JUNE 12, 2026 – Many strive for greatness, and some achieve it. But few go beyond greatness, redefining the limits of human potential. Of the 8.3 billion people on earth, only 781 people have traveled to space, a fraction so small it represents far less than 1% of the global population.
One of those few is retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Randy “Komrade” Bresnik. On June 9, 2026, NASA announced Bresnik’s selection as the commander of the Artemis III mission. His extensive experience in the Marine Corps and previous spaceflights have prepared him for the high-tempo mission, scheduled for launch in 2027.
Growing up in Santa Monica, California, Bresnik received a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship to The Citadel, where he commissioned into the Marine Corps in 1989. After completing flight training, he took on the responsibility of flying high-performance fighter jets.
“The Citadel prepared me for my time in the Marine Corps,” Bresnik said. “Since I commissioned, all I wanted to do was fly.”
He went on to accomplish extraordinary feats throughout his 26-year Marine Corps career. He was selected as an F/A-18 test pilot, became a Weapons and Tactics Instructor, and graduated from the prestigious Navy Fighter Weapons School, also known as TOPGUN. He completed three deployments, flying multiple combat missions.
“I have always appreciated the challenges the Marine Corps gave me,” Bresnik said. “I had a friend who was selected for the NASA Astronaut Candidate Program, and I thought maybe I had a shot.”
In 2004, NASA selected Bresnik as an astronaut candidate, and he completed his initial two-year training program in 2006. The rigorous curriculum included countless hours in space shuttle simulators, water and wilderness survival training, physiological training and T-38 flight training. Following this preparation, Bresnik completed his first spaceflight in 2009.
Bresnik’s Marine Corps career taught him to adapt to the operational mindset required while deployed far from home. His military deployments helped him balance the dual demands of family and service, challenges that service members around the world continue to face.
“Compartmentalization was insanely important for me when I was on my first spaceflight because I was launching, my wife was nine months pregnant on the ground, and when I did my first spacewalk ever, she was in labor.”
Bresnik worked with NASA on numerous projects while maintaining his active-duty Marine status. In 2010, he trained as a “cave-a-naut,” an extreme environment program that sends astronauts deep underground to practice teamwork, mapping and survival in an isolated, alien-like environment. In 2014, Bresnik served as commander of NEEMO 19, NASA’s Extreme Environment Mission Operations. He and his team of aquanauts lived 62 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean to test equipment and operational techniques for the International Space Station and future deep-space exploration.
Bresnik retired from the Marine Corps in 2015 and continues to serve NASA as assistant to the of the Astronaut Office for Exploration. In this role, he has been deeply involved in developing the Artemis missions. His selection as commander of Artemis III allows him to apply this expertise directly in flight.
“As a corporal, when you find out you’re going to be a sergeant, you’re pretty elated and excited; being selected for this mission is similar to that feeling,” Bresnik said. “You work hard, get your qualifications, demonstrate proficiency, take care of your Marines and you eventually get the chance to move up and demonstrate that capability at a higher level.”
During the Artemis III mission, Bresnik and his crew will test the Orion spacecraft’s critical docking and rendezvous capabilities in Earth orbit, laying the groundwork for landing systems that will eventually carry astronauts back to the lunar surface.
“My Marine Corps training was essential,” Bresnik said. “It has allowed me to be as effective and helpful as I am as an astronaut. Hopefully, that training will serve me well during the decisions I make to support our crew’s ability to complete this mission.”
Bresnik emphasized the vital role Artemis III plays as the bridge to sustainable deep-space exploration.
“Is there any better spot to be than in the mission that is happening right now? My crew and I get to execute the essential mission that takes us from the Artemis II flight just two months ago to the lunar landing on the next flight. If we do not execute this mission, then we do not execute the lunar landing.”
The Artemis III mission serves as the foundation that will allow NASA to continue exploring the unknown for the greater good of humanity.
“We are very fortunate to be the crew executing this mission,” Bresnik said.
The Marine Corps continues to inspire and shape those who cross its path. It remains a strong foundation on which individuals can build to reach their highest goals. Whether serving as a Marine, exploring as an astronaut or striving for a purpose greater than oneself, the lesson remains clear: Never give up on your dreams, and always shoot for the stars.
Story by Sgt. Emily De La Torre
Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES)