Commanding Officer Recruit School

Commander Paul O’Grady, RAN

Commander Paul O’Grady, RAN, grew up on the Mornington Peninsula, attaining a B.Sc (Hons) from the University of Melbourne before joining the Royal Australian Navy in 1994. His initial Seaman Officer training included time at sea in the destroyer HMAS Hobart before gaining his bridge watchkeeping certificate as a member of the commissioning crew of HMAS Anzac. After two further years at sea in both HMAS Tobruk and the commissioning crew of HMAS Arunta, then Lieutenant O’Grady undertook Principal Warfare Officer Training at HMAS Watson. He graduated successfully in 2000 as an Anti-Submarine Warfare specialist and was posted to the guided missile frigate HMAS Darwin.

In 2001 Lieutenant O’Grady commenced a seagoing exchange with the Royal Navy for two years. Based in Portsmouth, he served in the destroyers HMS York, Glasgow and Liverpool and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander during that time. Returning to Australia in 2003, he took up a position as a Principal Warfare Officer instructor before being appointed to Commodore Flotilla’s Sea Training Group as the Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer. In 2005, Lieutenant Commander O’Grady was appointed as the executive officer of the guided missile frigate HMAS Newcastle. In her, he served off the coast of Iraq during Operation CATALYST, conducted border security patrols in Northern Australian waters and was part of the ADF force deployed off the coast of Fiji in 2006 in Operation QUICKSTEP.

After completing his tenure in Newcastle, Lieutenant Commander O’Grady successfully undertook the Australian Command and Staff course, was posted to the Military Strategic Commitments in VCDF Group, and promoted to the rank of Commander. He spent two years in that Branch, including a twelve month tenure as the Deputy Director for Regional and Domestic Commitments; a role for which he was awarded a Chief of the Defence Force commendation. Commander O’Grady assumed command of the Royal Australian Navy’s Recruit Training School in January 2010.

Commander O’Grady is married with two children and holds Masters Degrees in Arts (Strategy and Policy) and Maritime Studies. Despite his best efforts he remains an appalling though undaunted golfer.