Captain Grace L. Key

Commanding Officer, USNS Comfort

21 June 2023 Captain Grace Lumaban Key is a native of San Diego, California.  She attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, graduating with a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in 1997.  After graduation from dental school and Officer Indoctrination School, Newport, Rhode Island in 1997, she reported to the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency at Naval Dental Center, Norfolk, Virginia.
 
Upon graduation from the AEGD, Captain Key reported for duty at 3d Dental Battalion/U.S. Naval Dental Center, Okinawa, Japan as an Assistant Dental Officer at Camp Schwab Branch Dental Clinic in 1998.  She was then assigned to 1st Dental Battalion/Naval Dental Center, Camp Pendleton, California as an Assistant Dental Officer and Division Officer at Del Mar Branch Dental Clinic in 1999. 
 
In 2001, Captain Key reported for duty at National Naval Dental Center, Quantico, Virginia as an Assistant Dental Officer and Division Officer at Branch Dental Clinic Quantico and the Annex Head at The Basic School Dental Clinic.
 
In 2003, Captain Key reported to the Naval Postgraduate Dental School, Bethesda, Maryland, where she completed an Advanced Clinical Program in Periodontics.  Following completion of the program, she reported as the Periodontics Department Head at Branch Dental Clinic Quantico, Virginia in 2005.
 
In 2006, Captain Key reported to 2d Dental Battalion/Naval Dental Center, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as the Periodontics Department Head and Division Officer at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Dental Clinic.
 
In 2009, Captain Key returned to 3d Dental Battalion/U.S. Naval Dental Center, Okinawa, Japan, where she served as the Clinic Director for the Camp Hansen and the Camp Schwab Branch Dental Clinics and provided the periodontics support for the Command’s three Northern Branch Dental Clinics.  She was then appointed as the Director of Clinical Services for 3d Dental Battalion/U.S. Naval Dental Center in 2013.  In this capacity, Captain Key supervised the clinical operations for 12 geographically dispersed dental facilities and 400 personnel.  In 2015, she was also appointed to be the Clinic Director for the Evans Branch Dental Clinic (the Command’s Flagship Clinic) in addition to her responsibilities as the Director of Clinical Services.
 
In 2015, Captain Key reported to the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC), Great Lakes, Illinois, where she served as the Department Head at Fisher Dental Clinic.  She was then selected to be the Director for Dental Services at the FHCC in 2016.  In this capacity, Captain Key supervised the clinical operations for 5 dental facilities and 410 personnel.  
 
In 2019, Captain Key reported to 3d Dental Battalion/U.S. Naval Dental Center, Okinawa, Japan as the Executive Officer.  She led 404 personnel across 12 geographically dispersed, high operational tempo facilities in support of III Marine Expeditionary Force and 7^th Fleet operations.  Additionally, during this tour, Captain Key was selected by the Commanding General, 3d Marine Logistics Group, to fill a critical role as the Acting Commanding Officer of 3d Medical Battalion for nine consecutive weeks during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
 
In 2021, Captain Key reported to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command/Naval Hospital Pensacola, Florida as the Executive Officer/Deputy Director.  She was responsible for the daily operations of an outpatient facility with robust ambulatory surgical capabilities and led a resilient team that included 1,600 Command staff, 5 subordinate units, and 2 detachments geographically dispersed across 5 states, supporting over 30 operational commands.  
 
In 2023, Captain Key reported to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command/Naval Health Clinic Quantico, Virginia, where she served as the Commanding Officer/Director.  She led Navy Medicine’s largest clinic command in the National Capital Region’s military health system in support of 174 commands at 4 clinics across 2 installations, which was the preferred choice for operational readiness and quality, family-centered care for 37,000 beneficiaries at the “Crossroads of the Marine Corps” and Naval District Washington.
 
In June 2025, Captain Key was assigned to the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) Medical Treatment Facility, where she is currently serving as the Commanding Officer.

Captain Key’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (4), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2).  She also achieved the Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer designation.  She is married to Dallas Key, and they have two children, Kayla (22) and Austin (18).