Cmdr. Greg Cady, retired on June 1, 2022. Throughout the course of a long and diverse career, he forged a legacy of leadership and helped recruit numerous medical professionals into the Navy Reserve.
Cady enlisted as a Navy Operations Specialist in 1985. After competing his first enlistment, he joined the Minnesota National Guard, in which he served as a vehicle operator. After serving with the National Guard, Cady returned to the Navy as a Reserve Sailors in 2000 and was later commissioned into the Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer in 2004. In 2006, he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he served with Multi-National Force Ironhorse Brigade for a year. However, following this deployment, Cady said he didn’t feel as though his mission was complete.
“Sitting in the back of a C-17 leaving Baghdad, I wasn’t as excited as I should have been to be going home because the sounds of war were continuing, and I felt like I was leaving my team behind,” said Cady.
However, Cady would have future opportunities to find meaning in his service in other ways. From 2009 to 2011, he conducted Active-Duty Operational Support for Navy Recruiting District Minneapolis, where he performed the crucial job of recruiting medical service officers for the Navy Reserve. Cady found much success in this critical role, and in 2012, he was redesignated as a human resources officer and was assigned to the Navy Reserve Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG). He continued to recruit Navy Reserve Medical Officers at NTAG from 2015-2019, where his networking skills within the civilian medical community helped him to excel.
Petty Officer First Class (Retired) Brian Klungreseter provided a statement about Cady’s talents.
“He recognized the applicants needed to understand what they could bring to the table,” said Klungreseter. “He communicated the global impact his candidates could have through their service. This was an incredibly motivating and inspirational connection. They could still be grounded and committed to their civilian hospitals, but could serve their country by joining the Navy Reserve.”
Cady recruited a total of 42 medical officers and 37 other officers in the Navy Reserve, greatly enhancing the Navy’s medical capabilities and warfighting readiness. His legacy continues today through these people, many of whom are still serving today. Cady performed his final tour as Executive Officer, Navy Reserve, Commander Naval Forces Japan Headquarters.
“Greg is a leader who consistently puts service and Sailors before himself,” said Capt. Greg Granieri, Commanding Officer, Navy Reserve, Commander Naval Forces Japan Headquarters. “Our unit and the Navy are losing an absolute treasure, but we can rest easy knowing he’s had an immeasurable impact throughout his thirty years of military service.”