Rear Admiral Christopher Grady

Rear Adm. Grady is a native of Newport, R.I. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and was commissioned as an ensign through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program.

Grady’s initial sea tour was aboard USS Moosbrugger (DD 980) where he served as combat information center officer and anti-submarine warfare officer. As a department head, he served as weapons control officer and combat systems officer aboard USS Princeton (CG 59). He was commanding officer of Mine Counter Measure Rotational Crew Echo aboard USS Chief (MCM 14), and deployed to the Arabian Gulf in command of USS Ardent (MCM 12). Grady then commanded USS Cole (DDG 67) deploying as part of NATO’s Standing Naval Forces Mediterranean. He then commanded Destroyer Squadron 22 deploying to the Arabian Gulf as sea combat commander for the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Ashore, Grady first served on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then as naval aide to the Chief of Naval Operations. He also served on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations as assistant branch head, Europe and Eurasia Politico-Military Affairs Branch (OPNAV N524). He then served as executive assistant to the Navy’s Chief of Legislative Affairs. Next, he served as the deputy executive secretary of the National Security Council in the White House. His last assignment was executive assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations. In October 2011, he reported to Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet as deputy chief of staff for Operations, Training and Readiness.

Grady is a distinguished graduate of Georgetown University where he earned a Master of Arts degree in National Security Studies while concurrently participating as a Fellow in Foreign Service at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. He is also a distinguished graduate of the National War College earning a Master of Science degree in National Security Affairs.

His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with one gold star, the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars and the Combat "V", and the Joint Service Achievement Medal. Grady is a joint specialty officer.