Commodore Paul O'Grady
J5 Strategy and Plans Director, US Pacific Command
Commodore Paul O’Grady is a native of Melbourne and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1994 as a Surface Warfare Officer and has served extensively throughout the Indo-Pacific and Middle East areas.
His command appointments include Navy’s Recruit School, the Guided Missile Frigate HMAS Newcastle, the Australian Amphibious Task Group, and the RAN’s deployable one-star Fleet Battle Staff.
In staff roles, Commodore O’Grady has served as Deputy Surface Force Commander and Deputy Chief of Staff of Navy Headquarters. During the COVID-19 pandemic he was the Deputy Commander of the JTF delivering support across all States and Territories, and was subsequently Chief of Staff of the three-star led Defence Task Force.
Commodore O’Grady was promoted to Flag Officer in 2021 and appointed as Commodore Flotillas in Fleet Command, functioning as the Royal Australian Navy’s deployable O7 level Maritime Component Commander. In that role he held senior leadership positions in regional activities and combined multinational exercises, including commanding Military support to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.
His awards include appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours, the Distinguished Service Medal (2014), the Conspicuous Service Medal (2012), and a Chief of Defence Force commendation (2009), as well as campaign and long service awards.
Commodore O’Grady is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff Course (2007) and the US Naval War College (2015), where he received the RADM Joseph C. Strasser International Leadership Prize. He has also completed the US Navy’s Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course and holds Master’s degrees in Strategy and Policy, International Relations, and Maritime Studies.
Paul joined the US PACOM team accompanied by his wife Lynette in December 2024, while their adult children and mischievous beagles remained in Australia.
His command appointments include Navy’s Recruit School, the Guided Missile Frigate HMAS Newcastle, the Australian Amphibious Task Group, and the RAN’s deployable one-star Fleet Battle Staff.
In staff roles, Commodore O’Grady has served as Deputy Surface Force Commander and Deputy Chief of Staff of Navy Headquarters. During the COVID-19 pandemic he was the Deputy Commander of the JTF delivering support across all States and Territories, and was subsequently Chief of Staff of the three-star led Defence Task Force.
Commodore O’Grady was promoted to Flag Officer in 2021 and appointed as Commodore Flotillas in Fleet Command, functioning as the Royal Australian Navy’s deployable O7 level Maritime Component Commander. In that role he held senior leadership positions in regional activities and combined multinational exercises, including commanding Military support to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.
His awards include appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours, the Distinguished Service Medal (2014), the Conspicuous Service Medal (2012), and a Chief of Defence Force commendation (2009), as well as campaign and long service awards.
Commodore O’Grady is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff Course (2007) and the US Naval War College (2015), where he received the RADM Joseph C. Strasser International Leadership Prize. He has also completed the US Navy’s Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course and holds Master’s degrees in Strategy and Policy, International Relations, and Maritime Studies.
Paul joined the US PACOM team accompanied by his wife Lynette in December 2024, while their adult children and mischievous beagles remained in Australia.