Ray Decker

Meeting of November 16, 2011

Mr. Decker leads the Veteran Services group that directly supports the Veterans Employment Initiative outlined by Executive Order 13518. In partnership with federal agencies, Veterans Service Organizations, and other activities, his team is involved in government wide outreach, recruitment, training, and hiring efforts to increase the number of veterans employed by the federal government.

Mr. Decker previously served as the Deputy Associate Director for the Center for National Security within the Office of Personnel Management and supported the strategic human capital initiatives for the Departments of Defense (DOD), State, and Veterans Affairs; US Agency for International Development; and the Intelligence Community. Additionally, he led OPM's actions to improve emergency preparedness of the federal workforce in a post 9/11 environment.

In 1999, Mr. Decker joined the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) as a Director with the Defense Capabilities and Management Team. He was responsible for GAO's reviews of US efforts to combat terrorism to include weapons of mass destruction; DOD's role in homeland security; Department of Defense chemical and biological defense issues; overseas and domestic force protection; space and information operations; chemical stockpile demilitarization program; and other national security areas.

Prior to joining GAO, Mr. Decker served in various supervisory positions within the intelligence and defense community since 1982. He is a graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership's "Leadership Development Program" and the Federal Executive Institute's Leadership for a Democratic Society. Mr. Decker completed the U.S. Intelligence Community's Senior Leadership Program.

After graduating with merit from the U.S. Naval Academy, Mr. Decker served in the United States Marine Corps as a pilot, advanced flight instructor, and intelligence officer during his active duty service. He retired from the Marine Corps Reserve after 30 years of combined duty in operational and staff assignments stateside and abroad. Mr. Decker is a combat veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns.

He is a fellow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI Program and Harvard's Senior Executive Fellow's Program. Mr. Decker is a member of the Senior Executive Service.