The Better Part of a Decade and a Half with the Navy & Midrats, with Bryan McGrath
One of our guests on Episode 3 of Midrats was Bryan McGrath, CDR, USN (Ret.). Over the years he’s returned often, and has even graced us with the pleasure of a few guest posts here.As he’s let people know for years, he was going to retire for good at 60. True to his word, he hung it up a few weeks ago . Earlier this year before he got too focused on his figs and vines, I asked Bryan to come on for a broad-ranging conversation. What a great hour. A retired Naval Officer, Bryan spent 21 years on active duty including a tour in command of USS BULKELEY (DDG 84), a guided-missile destroyer homeported in Norfolk, Virginia. In command, he received the “Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award for Inspirational Leadership” from the Surface Navy Association and his ship earned the USS ARIZONA Memorial Trophy signifying its selection as the Fleet’s most combat-ready warship. His final duties ashore included serving as Team Lead and Primary Author of the US Navy’s 2007 Maritime Strategy “ A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower ”. Bryan was formerly the Deputy Director of the Hudson Institute Center for American Seapower. In this capacity, he helped develop the Surface Navy’s “Distributed Lethality” concept and the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments’ 2017 Navy Alternate Fleet Architecture Study. Bryan earned a BA in History from the University of Virginia in 1987, and an MA in Political Science (Congressional Studies) from The Catholic University of America. He is a graduate of the Naval War College. He retired again in November 2025 after 13 years in defense consulting. Show Links The End of the Road , Bryan McGrath In Praise of the Military-Industrial Complex , Bryan McGrath Summary In this episode of Midrats, hosts Sal and Mark welcome back Bryan McGrath to discuss his reflections on retirement, the changes in the naval environment over the years, and the importance of relationships in naval policy. They delve into the challenges facing shipbuilding and naval strategy, the need for diverse naval capabilities, and the influence of Congress on naval development. The conversation also touches on personnel and leadership in the Navy, learning from past naval conflicts, and the impact of historical events on naval leadership. Bryan shares insights on future directions for naval operations, praises recent naval performance, and emphasizes the role of technology in naval warfare. The episode concludes with a discussion on collaboration between industry and military and Bryan’s final thoughts on future advocacy in the naval sphere. Chapters 00:00: Introduction and Guest Background 04:46: Reflections on Retirement and Career Path 07:35: Changes in Naval Environment Over the Years 11:17: The Importance of Relationships in Naval Policy 14:47: Challenges in Shipbuilding and Naval Strategy 18:03: The Need for Diverse Naval Capabilities 21:25: Congressional Influence on Naval Development 24:40: Personnel and Leadership in the Navy 28:14: Learning from Past Naval Conflicts 32:45: The Impact of Historical Events on Naval Leadership 36:08: Future Directions for Naval Operations 39:00: Praise for Naval Performance in Recent Operations 43:23: The Role of Technology in Naval Warfare 46:57: Collaboration Between Industry and Military 50:48: Final Thoughts and Future Advocacy