Colonel Edmund J. Bowen retires
Stars & Stripes reports that the longest serving Marine, Colonel Edmund J. Bowen, has retired after 43 years of service;
Col. Bowen enlisted in the US Marine Corps in September of 1972 and attended Recruit Training in Parris Island, S.C.
His enlisted assignments included Engineer Equipment Operator, 2nd Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune; Platoon Sergeant, 3rd Shore Party Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan; NCOIC, Recruiting Sub-Station, Brooklyn New York; and SNCOIC, Engineer Equipment Platoon, 1st Landing Support Battalion and 1st Force Service Support Group, Camp Pendleton.
While on recruiting duty he was promoted to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant, meritoriously.
Col. Bowen was appointed to Warrant Officer in 1985, Chief Warrant Officer in 1987, First Lieutenant, Limited Duty Officer (LDO) in 1988, and he re-designated as an unrestricted line officer in January 1991.
His past combat assignments included Operation DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM; Operation RESTORE HOPE, Somalia, Africa; Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Baghdad Iraq; and two tours Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Thanks to Mark for the link.
Category: Marine Corps
Semper Fi, Col. Bowen. Go enjoy yourself.
Goodness, what a placid, uneventful life he led!
If he “liked” the Marine Corps, he might have stayed longer!
Now he can finally go use that Vietnam era GI Bill and make something of himself.
?
Thank you for your service, Sir.
He got lost on his way to, (insert hippie convention or protest march here).
Wow! What a career! Semper Fi, sir!
What baffles me is what could have been so critical about the colonel’s service that the Corps chose to retain him on AD for so long without promoting him to flag rank?
There’s a story in there…
Once he was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer in 1987, his mandatory service date reset to that of a warrant or commissioned officer. From that point on he was permitted to serve until he completed 30 years active service (provided he was promoted and not separated early) or reached the age of 62. As he enlisted out of high school at 18/19 and served 43 years 2017 would put him pretty close to age 62, and 1987 to 2017 is also the 30 year mark.
Another interesting note, as he has 43 years of service, his retired pay will be around 107% of his base pay as an O-6.
Should correct that, should read 30 years of Active Federal Commissioned Service following promotion to 1st LT in 1988.
Thanks,
I had never heard about the intricate details of the differences between Warrant Officers. Limited Duty Officers and Unrestricted Officers.
One of the most Hard Corps SOBs I ever served under was Lt Col Edwin Dalton Miller (1940-2012). He was awarded a purple heart, two Bronze Stars and a Silver Star in Vietnam while serving in Recon. He was an Honor Grad in DI School and served as a DI and SDI. He was selected as a WO and became a corrections officer. He later became an LDO, and perhaps an Unrestricted officer.
He retired in 1994, with 33 Years in the Service, at the age of 54. He could still run a 285+ PFT.
I can only imagine he didnt get a “reset” as an unrestricted officer since 33 years is about the time most active duty are forced to retire.
He definately would have stayed until he dropped.
He was jump qualified and still and avid skydiver up until the time he grew too sick to do it. Upon his death he had his ashes dropped over Texas by other sky divers from his club.
That’s a nice remembrance of him ! Sounds like one tuff Devil Dog. Semper Fi
He earned it.
I thought retirement pay topped out at 75% of base pay.
2007 Defense Authorization Act changed all that. Screwed over legions of officers & enlisted w/ over 30 or 40 yrs service who retired before the law was passed.
We had an O-6 at NDU who was mandatory retired with 39 years of service one day before the new rules became effective.
I don’t know if they were screwed over, they knew what the rules were when they served, this one just happened to change in the later folks favor, which is pretty much a first in my experience.
As a chief warrant officer he was already equivalent to a full bull. Do not accept my word on this, ask any chief warrant officer.
While calling on III Corps Headquarters at Fort Hood a few years back, I was talking with a staff major when a CWO5 walked in. The major introduced us and was deferential to this grizzled old Chief until he left. I then inquired that the Chief must have some heft around HQ and the major replied, “Oh yes, CWO5 is the warrant equivalent of a general officer and we all treat him accordingly.”
But still outranked by the newest 2nd lieutenant.
Graduating service academy cadets & midshipmen are gently reminded that realistically a solid full career means topping out at 0-5 – a lucky few 0-6. Officers who manage to make 0-6…only about 2% will get a star.
The Marine Corps selects around 90 officers to O-6 per year and around 10-12 are selected to be Brigadier Generals.
CLANK CLANK.
Can hear him walking down the hall.
The Colonel is *SUCH* a badass, hit *balls* have their OWN balls.
(￣^￣)ゞ
I literally laughed out loud at that one
AWESOME! This Marine is one true grrrranimal. In the Army, most Warrant Officer’s would rather be flogged than commissioned though…
Well if anyone deserves some time off it’s this guy, hope you have an enjoyable retirement planned with very little work involved…
Word.
+1
Enjoy your well deserved retirement good SIR!
Congratulations, Colonel, and well done!
What’s an LDO and is it common to get promoted to a Warrant Officer then a line officer? ie: make the switch from NCO to Warrant then line?
That guy’s career should be on the wall of every barracks as a how to serve reminder of what hard work and dedication will do for you.
jonp
An LDO is a Limited Duty Officer, a direct commission, based pretty much entirely on superior performance of duty and your superiors deciding you have the right stuff to make quick, concise decisions under circumstances most could not.
In the USMC one must first be selected into the Warrant Officer program. In the Navy a very small percentage can be selected for LDO from the E-6 paygrade. Most are E-7 thru E-9.
As a side note very few make it to the O-6 level.
If he needs something to do in retirement, my front steps need to be replaced. Engineer Battalion – he should know how to swing a hammer, right?
Sounds like your version of “I’d hit it… “
Ex-PH2, you owe me a new phone…spit beer all over mine with that post. Made my evening.
Hubba hubba! A girl’s gotta have her standards.
Mustangers are hard corps to the max and without a doubt they are the best Officers.
Congratulations on completion of an outstanding career Sir! If you are still looking for more, the Marine Corps Engineer Association could certainly use your extensive experience!
If somebody sat down next to me at a bar and told me this story as their own, I would call him a liar. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction, unless, you know, you spend any time here on TAH.
And just think he probably had some high school Guidance Counselor type try to talk him out of joining the USMC and going to college for a four year degree instead.
Nothing left to say but THANK YOU SIR!
Hope your retirement is as long and as rewarding as your Marine Corps career — at least you won’t have to tell the 2ndLt. where Capt. Buck has been all day! Those were the “Good Ol’ Days”– 1st L.S.Bn 1984.
Served under Colonel Bowen at 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, Okinawa 88-89….he received his LDO during that time. I was the Heavy Equipment Platoon Sergeant at the time…presented him a plaque upon his departure. I’ll never forget, we had the dates of time on the Island incorrect…he smiled and said my wife will be happy to hear I was here a year less than she thought! Semper Fi Sir!!!
I hade the pleasure of serving with him in 1986 while in Okinawa. I was only a 1stLt then but he taught me the true meaning of leadership.