A native of DeKalb, Illinois. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1982, was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1983, and retired as a Vice Admiral in 2018.
During his first 19 years on active duty, he had the privilege of serving as a helicopter pilot deployed on Frigates, Destroyers, and Cruisers, was a flight instructor (twice), graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (Class ’99) and earned a Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.
After squadron command in 2001, Grosklags became an Acquisition Professional and spent the remaining 17 years of his Navy career managing acquisition programs and working with the finest technical workforce in the DoD. He was fortunate enough to have leadership positions as the H-60 Program Manager, Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, NAVAIR assistant commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations, NAVAIR Vice Commander, Program Executive Officer for Air ASW, Assault and Special Mission Programs (PEO(A), Principal Military Deputy for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition), and Commander, Naval Air Systems Command.
Post Navy “Retirement”
Grosklags retired in June 2018 and he and his wife established Ditchley Cider Works and Farm Products, a small business focused on making hard apple cider, providing naturally raised beef and pork products, and bringing tourism to the Northern Neck of Virginia. He envisioned retirement filled with much paddle-boarding, skiing, and horseback riding . . . silly boy . . .
Today his retired life includes cleaning horse stalls, painting the “money pit(s)”, dodging 600+ lbs of “hangry” boar each day at feeding time (only one scar to date), repairing water lines, chasing stray bulls, building fences, fixing old electrical wiring, and getting chased by angry geese and turkeys.
Still hasn’t figured out what happened…