CAPTAIN James W. Graybeal, USN U.S. Strategic Command Chief, Public Affairs
Navy Captain James W. Graybeal assumed the duties of the Chief of Public Affairs, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., in October of 2004. He is responsible for Public Affairs Operations and Plans, Command Information, Community Relations, and Media Relations.
Captain Graybeal graduated from Temple University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration and holds a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.
In 1985 he entered the United States Navy through the Officer Candidate School program. That same year he reported aboard USS PORTLAND (LSD 37) serving in various assignments and completing his qualifications as a Surface Warfare Officer.
Captain Graybeal reported to the United States Naval Academy in 1989 where he taught celestial navigation and offshore sailing to the Midshipmen Corps. His first tour as a Public Affairs Officer was at Navy Recruiting Area Three in Macon, Ga., from 1991 to 1993.
In 1993, Captain Graybeal reported to USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)/Commander Carrier Battle Group Eight. During this tour he was responsible for media coverage of the U.S. Navy during Operation Deliberate Force in Bosnia Herzegovina and was detailed to USS EISENHOWER to escort media during the Army’s 10th Mountain Division combat deployment to Haiti for OPERATION UPHOLD DEMOCRACY.
Captain Graybeal joined the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs in 1995. Initially he served as a Plans Action Officer helping prepare Secretary Perry to address Congress and the media following the Khobar Towers bombing and OPERATION DESERT FOCUS and later contributed to the development and implementation of the Department’s risk communications plan for the Anthrax Vaccination Program. Midway through this tour he was recruited to serve as a Military Assistant for the Assistant Secretary. In this role he served as the PA liaison to then Senator Cohen’s transition team and later helped prepare Secretary Cohen to respond to the media after the U.S. Embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. As well as planning, organizing and executing numerous media activities in direct support of the Secretary during overseas travel, he often traveled as the Secretary’s press officer.
Captain Graybeal joined the Commander Naval Forces Japan staff in 1998. There he developed a risk communications plan for a Human Health Risk Assessment at Naval Air Facility Atsugi and a crisis communication strategy for the toxic emissions from Enviro-Tech (Shinkampo) Incinerator. Additional challenges included a deployment to OPERATION VALIANT RETURN, the repatriation of an EP-3 crew detained in China and interaction with the families of victims of the Ehime Maru/USS GREENEVILLE collision.
In 2002, Captain Graybeal was identified to be the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. European Command where he developed and implemented a strategic communications plan for the controversial rebasing of the U.S. military in Europe and Africa. The year 2003 found Captain Graybeal serving the Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain where he coordinated media activities during operations IRAQI and ENDURING FREEDOM and for theater-wide Maritime Security Operations conducted by the Combined Forces Maritime Component.