Christopher W. Grady

Christopher Grady
Born (1962-11-28) November 28, 1962 (age 61)
Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Navy
Years of service1984–present
RankAdmiral
Commands heldVice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
United States Fleet Forces Command
United States Naval Forces Northern Command
United States Naval Forces Strategic Command
Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO
United States Sixth Fleet
Carrier Strike Group 1
Destroyer Squadron 22
USS Cole (DDG 67)
USS Ardent (MCM 12)
USS Chief (MCM 14)
Battles/warsGulf War
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (5)
Alma materUniversity of Notre Dame (BA)
Georgetown University (MA)
National Defense University (MS)

Christopher Watson Grady (born November 28, 1962) is a United States Navy admiral who is currently serving as the 12th vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since December 20, 2021.

Grady most recently served as the commander of United States Fleet Forces Command and United States Naval Forces Northern Command from May 2018 to December 2021, with additional duties as commander of United States Naval Forces Strategic Command and Joint Force Maritime Component Commander from February 2019. He previously served as commander of the United States Sixth Fleet, commander of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, deputy commander of United States Naval Forces Europe - Naval Forces Africa and Joint Force Maritime Component Commander Europe from October 2016 to March 2018.

A 1984 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Grady was commissioned into the Navy via the Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. He is now the Navy's "Old Salt", its longest-serving surface warfare officer on active duty, having received the title and accompanying trophy from Admiral Philip S. Davidson on April 30, 2021.

Naval career

Rear Adm. Grady, as commander, Carrier Strike Group 1, prepares food on Thanksgiving dinner for sailors aboard the USS Carl Vinson, November 27, 2014.

Christopher Grady was born in Portsmouth, Virginia and raised in Newport, Rhode Island. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program in 1984. Grady is a distinguished graduate of Georgetown University, where he earned a Master of Arts 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 of National Defense University, earning a Master of Science in National Security Affairs.

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 in USS Princeton (CG 59). He was the commanding officer of Mine Counter Measure Rotational Crew Echo in USS Chief (MCM 14), and deployed to the Persian 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 Persian Gulf as sea combat commander for the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Vice Adm. Grady visits the Lindormen-class support vessel EML Wambola (A433) during exercise BALTOPS 2017, June 10, 2017.

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. He then went on to serve as the executive assistant to the chief of naval operations.

Grady's flag assignments include the Director of the Maritime Operations Center (N2/3/5/7), commander, United States Pacific Fleet; Commander, Carrier Strike Group 1 and the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group, where he deployed for nearly ten months to the Western Pacific and the Persian Gulf conducting combat operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He was then commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic.

Grady is sworn in as the 12th vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on December 20, 2021.

As a vice admiral, he commanded the United States Sixth Fleet from October 28, 2016 to March 1, 2018, relinquishing command to Vice Admiral Lisa Franchetti. On October 31, 2017, the United States Senate confirmed Grady's reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as the assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

On February 28, 2018, Grady was nominated by President Donald Trump for appointment to the rank of admiral and assignment as commander of United States Fleet Forces Command, and confirmed by the Senate on March 22, 2018. He assumed command of USFFC and Naval Forces Northern Command on May 4, 2018 and of commander, Naval Forces Strategic Command (NAVSTRAT) and United States Strategic Command Joint Force Maritime Component Command (JFMCC) on February 1, 2019.

Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

On November 1, 2021, he was nominated by President Joe Biden to succeed retiring General John E. Hyten as the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A nomination hearing was scheduled for December 2, 2021, but it was postponed in favor of Senate negotiations on the 2022 NDAA. He was confirmed by voice vote on December 16, 2021, and was sworn in on December 20, 2021.

Personal life

Grady and his wife Christine, married around 1985, have three children and a daughter-in-law.

Awards and decorations

Grady accepts the 'Old Salt' Award on board USS Cole (DDG 67) on April 30, 2021.

In addition to the below, the University of Notre Dame Alumni Board presented Grady with the Rev. William Corby, C.S.C., Award on September 28, 2019. Established in 1985, the award is conferred on alumni who have distinguished themselves in military service.

Surface Warfare Officer Insignia
Command at Sea insignia
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Presidential Service Badge
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with four gold award stars
Meritorious Service Medal with four award stars
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V and three award stars
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Bronze star
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with one bronze service star
Navy "E" Ribbon with three Battle "E" devices
Navy Expeditionary Medal
Bronze star
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Silver star
Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with silver service star
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Navy Expert Rifleman Medal
Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal
  • Surface Navy Association's "Old Salt" Award

This page was last updated at 2024-03-17 08:07 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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