Ray Griggs
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Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...
Raymond James Griggs, (born July 1961) is a former Australian senior public servant and a senior officer in the
Royal Australian Navy Reserve The Royal Australian Naval Reserve (RANR) is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Australian Navy in Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Austra ...
. He served as Chief of Navy from June 2011 to June 2014, before being appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Force until his transfer to the reserve in July 2018. Following his transfer to the reserves, Griggs held the appointment of the Associate Secretary of the Indigenous Affairs Group within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and was the inaugural CEO of the National Indigenous Australians Agency. He was
Secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...
of the Department of Social Services from 22 July 2021. until 10 December 2024.


Early years

Griggs was born in
Homebush, New South Wales Homebush is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 12 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia, local government area of the Municipali ...
, in July 1961 to James and Maureen Griggs.


Naval career

Griggs joined the Adelaide Port Division of the
Royal Australian Navy Reserve The Royal Australian Naval Reserve (RANR) is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Australian Navy in Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Austra ...
in 1978 as a radio operator. He entered the
Royal Australian Naval College HMAS Creswell is a training facility of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) that includes the Royal Australian Naval College (RANC) as well as the School of Survivability and Ship's Safety, Beecroft Weapons Range, and an administrative support depa ...
at HMAS ''Creswell'' on a "short service commission" in 1979. In his early years, Griggs served on the aircraft carrier HMAS ''Melbourne'' and HMA ships ''Yarra'' and ''Advance''. He then spent 12 months with the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
on HMS ''Jersey'', where he gained his Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate. In late 1981 he was posted to HMAS ''Perth'' as a bridge watchkeeper and deployed to the North West Indian Ocean. Promoted to lieutenant, from 1983 to 1994 Griggs completed a series of postings as navigating officer of HMA Ships ''Cessnock, Torrens, Tobruk, Jervis Bay'' and ''Perth''. Other roles included: aide-de-camp to the
Governor of Tasmania The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the monarch, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the governor is Gov ...
, Sir
James Plimsoll Sir James Plimsoll, (25 April 1917 – 8 May 1987) was an Australian diplomat and public servant. He served variously as Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1959–1963), High Commissioner to India (1963–1965), Secretary of the ...
; two postings in the navy's officer career management directorate; staff officer (navigation) to the Commander Australian Patrol Boat Forces; and at Australian Defence Headquarters in Canberra, deputy director military strategy as lieutenant commander, and director future warfare as captain. From 1995 to 1997 Griggs served as commissioning executive officer of HMAS ''Anzac'', helping to bring the
Anzac class frigate The ''Anzac'' class (also identified as the ''ANZAC'' class and the MEKO 200 ANZ type) is a ship class of ten frigates; eight operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and two operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). During the 1980s, ...
s into service. In October 2001 he assumed command of the ANZAC class frigate HMAS ''Arunta'' and was immediately involved in border protection duties as part of Operation RELEX. ''Arunta'' then deployed to the Persian Gulf to enforce United Nations sanctions against Iraq and in support of "The War on Terror". The ship was recognized for her efforts by being awarded the Duke of Gloucester Cup for being the most operationally efficient ship in the RAN fleet for 2002. In 2003 Griggs was posted as the ANZAC class capability element manager in
Rockingham, Western Australia Rockingham is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 47 km south-south-west of the city centre. It acts as the primary centre for the City of Rockingham. It has a beachside location at Mangles Bay, the southern extremity of Cockburn ...
. In 2004 he studied at the
National War College In the United States, the National War College (NWC) is a school within the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. History The National ...
in Washington, D.C., prior to assuming command of the Australian Amphibious Task Group in mid-2005. Griggs was promoted to commodore in February 2006 and appointed as the deputy maritime (fleet) commander, until assuming the position of director general navy strategic policy and futures in Navy Headquarters in September 2007. In February 2008 he was seconded to the Defence White Paper team, where he led the development of the force structure review that provided the force structure underpinning the 2009 White Paper. In early 2009 he attended the UK
Higher Command and Staff Course The Higher Command and Staff Course is a staff course for senior military officers of the United Kingdom armed forces and allies. It is taught at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. The course is ...
and was subsequently promoted to rear admiral and appointed as deputy head strategic reform and governance. In May 2010 he was posted as Deputy Chief of Joint Operations. Griggs handed over command of the Navy to Vice Admiral Tim Barrett during a ceremony on 30 June 2014, and succeeded Air Marshal
Mark Binskin Air Chief Marshal Mark Donald Binskin, (born 20 March 1960) is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve. He served as Chief of Air Force (2008–11), Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2011–14), and Chief of the Defence Fo ...
as VCDF that day. After four years in the post and 40 years of service, Griggs transferred to the reserve on 6 July 2018 and was replaced as VCDF by Vice Admiral
David Johnston David Johnston or Dave Johnston may refer to: Politics *David Johnston (governor general) David Lloyd Johnston (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who served as the 28th governor general of Canada from 2010 to ...
.


Post military career

Following his transfer to the reserves, Griggs held the appointment of the Associate Secretary of the Indigenous Affairs Group within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and was the inaugural CEO of the National Indigenous Australians Agency. On 9 July 2021, Prime Minister
Scott Morrison Scott John Morrison (born 13 May 1968) is an Australian former politician who served as the 30th prime minister of Australia from 2018 to 2022. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, leader of the Liberal Party and was ...
announced Griggs' appointment as
Secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...
of the Department of Social Services, with effect from 22 July 2021. Where he implemented reforms and introduced mantra of 4 Cs Curiosity, Collaboration, Contestability and Courage.


Other activities

Griggs is an honorary patron of the ACT Veterans Rugby Club. On 15 January 2020, it was announced that Griggs would be one of the members of the National Co-design Group of the
Indigenous voice to government The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, also known as the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the First Nations Voice or simply the Voice, was a proposed Australian federal advisory body to comprise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island ...
.


Education

* Bachelor of Arts,
University of Queensland The University of Queensland is a Public university, public research university located primarily in Brisbane, the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland. Founded in 1909 by the Queensland parliament, UQ is one of the six sandstone ...
* Master of Business Administration, National Graduate School of Management,
Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public university, public research university and member of the Group of Eight (Australian universities), Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton, A ...
* Master of Science (National Security Strategy),
National Defense University National Defence (or Defense) University (or College) may refer to: :''Alphabetical by country'' University * Marshal Fahim National Defense University, Afghanistan * National Defense University (Azerbaijan) * People's Liberation Army National Defe ...
, Washington D.C.


Personal life

Griggs is married to Chloe and has a son and a daughter.


Honours and awards

Griggs was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 1997, a Commendation for Distinguished Service in 2003 for his work in the Persian Gulf, and was appointed a
Member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...
in 2009. Griggs was elevated to an
Officer of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...
in the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours list, "For distinguished service to the Australian Defence Force as Deputy Head Strategic Reform and Governance, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, and Chief of the Royal Australian Navy."Officer of the Order of Australia
, 2012
Griggs has also been awarded the RAN's "
Principal Warfare Officer A principal warfare officer (PWO), is one of a number of warfare branch specialist officers. Australia In Australia, a PWO is a Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the navy, naval branch of the Australian Defence Force ...
" badge and the RAN's "Sea Readiness Badge" with Gold Star.


References

, - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Griggs, Ray 1961 births Australian military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Australian National University alumni Chiefs of Navy (Australia) Commanders of the Legion of Merit Graduates of the Royal Australian Naval College Grand Crosses of Naval Merit Living people Officers of the Order of Australia Officers of the Legion of Honour Military personnel from Sydney Recipients of the Commendation for Distinguished Service Recipients of the Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia) Recipients of the Military Civic Action Medal Recipients of the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) Royal Australian Navy admirals University of Queensland alumni Vice chiefs of the Defence Force (Australia) Naval War College alumni