Captain Bret M. Grabbe

Chief of Staff

Captain Grabbe is a Kansas native, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University, and was commissioned in September 1996 at Officer Candidate School, Pensacola, Florida. He holds a Master’s Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College where he is an alumnus of the Gravely Group advanced research program.

Grabbe’s sea assignments began as a junior officer aboard USS Alaska (SSBN 732). He then served aboard USS Memphis (SSN 691) and USS Providence (SSN 719) before commanding USS Alexandria (SSN 757). During these tours, he completed three overseas deployments in support of U.S., Joint, and Coalition submarine operations in the Pacific, European, Central, and Africa Commands, as well as, four strategic deterrent patrols. Most recently, he served as Commodore of COMSUBRON 15 where he led the Navy’s only forward deployed submarine squadron.

Ashore, CAPT Grabbe served as an instructor at Nuclear Power Training Unit, Ballston Spa, New York, as Squadron Engineer and Materials Officer on the staff of Commander, Submarine Development Squadron 12, and as Deputy Commodore on the staff of Commander, Submarine Squadron 12. He also served on the Office of Secretary of Defense staff as the Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. The crews he served with earned the Atlantic Fleet’s Battenberg Cup, the SECDEF Robert T. Mason Award for Depot Maintenance Excellence, as well as, numerous Battle Efficiency and Unit Commendation awards. CAPT Grabbe holds numerous personal and unit awards.