Mr. David Opatz became the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Inspector General (IG) in June 2025. As the IG, he leads five functions: audits (internal and external liaison), inspections, investigations, assistance, and teaching and training. As such, he has a direct responsibility for conducting and overseeing investigations, inspections, audits, inquiries, complaints, and issues affecting the Agency workforce and resources. Prior to his assignment as the DLA Inspector General, he served as the J8 Staff Director for the first DLA Government Invoicing team (focused on US Treasury compliance). Prior to joining J8, Mr. Opatz served as the DLA Transformation, Enterprise Process Management (EPM) Division Chief with oversight for program management of the Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) team, the Academia engagement team and the other duties as assigned. He also served as the Acting DT Director while the DT Director was on military orders for an overseas deployment (for 12 months).
Mr. Opatz first civilian federal job was for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Within the first year of his joining the Office of Performance Analytics, he was assigned supervisory responsibilities for all government and contract staff and became the acting Division Director. In his second and third year, he became the functional Chief of Staff for the Enterprise Program Management Office, directly supporting the Deputy Assistant Secretary in his role of oversight of ~1600 staff, a $1.3B budget and the life cycle of all software.
Mr. Opatz is a retired Naval Officer with over 28 years of service. He started his career as a Surface Warfare Officer and transitioned to Aviation as a Naval Flight Officer in the E-2C Hawkeye (Aircraft Carrier-based, Battle Group Airborne Early Warning). After a decade of active duty, he transitioned to Full Time Support (in the Navy Reserve). After several leadership and management assignments, CAPT Opatz proudly assumed Aviation Squadron Command and subsequent command of a Naval Air Station. CAPT Opatz also served as the Chief of Staff to the Chief of Navy Reserve HQ staff in the Pentagon.
Mr. Opatz earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He has two master’s degrees: one in Education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA and the other in National Resources Strategy from the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy in Washington D.C.