CDR Darek Marino

EXECUTIVE OFFICER, USS MICHAEL MURPHY (DDG 112)

19 September 2025 Commander Marino is a native of Greenburgh, New York. He earned Bachelors of Science degrees from the United States Naval Academy in Political Science and Economics, as well as a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. He was commissioned in May 2009 as a Surface Warfare Officer.
 
Commander Marino’s operational assignments include service on USS Chosin (CG 65) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii as the Repair Officer and Fire Control Officer. He deployed with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group to the Middle East and Western Pacific. He also served as Operations Officer on USS Porter (DDG 78), forward deployed to Rota, Spain, as well as Operations Officer on USS San Jacinto (CG 56) in Norfolk, Virginia as part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. He completed multiple Europe and Middle East deployments.

Ashore, he served as a Naval Science Instructor, Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Unit at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. He also served on the Navy Staff as a Fleet Implementation Officer for the Director, Navy Special Programs (N9SP); Speechwriter to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations; and staff officer on the CNO’s Strategic Integration Group. Most recently, he served as a Political-Military Planner on Europe, NATO, and Russia policy under the Director for Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5) on the Joint Staff.

 Commander Marino’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with four Gold Stars), the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (with one Gold Star), as well as multiple unit and service awards. He was awarded the 2019 Junior Officer Excellence in Tactics award from Commander, Carrier Strike Group 10.