In 1994, Gladys Commons was named Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management), a post she held for eight years until 2002. She served as acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management) in 1998. In 2002, she became Comptroller of the Military Sealift Command. She retired from federal service in 2004. In 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Commons as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management & Comptroller), where she served until 2013.