MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii -- When asked what was one of the main things that made the Washington, D.C. native as successful as he has been in his life, he sat back in his seat and simply said, “Mentorship.
“Allow people to share their experiences with you to gain knowledge for yourself,” said Ensign Marc Tinaz, officer-in-charge, Waterfront Operations, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. “Then, in time, be a mentor to the young and share your experiences for them to learn.”
Standing strong as the only Bos’n (boatswain’s mate) stationed aboard K-Bay, his responsibilities include search and rescue, environmental and water security, and assisting the offices of the Provost Marshall and Land and Resources. Along with other duties and responsibilities, Tinaz still manages to make time for his family and has maintained a good sense of humor throughout his Navy career.
“Ensign Tinaz is probably one of the funniest people I have ever met,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Cheryl Sanchez, senior hospital corpsman, also assigned to Waterfront Operations. “It’s great, because he is very approachable and easy to talk to. He’s really taught me the traits of what kind of leader I would like to be.”
Growing up in a household with two older sisters, Tinaz attended Paul VI Catholic School in Fairfax, Va., and spent the majority of his time as a lifeguard at a residential pool. After graduation in 1988, Tinaz attended Northern Virginia Community College, but grew restless, knowing there was something more he wanted to do with his life.
“I had no inspiration in my life,” said the 35-year-old. “Then, when Operation Desert Shield/Storm came about, it inspired me to do something. So, I joined the military.”
Tinaz informed his parents of his decision to join the Navy approximately a month before attending basic training in Great Lakes, Ill., in 1991. Although neither parent had been in the military, they were enthusiastic about his choice.
After graduation from boot camp, Tinaz attended the Navy’s Quartermaster School in Orlando, Fla., where he went through six weeks of navigation training. His first duty station took him to the combat stores ship USS Mars (AFS-1), homeported in Oakland, Calif., where he remained until 1994. During his tour there, he held the billet of junior navigator and traveled to places such as Djibouti, Somalia, Thailand, Bali, Singapore and Japan.
“My time in the Navy has definitely been a positive experience,” said Tinaz. “My family and I are very lucky to now be stationed in Hawaii.”
Tinaz met his wife, Cori, in Pleasanton, Calif., and married her in 1995. They now have two sons together, D.J., 5, and Dylan, 2.
“I crush my two savages with love and attention, when I’m not at work,” said Tinaz. “Being on 48-month tours makes you miss a lot in their lives. I want to make up for that lost time.”
Tinaz chose to remain in the Navy and arrived in Little Creek, Va., and was assigned to patrol coastal boat USS Firebolt (PC-10) where he was a combat coxswain until 1998.
“I applied for the class to be a combat coxswain, got screened and got accepted,” said Tinaz.”
His last two duty stations before deciding to accept a commission kept him in Virginia. One was the Naval Medical Hospital Center in Portsmouth, Va., where he held the billet of substance abuse counselor. He served his final billet there as the assistant navigator aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60), homeported in Norfolk, Va.
Even though he had reached the rank of senior chief petty officer during his career as an enlisted Sailor, Tinaz decided to move to the officer ranks and was selected under the Chief Warrant Officer/Limited Duty Officer Commissioning Program in February 2004.
“I wanted to get the opportunity to make policies, not just enforce them,” said Tinaz. “Through this program, there is no college degree necessary. The Navy seeks technical experts in different fields.”
Tinaz attended what he calls the “Mustang University” in Pensacola, Fla., for six weeks. There, he perfected leadership/management curriculum after he was commissioned in March 2005 and arrived at K-Bay, where he took on the role of the OIC for Waterfront Operations.
“Since Bos’n Tinaz arrived here in May, he has easily gained everyone’s respect who works for him,” said Sanchez. “I’ve been in the Navy 7 1/2 years, and he taught me things about leadership that none of my other leaders had. He is one of those people that you will never forget. He truly cares about all of us and our well-being, and I hope to run into him again one day in the future.”
Before eventually retiring from the Navy, Tinaz said he plans to earn a bachelor’s degree, but until then, he plans to just live in the moment and enjoy his time here.
“Don’t take yourself too seriously in life,” said Tinaz. “Use the balance of humor and reality to get the mission done.”