Australian naval attaché to speak at American Legion Post 20 meeting, June 14

Commodore Darren Grogan of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian naval attaché in Washington, will be the guest speaker at the National Press Club's American Legion Post 20 meeting on Tuesday, June 14, at noon in the McClendon Room.

Grogan has been in his current position since December. Previously he was director general of maritime operations at Headquarters Joint Operations Command in Australia. Prior to that he had command of HMAS Success, and before that was commanding officer of HMAS Sirius, then Australia's largest ship. He has had numerous key shore assignments, including military assistant to the chief of Joint Operations Command.  As a young officer he was selected for an exchange with the U.S. Navy, instructing navigation at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.  

His topics will include U.S.-Australian operations in the Pacific, the Australian Strategic Defense Policy 2020, the Australia-U.K.-U.S. partnership, and what it's like to be a military attaché in Washington.  

All Club members are invited to the meeting, which will be a hybrid one. Those unable to attend in person can RSVP to Post 20 Sergeant-at-Arms Evelyn Moy at [email protected], who will provide a virtual meeting link.

Historic Post 20 was founded at the Club in 1919 at the suggestion of famed World War I General John "Black Jack" Pershing. At the time Pershing was serving in Washington and was an associate member of the Club.