Dr. McGurk is Deputy Director of the Research Area Directorate (RAD3), Fort Detrick, Maryland. The RAD3 is responsible for managing research to develop effective medical countermeasures against combat and operational stressors to maximize warrior health and performance. Dr. McGurk was born in New Jersey. He earned a bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of Delaware. He began his military career in 1989 as an Infantryman in the Army Reserve. Dr. McGurk earned a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and completed ROTC at Loyola College in Maryland. He was commissioned in 1994. Dr. McGurk’s early assignments include treatment platoon leader at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and Company Commander at Walter Reed. He completed his PhD in Experimental Psychology from Texas Tech University in 2002. Dr. McGurk commanded the U.S. Army Medical Research Unit-Europe and was the Chief of the Research Transition Office (RTO), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. While deployed he was the Senior Science Officer on Mental Health Advisory Team IIb (MHAT IIb) in Afghanistan, MHAT IV in Iraq, MHAT V in Afghanistan, and Team Lead on the 2012 J-MHAT 8 in Afghanistan. 

Dr. McGurk has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific and military conferences. He has briefed many senior military leaders including the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Secretaries of the Army and Navy. His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the NATO Kosovo Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Overseas Ribbon, the Air Assault Badge, and the Airborne Badge.