Mike Dowling served on active duty in the Marine Corps from 2001-2005 and as a mobilized reservist from 2008-2010. He is an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran turned actor, author, technical consultant, public speaker, and veteran advocate. 

He studied at UCLA Extension’s Acting and Producing certificate programs. As a professional actor he has appeared in national commercials and PSA’s supporting veterans campaigns for Got Your 6, Veterans Affairs, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and more. He has been a member of SAG-AFTRA since 2011 and has consulted on a wide range of productions for studios, networks, and independent projects with Academy award winning producers. 

His critically acclaimed book “Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between A Marine and His Military Working Dog”(Atria Books/2011) is a memoir of his time as a military working dog handler in the Marine Corps. It was featured in Publishers Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter as their top pick amongst new non-fiction releases. As a public speaker, he has shared his story at prestigious venues across the nation including the Marines' Club (San Francisco), the Pritzker Military Library (Chicago), and as a TEDx speaker. 

In addition to being cofounder of VFT he remains highly active in the veteran community working with wounded warriors and various veteran related non profits.