Alma Grocki
Rear Admiral Alma M. Grocki (née Lau) is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Fleet Maintenance, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. She was born and raised in Honolulu. She was the first woman from Hawaii appointed to the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Her first assignment was to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard as a Non-nuclear Ship Superintendent for USS Tullibee (SSN 597) and Submarine NR-1. During this time, she also completed her Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Hampshire.
She returned to Hawaii as the Billeting Officer, Pearl Harbor Naval Station, then transferred to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, and was accepted into the Engineering Duty Officer community in 1985. While stationed at the shipyard, she was the Ship Superintendent for several surface ships, and senior Ship Superintendent for numerous submarine availabilities, and became the first woman officer to accompany her boat on post-availability sea trials. Following Nuclear Ship Superintendent School, she served as the Shipyard Docking Officer and Nuclear Ship Superintendent for the decommissioning of USS Skate (SSN 578) and USS Sargo (SSN 583).
Grocki transferred to the Navy Reserve in 1988. Her Commanding Officer assignments included Naval Reserve (NR) Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity (SIMA) Portsmouth, Va.; NR SIMA Everett, Wash.; NR USS Frank Cable (AS 40), San Diego; NR Naval Submarine Support Command, Pearl Harbor; NR Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash.; NR Naval Undersea Warfare Command, Keyport, Wash.; and NR Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) 102, Bremerton, Wash,, before becoming a Plankowner and the first National Director for the SurgeMain program. Other significant duties included NR Engineering Duty community training director and NR Engineering Duty community mentorship lead for the Industrial Maintenance Group, comprising approximately 40 percent of all NR Engineering Duty Officers. Her most recent reserve assignment is Commanding Officer, NAVSEA Headquarters Unit and NAVSEA NR Chief of Staff. Concurrently, in the past five years, she also served on active duty for extensive periods as Deputy Operations Officer, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Industrial Maintenance Facility, and Director of Submarine Maintenance, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Grocki currently serves on active duty as Deputy Chief of Staff for Fleet Maintenance, U.S. Pacific Fleet, leading and directing maintenance efforts and programs for Pacific Fleet surface ship and submarine assets to support COMPACFLT’s warfighter mission.
In her civilian career, she has worked for CACI Dynamic Systems, Inc. as a Deputy Program Manager for shipyard training projects, a member of the NAVSEA Dry Dock Audit team and a senior engineer assisting Fleet Maintenance Information Technology programs. She also serves as a volunteer Blue & Gold officer (BGO) for the U.S. Naval Academy, and the BGO Area Coordinator (AC) for Hawaii and the Western Pacific, assisting high school students, Fleet Marines, and Sailors applying for admission.
Grocki’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (five awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards) and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
High School
She graduated from Punahou School in 1977 and was the first women from Hawaii to go to US Naval Academy, Class of 1981, 32nd company.
