. Naval Academy this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Col. James \u201cJ.P.\u201d McDonough III, a Marine Corps artillery officer and 1994 graduate of the service academy, has been tapped to serve as the 89th commandant of midshipmen, the Naval Academy announced Jan. 19. He will take the reins from Capt. Thomas R. \u201cT.R.\u201d Buchanan, who will wrap up his two-year stint as commandant this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am truly honored and humbled to have been selected for this position and am excited to join the great team at the Naval Academy,\u201d McDonough said in a news release. \u201cI look forward to the opportunity to help shape the Brigade of Midshipmen as they become the future leaders of the Navy and Marine Corps.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McDonough, who is currently working at the Pentagon as the executive assistant to the deputy commandant for plans, policies and operations at U.S. Marine Corps Headquarters, will oversee midshipmen\u2019s day-to-day conduct, military training and professional development in his role at the service.<\/p>\n\n\n\t