It is with deep regret I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral Mark Luzerne Tidd on 22 February 2025, at the age of 69. Rear Admiral Tidd was commissioned an ensign on 11 May 1981 and served in the Chaplain Corps until his retirement in September 2014 as the 25th Chief of Navy Chaplains. He served with the 2nd Marine Division, deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and again with the 2nd Marine Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004. Other major assignments included force chaplain for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, division chaplain for the 2nd Marine Division, command chaplain for U.S. European Command, and Chaplain of the Marine Corps/Deputy Chief of Chaplains.
Mark Tidd graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1977 with a bachelor of arts in religion. He then earned a master’s degree in divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, in 1982. He was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) in June 1982. In July 1982, he reported for duty at the Naval Chaplains School, Naval Education and Training Center, in Newport, Rhode Island. In September 1982, he was assigned to the Naval Reserve Voluntary Training Unit as a chaplain.
In July 1983, lieutenant (j.g.) Tidd was assigned to Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California, as chaplain with Patrol Wing TEN (PATWING-10). He was promoted to lieutenant in July 1984.
In April 1985, Lieutenant Tidd was assigned to guided missile cruiser
Reeves (CG-24) at Yokosuka, Japan, as part of the Forward Deployed Naval Force. Highlights of this tour included special operations off Vladivostok, Soviet Union, and conducting surveillance of the V/STOL carrier
Minsk. In November 1986,
Reeves led
Rentz (FFG-46) and
Oldendorf (DD-972) in a historic six-day port visit to Qingdao, People’s Republic of China—the first port visit since the Communists overran the port in 1949. In July 1987, Lieutenant Tidd attended Princeton Theological Seminary, earning a master’s degree in practical theology.
In May 1988, Lieutenant Tidd reported to the 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as a battalion chaplain and training and operations chaplain, and deployed to Southwest Asia to support Operation Desert Storm. In July 1991, he was assigned to the Marine Corps Combat Development Command as chaplain for the Marine Corps Brig and Base Security Battalion. A month later, he was promoted to lieutenant commander.
In July 1992, Lieutenant Commander Tidd attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Virginia. A year later, he reported to the Bureau of Naval Personnel as head, Professional Development and Religious Programs Branch, Office of the Chief of Chaplains. In June 1996, he reported to
Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) as deputy command chaplain. Between November 1996 and May 1997,
Theodore Roosevelt made its fifth deployment operating in support of Operation Southern Watch in the Persian Gulf and in the Mediterranean. Following his deployment, he graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College and was promoted to commander in June 1997.
In August 1998, Commander Tidd was assigned to the Naval Education and Training Center in Newport as an advanced training officer at the Navy Chaplain School. Three years later, in June 2001, he was assigned as a force chaplain for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, serving in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He was promoted to captain in February 2003.
In January 2004, Captain Tidd returned to 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as division chaplain, and deployed to Iraq with the division the following January. While in Ramadi, Iraq, he provided direct support, pastoral care, and mentoring to chaplains attached to combat units. In July 2005, he attended the National War College in Washington, DC, and earned a master’s degree in national security strategy. The following year, Captain Tidd was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as command chaplain, where he advised on the impact of various religions toward reducing conflict and engaged with civilian religious leaders and military chaplains throughout Europe and Africa.
After being selected for rear admiral (lower half), he assumed duty in July 2009 as Chaplain of the Marine Corps/Deputy Chief of Chaplains/Deputy Director of Religious Ministries (N097B) in Washington, DC. Rear Admiral Tidd provided executive oversight to the 250 chaplains assigned to Marine Corps commands around the world. He was officially promoted to rear admiral (lower half) on 1 August 2009 and became a member of CAPSTONE 2010-4.
A year later, in August 2010, Rear Admiral Tidd assumed duty as the 25th Chief of Chaplains/Director of Religious Ministries (N097) and was promoted to rear admiral (two star). As Chief of Navy Chaplains, he oversaw and supported more than 1,100 chaplains serving afloat and ashore in the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
Rear Admiral Tidd retired on 1 September 2014. During his distinguished career, Rear Admiral Tidd received several awards, including the Defense Superior Service Medal; the Legion of Merit (two awards); Meritorious Service Medal (two awards); Joint Service Commendation Medal; Navy Commendation Medal (four awards); Joint Meritorious Unit Award (two awards); Navy Unit Commendation; Meritorious Unit Commendation (two awards); Navy “E” Ribbon; Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon; National Defense Service Medal (two awards); Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (two awards); Southwest Asia Service Medal with Fleet Marine Device and one campaign star; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (five awards); Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon (five awards); Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia); and the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait).
Following retirement, Rear Admiral Tidd served on the board of directors of Military Community Youth Ministries, an organization that partnered with Young Life for more than 40 years to provide youth ministry to teenagers and military families. He also received a doctor of ministry from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
Rear Admiral Tidd was the son of Vice Admiral Emmett Tidd, USN (served 1942–76) and brother of Admiral Kurt Tidd (USNA ’78, retired as Commander, U.S. Southern Command in 2018).
Chaplain Tidd served the Navy and Marine Corps with extraordinary distinction, dedication, and compassion. He ministered to marines in combat and to sailors in far-flung places, often in crises and situations of great stress. He was steadfast in his focus on the spiritual and emotional well-being of Navy and Marine Corps personnel, while also providing exemplary support to families, especially the children of military members. He was an extraordinary listener—he found anything anyone said “interesting,” and only then would he provide sage advice.
The time he spent with others was time he couldn’t spend with his family, and so the Navy and nation owe his family a deep debt of gratitude. In the words of the current Chief of Navy Chaplains, Rear Admiral Gregory N. Todd, “We are grateful for the leadership and legacy of Chaplain Tidd as he provided a steady hand on the tiller for our Corps while our nation was at war. Under his leadership the Chaplain Corps identified our four core capabilities: provide, facilitate, care, and advice.”
Rear Admiral Tidd was an exceptionally effective leader, who put his flock above himself, emulating the way of the Good Shepherd. The Navy and Marine Corps will truly miss him, but his legacy of faith and care will live on.
Rest in Peace, Rear Admiral Tidd.