After graduating from Florida State University in 2002 with a B.S. in criminology and a B.S. in applied economics, Cmdr. Pace received his commission through Officer Candidate School and subsequently earned his Naval Flight Officer wings in August 2004. His operational assignments include multiple deployments to the Middle East and Western Pacific in the P-3C and P-8A, as well as having served two tours in Japan. He also holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He grew up in Indialantic, Florida.