In Recognition of the Career of Ncis Director Mark D. Clookie
by Representative Susan A. DavisPosted on 2013-02-26
DAVIS
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to
Special Agent Mark D. Clookie, Director of the Naval Criminal
Investigative Service, NCIS, who has announced his retirement from NCIS
effective March I, 2013, after nearly 31 years of highly distinguished
service.
Mr. Clookie joined NCIS in 1982, and during his tenure he has served
in a variety of organizational assignments and mission areas, both
within the United States and overseas. As a Special Agent, Mr. Clookie
served overseas in both the Kingdom of Bahrain and in Japan.
Domestically he held leadership positions in Newport, RI, and at NCIS
headquarters in Washington, DC. He also served in leadership positions
in several overseas tours as NCIS Resident Agent in Charge in Bahrain,
as NCIS Resident Agent in Charge in Okinawa, Japan, and as Special
Agent in Charge of the NCIS Middle East Field Office, located in
Manama, Bahrain.
In August 2001, Special Agent Clookie reported to the Pentagon as the
Chief, Joint Staff Support Branch, Joint Counterintelligence Center.
Following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, he assumed duties
as the Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Middle East Field Office in
Manama, Bahrain. From there he directed all counterintelligence,
counterterrorism, and criminal investigative operations throughout the
Middle East, East Africa, and Southwest Asia. His primary focus was
direct support to Navy and Marine Corps Forces Central Command and the
Navy's Fifth Fleet.
After more than two years in the Middle East directing the NCIS
Global War on Terrorism mission, SA Clookie returned to NCIS
Headquarters, where he served as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy
Director for Management and Human Resources. In this role, he led NCIS
modernization initiatives and subsequently, was promoted to Assistant
Director for Human Resources.
As Assistant Director for Human Resources, Mr. Clookie oversaw the
creation and implementation of a leadership development program to
identify and train future NCIS leaders.
In October 2007, Mr. Clookie was promoted to the Senior Executive
Service and assumed responsibilities as the Executive Assistant
Director for Middle East and Pacific Operations where he built systems
that have integrated the work of 44 offices across the Western U.S.,
Asia, Pacific, and Middle East.
In April 2009, SA Clookie was reassigned as the Executive Assistant
Director for Combating Terrorism. In this capacity, he developed and
managed programs to protect U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps personnel,
families, and property from global terrorist threats. He also
significantly expanded NCIS engagement with foreign government
counterparts.
On February 14, 2010, Mr. Clookie was appointed Director of NCIS and
became the agency's fourth civilian director. From the onset, Mr.
Clookie established capabilities and realigned resources to meet the
evolving requirements of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, while at the
same time, reducing overhead and creating efficiencies. During his
tenure, 100 percent of NCIS' programs and field elements were evaluated
annually for quality and effectiveness by the executives overseeing
operations and by teams led by Headquarters-based senior NCIS leaders.
He institutionalized a collaborative and disciplined method to identify
efficiencies throughout the agency, facilitating the reprogramming of
over $10 million across NCIS to meet emerging mission requirements.
During his time as Director, Mr. Clookie restructured the Naval
Criminal Investigative Service to align the headquarters with the
missions of man, train, and equip the workforce while transitioning
operational oversight to field level supervisors, empowering lower
level managers and resulting in quicker responses to changing
priorities and threats.
Under Director Clookie's leadership, NCIS has filled every validated
Combatant Commander request for forces for Iraq, Afghanistan, and the
Horn of Africa on a volunteer basis. NCIS personnel have also deployed
to Kuwait, Djibouti, Guantanamo Bay, and other sites in support of
contingency operations.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr.
Clookie for his 31 years of
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outstanding public service and to wish him fair winds and following
seas as he begins the next chapter of his life.
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