Dowling waxaa loo magacaabay Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) abaalmarinta sanadka cusub ee 1957, wuxuuna dhammaystiray muddadii uu ahaa CNS 23-kii Febraayo 1959. Bishii Maarso 23 wuxuu ka beddelay Sir Henry Wells oo ah Guddoomiyaha Guddiga Saraakiisha Shaqaalaha (COSC), doorka oo saadaalinaya kan Madaxa Ciidanka Difaaca. Waxaa xilka CNS ka badalay Vice Admiral Henry Burrell. Dowling wuxuu rajeynayay inuu bedelo booska si uu u yeesho awooda amar ee saraakiisha adeegga, laakiin tani waxay ahayd inuu niyad jabo. Darajada jagadu waxay la mid ahayd madaxda Ciidamada Qalabka Sida, Ciidamada Badda iyo Ciidamada Cirka, waxayna kaliya mas'uul ka ahayd inay aragtidooda ku saabsan arrimaha militariga u gudbiyaan Wasiirka Difaaca. Dhibaatooyinka kale ee xilka uu hayay waxaa ka mid ahaa go'aanka Wasaaradda Gaashaandhigga ee ahaa in la kala diro Ciidanka Cirka ee Fleet Air Arm, iyo in dowladda Federaalka ay ku guuldareysatay inay taageerto markii uu ku dhawaaqay shir jaraa'id oo uu qabtay SEATO bishii Maarso 1961 in Australia ay diyaar u tahay inay faragelinta milatari ku sameyso xiisadda labaad ee Laotian
haddii ay lagama maarmaan noqoto. Bishii Sebtember 1959, intii lagu jiray xiisaddii ugu horreysay ee Laotian, dowladda Australiya waxay u oggolaatay Dowling inay u xilsaarto "dufcaddii lugta dagaalka, kooxdii RAAF ee dagaalyahannada, gaadiidka hawada, iyo laba burburiye RAN" si ay u taageeraan ciidamada Mareykanka iyo SEATO, laakiin wax faragelin ah ma dhicin.