OSU alum to be nominated assistant secretary of the Navy
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Oklahoma State University alumnus, Retired Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic, will be
nominated by President Donald Trump to be the next assistant secretary of the Navy
for manpower and reserve affairs. Slavonic is a native Oklahoman and currently serves
as chief of staff in U.S. Senator James Lankford’s office.
“Rear Admiral Greg Slavonic is the model of public service,” said Lankford. “He has
dutifully served our nation in the Navy, and he has served the people of Oklahoma
as my chief of staff. He has been nominated to serve our country again in the Department
of Defense. I am very proud of his long career and dedication to this nation. Greg
has been my chief of staff for three years. His leadership will be missed on our team,
but he will be a tremendous asset to the Navy. I fully support his nomination and
look forward to Greg continuing his distinguished career as assistant secretary of
the Navy.”
Prior to Slavonic’s role in Lankford’s office, he was a senior leader at the Computer
Sciences Corporation, where he planned and executed several nationwide U.S. Navy community
outreach engagements. He also served as executive director of the Jim Thorpe Association;
and as president of Flagbridge Strategic Communications, a consulting company focused
on strategic communications and leadership.
Slavonic retired from the Navy following a 34-year career, which started with his enlistment as a seaman recruit. After repeatedly distinguishing himself, he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. During his Navy career, he held four command assignments, served in combat deployments to Vietnam, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and was awarded numerous decorations including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Presidential Unit Citation, and Combat Action Ribbon.
Slavonic earned a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University and a master’s in education from the University of Central Oklahoma.