Mr. Michael R. Durkin is the Director at the Navy Warfare Development Center. In this role, he is the senior civilian responsible for the development of concepts, experimentation, war games, and doctrine to improve Navy warfighting readiness.
He entered the Senior Executive Service in 2016 as the Deputy Director, Maritime Operations at U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC), serving as the principal civilian advisor on fleet operations, policy, training, and global force management. From 2020 to 2022 he served as the Executive Director of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) and Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Pacific (NECCPAC), responsible for all aspects of the man, train and equip functions for the Navy’s 20,000 plus Expeditionary Sailors. Prior to joining the Senior Executive Service, he entered the Government Service in January 2008 and served as the Director of Navy Global Force Management (GFM) at USFFC from 2008 to 2015.
Prior to entering civilian service Mr. Durkin was commissioned in 1980 as a Navy SurfaceWarfare Officer in a variety of ashore and afloat assignments, retiring in 2007 as a Captain. Ashore, he served as an instructor at the Naval Reserve Officer Training Unit, University of Pennsylvania; in the Joint Staff Directorate of Plans and Policy (J-5); as the China/Taiwan/Hong Kong Politico-Military Affairs Officer, and as Chief of Staff, Atlantic Theater Anti-Submarine Warfare Task Force 84. While on the Joint Staff, he participated in negotiations with the People’s Republic of China concluding the Military Maritime Consultation Agreement, the first military-to-military agreement with the PRC, OIC. His final duty station was USFFC where he stood up the Navy GFM Division and also served as the Deputy Director, GFM and Joint Operations.
His sea duty assignments include tours of duty in USS Nimitz (CVN 68) as Reactor Controls Officer; USS Josephus Daniels (CG 27) as Combat Information Center Officer; USS Ainsworth (FF 1090) as Operations Officer; the commissioning crew of USS George Washington (CVN 73) as Main Propulsion Assistant; Executive Officer in USS David R. Ray (DD 971) and Commanding Officer, USS Hayler (DD 997).
Mr. Durkin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Systems Engineering and received his Navy commission from the United States Naval Academy. He holds a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from Drexel University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Air War College, and the Armed Forces Staff College. Additionally, he completed the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program. He is a recipient of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service, Superior Civilian Service (2014), and Meritorious Civilian Service Medals as well as several active duty personal and campaign awards.