Patrick Grieco

Patrick Grieco, is a historian, educator, and communication specialist with 20 years of distinguished U.S. Navy service as a Chief Mass Communication Specialist, retiring in January 2026. As an adjunct faculty member and military instructor, he bridges historical scholarship, strategic communication, and visual information management to equip military and graduate students for success in complex information environments. A firm advocate for experience-driven learning, he connects academic coursework to real-world applications, fostering practical skills for operational and professional challenges.

A native of Irwin, Pennsylvania, Patrick enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2005 and completed recruit training followed by the Basic Public Affairs Specialist-Writers and Broadcasters Course at the Defense Information School. Operationally, he deployed with the USS Harry S. Truman Strike Group, USS Doyle, and others in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Southern Seas, and Joint Operations, later serving with U.S. European Command on Operation Odyssey Dawn, UN Humanitarian Mine Action in Armenia, and the Royal Edinburgh Tattoo. He directed media engagement as Public Affairs Leading Petty Officer on PCU Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), managed communications during the Tri-Hull Swap aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73), led as Departmental Leading Petty Officer on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during Operation Inherent Resolve, and supported the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, providing multimedia solutions to senior DoD leadership.

For his last military assignment, June 2021 to January 2026, he was an Instructor at the Defense Information School in Fort George G. Meade, Md., where he taught both in the Visual Information Management (VIM) Course and the Public Affairs & Communication Strategy Qualification (PACS-Q) Course. There he developed and delivered intermediate-level training in visual information planning, archive management, internal shop audits, personnel management, equipment lifecycle oversight, and integration of visual information into operational plans. In PACS-Q, he instructed public affairs officers and military communicators on the principles of Information Warfare, news writing, media analysis, media engagement, and other key components of joint public affairs as they research, plan, implement, and evaluate communication strategies aligned with commander’s intent and joint operations.

Promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 2022, he is a qualified Enlisted Surface Warfare and Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist, with awards including the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Joint Service Achievement Medals, and five Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Patrick holds a Master of Arts in History, summa cum laude, from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and a Bachelor of Arts in History, summa cum laude, from University of Maryland Global Campus. He is also a graduate of the Basic Public Affairs Specialist–Writer Course and the Digital Multimedia Course at the Defense Information School, education that underpins his instruction in journalism, visual information, public affairs, and multimedia production within VIM and PACS-Q.

He is a qualified Enlisted Surface Warfare and Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist. His awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Joint Service Achievement Medals, five Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and various unit and campaign decorations.

His teaching and research interests include U.S. history, Western civilization, naval heritage, public history, resource management, public affairs, information warfare and the integration of historical insight into contemporary strategic communication and information operations. He has co-authored chapters in a Western Civilization textbook, collaborated with preservation organizations on primary source projects, and designed shipboard history curricula on Presidents Gerald R. Ford, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and George Washington that connect heritage to leadership and civic values.

Patrick Grieco is an active member of the American Historical Association, the Medieval Academy of America, Phi Alpha Theta, and Navy Public Affairs Communicators. He holds an active Top Secret/SCI security clearance. Residing in Glen Burnie, Maryland, Patrick is deeply committed to inclusive, student-centered teaching that connects historical understanding with ethical and effective communication in support of both academic and operational objectives. He is married to Danielle, his wife of over 19 years, and together they have a daughter, Adelaide. Their family home includes two dogs, Rusty and Wallace, and a fish named Anna. In his personal time, Patrick enjoys hunting, cycling, fishing, family activities, and is a fan of the television series Supernatural.

His professional profile is available at linkedin.com/in/patrick-grieco  

Some of his military imagery can be found on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service: https://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070020/patrick-grieco