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Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 100
BY SENATORS ADLEY, ALARIO, ALLAIN, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, BROWN,
BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CLAI TOR, CORTEZ, CROWE,
DONAHUE, DORSEY-COLOMB, ERDEY, GALLOT, GUILLORY,
HEITMEIER, JOHNS, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTINY,
MILLS, MORRELL, MORRISH , MURRAY, NEVERS, PEACOCK,
PERRY, PETERSON, RISER, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH,
TARVER, THOMPSON, WALSWORTH, WARD AND WHI TE
A RESOLUTION
To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana to the
family of U.S. Navy Seal (Ret.) Mark Daniel Kennedy upon his death while serving
as a maritime security professional, fighting piracy off the coast of East Africa.
WHEREAS, Mark Kennedy was a native of Baton Rouge and a 1988 graduate of
Central High School where he distinguished himself as an exceptional athlete and a standout
on the varsity football team; and
WHEREAS, Mark would continue his education, receiving his degree from
Campbell University in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Mark's experience in sports would later serve him well when he enlisted
in the U.S. Navy in 1995, with a goal to serve his country as a member of the elite U.S. Navy
SEALS; and
WHEREAS, Mark employed his athletic prowess into his quest to become one of
America's toughest warriors, and used his team experiences in sports to emerge as a leader
among his peers, and he successfully completed the Navy's Basic Underwater Demolition
School, Class 209, in February 1997, earning the prized Navy Seal Trident Badge; and
WHEREAS, in 1998, Chief Petty Officer Mark Kennedy successfully completed the
Navy Special Operations Combat Medic Course, further specializing in his job as a Navy
SEAL Combat Medic; and
WHEREAS, during Chief Kennedy's highly distinguished career, he would be
assigned to SEAL Team 8, then SEAL Team 2, and finally to the Naval Special Operations
Medical Institute; and SR NO. 100 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, Chief Kennedy would deploy on multiple combat tours in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and many classified missions in
other hot spots around the world whenever his country called; and
WHEREAS, Chief Kennedy would earn many awards and decorations for his faithful
and brave service for his country, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and
Marine Corps Commendation Medal with V device for valor, and the Combat Action
Ribbon; and
WHEREAS, in 2010, Chief Kennedy would retire from active duty in the U.S. Navy
and return home to Louisiana, and seeking to continue to serve his country using his skills
and knowledge as a warrior, he sought and was given a job in security by Trident Group, a
firm owned by former Navy SEALS, that provides maritime industry security support; and
WHEREAS, Mark Kennedy was forty-four years old when he died unexpectedly
during the night of February 18, 2014, guarding the vessel, Maersk Alabama that was
transporting food aid to East Africa in support of the U.S. government's "Food for Peace"
program; and
WHEREAS, his death has left a terrible and empty void in the lives of those he
loved, including his wife Julia, son Mason, mother and father Nanda and Dannie Kennedy,
and his brother Greg Kennedy.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby express its deepest and most profound condolences to the family, friends and
military comrades of Mark who now feel the pain of his loss and yet also feel great pride in
having known such a great warrior.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Mark
Kennedy's wife, Julia, and his parents, Nanda and Dannie Kennedy.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE