Joshua McGowan is an agent with the U.S. Naval Intelligence.
McGowan is attached to the N. I. Criminal Investigation Division, now more commonly known as NCIS. He has been an agent with this section for just over five years, coming to it from military service. He is a graduate of the Naval Academy who did two years of regular duty before transferring to a Special Forces posting for three more years.
McGowan stands 6'3" with broad shoulders and a good physique. He has "deep, dark eyes and a regular face" and short brown hair. He is considered fairly handsome by the ladies sturdy by the men. As the series begins, he is single and approximately 35 years old. He prefers to work alone but operates well in a team. When it is not a team, however, he finds himself shackled with new recruits because he is one of the best and that is a good way to break in a newbie, but he definitely does not like it.
He understands the use of sudden, decisive active in a tense situation and is prepared to use it. Nicknamed the "Mechanic", McGowan is definitely the man called when the situation gets bleak whether the term is used to describe a fix-it man or to denote a killer, McGowan is a proper answer. He can kill without blinking if the situation calls for it. He can also use other means to solve a problem. In contrast with this man of action, however, is the appearance he gives when the action is over, that of a quiet, almost timid man. Those who knew him, though, knew timidity was never a issue.
McGowan is also a huge fan of movies and has an almost encyclopedic memory concerning them.