Dowling appointed acting DeCA director
FORT LEE, Va. (June 6, 2017) – Michael J. Dowling was appointed acting director and CEO of the Defense Commissary Agency, by Stephanie Barna, acting assistant secretary of defense for manpower and reserve affairs, effective June 4.
Dowling becomes acting director and CEO following the departure of Joseph H. Jeu, who retired June 3 after more than 38 years of federal service. The process to select the next DeCA director is ongoing and there is no information available as to when that process will be completed.
Dowling has served as DeCA's deputy director and chief operating officer since July 2012. He will continue to serve in that capacity in addition to assuming the responsibilities associated with being acting director and CEO.
As chief operating officer, Dowling's duties include oversight of the agency's retail operations, health and safety, program management, plans, commissary support functions, and systems engineering in support of the day-to-day operations of DeCA's worldwide chain of 248 commissaries. Commissary annual sales totaled more than $5.3 billion in fiscal 2016.
Dowling was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2004 and has served twice as DeCA Europe director and once as director of DeCA East. He became executive director of the Logistics and Engineering Group in October 2011.
Dowling began his federal service on active duty with the U.S. Army from 1978 to 1989, which included a tour as a commissary officer. After leaving the Army in 1989, he began his civil service career with the Army Troop Support Agency and was appointed to the transition team that helped consolidate the military services' commissary organizations into the Defense Commissary Agency in 1991. His involvement in developing the agency's distribution planning established the concept used in Europe today.
Dowling served in a number of senior leadership positions in Europe as well as at DeCA headquarters at Fort Lee, including director of performance and policy, and deputy to the chief operating officer.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1978 from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Ill. His awards include the Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award, three DeCA Meritorious Civilian Service awards, the Superior Civilian Service Award and the National Performance Review Hammer Award.
About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit and make no profit on the sale of merchandise. Authorized patrons save thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to commercial prices when shopping regularly at a commissary. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America's military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.
Media Contact:
Kevin L. Robinson
(804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773
kevin.robinson@deca.mil