KINGS POINT, N.Y., June 11, 2024 – The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) is honored to announce that Rear Admiral Gregory N. Todd, Chief of Chaplains of the Navy, will address the Class of 2024 at the annual Baccalaureate Interfaith Service. The event will take place on Friday, June 21, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. in the Mariners’ Memorial Chapel on the grounds of the Academy.

Rear Adm. Gregory N. Todd is a native of Seattle, Washington. He is a 1984 graduate of Concordia College in Portland, Oregon.  He earned a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary St. Louis, Missouri, and a Doctor of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte, NC.

Todd was commissioned in the U.S. Navy Reserve in 1986 and served in the Marine Corps Reserve while he pastored congregations in Illinois.  In 1994, he superseded to active duty and served as base chaplain Naval Amphibious Base Coronado and then reported to USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), deploying to the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific for counter-narcotics operations.  In his first U.S. Coast Guard tour, he was assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Activities New York.  While there, he was the first Navy chaplain to respond at “Ground Zero” following the attacks on the World Trade Center and hosted the Coast Guard Chaplain Emergency Response Team to provide ministry to emergency workers and civilians.

He reported next to 2D Force Service Support Group (FSSG), Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and deployed with Forward Battalion, 2D FSSG to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He served as chaplain with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit and deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, establishing the religious program at Forward Operating Base Ripley in Oruzgan Province. He reported to his next assignment as officer-in-charge of Marine Corps Chaplain and Religious Program Specialist Expeditionary Skills Training, Camp Johnson, before being detailed as command chaplain on USS Kearsarge (LHD 3).  Following his sea tour, Todd assumed duties as command chaplain for the 2D Marine Logistics Group and then was detailed as force chaplain, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Todd served as the 10th Chaplain of the Coast Guard where he supervised religious ministry support for the more than 88,000 Coast Guard personnel and developed the Coast Guard Auxiliary Clergy Support Program, linking volunteer religious ministry professionals with Navy chaplains in support of Coast Guard members and their families.

In June 2018 Todd became the 20th Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps and deputy chief of Navy Chaplains until assuming his current role.  He is the 28th Chief of Navy Chaplains leading the religious ministry for the over 570,000 personnel and their families of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

His personal awards include the Legion of Merit Medal (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Coast Guard Commendation Medal, Department of Transportation 9/11 Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), and the Combat Action Ribbon.

The USMMA community is privileged to welcome Rear Admiral Todd to this significant event, celebrating the achievements and future endeavors of the Class of 2024.

Lieutenant Commander, CHC, USN, USMMA Command Chaplain, said, "We are deeply honored to have Rear Admiral Todd address the class of 2024 at our Baccalaureate Service. He knows well the rigors of sea service and can speak best to maintaining spiritual readiness on the waterfront and at sea.”

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