BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT D. BOWIE
Retired July 01, 2023
Brig. Gen. Robert D. Bowie was the Special Assistant to the Director Air National Guard for the Assistant Secretary of Air Force Energy, Installations, and Environment (SAF/IE), Headquarters Air Force. He advised a senior executive service four star equivalent and four Deputy Assistant Secretaries as a trusted agent providing a uniformed perspective of the reserve component. He served as an interface between SAF/IE and the Air National Guard ensuring effective communication of infrastructure, basing, environmental, energy, community partnership, and safety policy. Additionally, he interpreted Office of the Secretary for Defense guidance for SAF/IE to supported the development of climate policy and action plans for Department of the Air Force.
General Bowie was commissioned through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 1998. Throughout his career, he has served in various operational and Headquarters Air Force staff assignments as a civil engineer, having served on active duty for twelve years before entering the Air National Guard. General Bowie has commanded at the squadron and group level in addition to serving as a vice wing commander. He has held critical leadership roles for three Presidential Inaugurations, served as the Interim Director for the District of Columbia Construction and Facilities Management Office, and as senior Joint Planner supporting the District of Columbia COVID-19 response.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering and Mathematics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1998 Master of Arts, Public Administration, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Mich.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2021 National Security Studies Management Course, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2021 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2022 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives, Duke University, Durham, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1989 - December 1990, Electrical Engineer, 410th Civil Engineer Squadron, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
2. December 1990 - June 1992, Chief of Simplified Acquisition of Base Engineering Requirements, 410th Civil Engineer Squadron, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
3. June 1992 - July 1994, Chief of Simplified Acquisition of Base Engineering Requirements, 65th Civil Engineer Squadron, Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal
4. July 1994 - May 1995, Wartime Host Nation Center Engineer, 617th Regional Support Group, Sembach Air Base, Germany
5. May 1995 - June 1996, Staff Environmental Engineer, 617th Regional Support Group, Sembach Air Base, Germany
6. June 1996 - October 1997, Chief, Command Infrastructure Branch, HQ United States Air Force Europe, Civil Engineer Directorate, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
7. October 1997 - November 1999, Civil Engineer Staff Programming Officer, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Civil Engineer Directorate, Andrews AFB, Md.
8. November 1999 - January 2001, Civil Engineer Readiness and Air Base Operability Program Manager, Office of the Civil Engineer, Installations and Logistics Directorate, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
9. January 2001 - January 2003, Deputy Base Civil Engineer and Readiness Flight Chief, 113th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andrews AFB, Md.
10. January 2003 - November 2005, Base Civil Engineer and Operations Flight Chief, 113th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andrews AFB, Md.
11. November 2005 - November 2009, Commander and Base Civil Engineer, 113th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andrews AFB, Md.
12. November 2009 - July 2011, Deputy Commander, 113th Mission Support Group, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
13. July 2011 - May 2012, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. May 2012 - June 2013, Deputy Commander, 113th Mission Support Group, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
15. June 2013 - January 2016, Commander, 113th Mission Support Group, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
16. January 2016 - December 2017, Vice Wing Commander, 113th Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
17. December 2017 - January 2019, Special Assistant to the CG, Joint Force Headquarters - District of Columbia, District of Columbia National Guard, Washington D.C.
18. January 2019 - June 2019, Deputy Director of Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters - District of Columbia, District of Columbia National Guard, Washington D.C.
19. June 2020 - October 2020, Director, Joint Staff - (DC) Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ), Washington, DC
20. October 2020 - April 2021, Joint Force Headquarters/Joint Task Force-National Capital Region Deputy for Inaugural Support, NORTHCOM, Washington, DC
21. April 2021 - June 2023, Special Assistant to the Director, Air National Guard for Installations and Environmental, Joint Base Andrews, MD
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with eight oak leaf clusters
Army Superior Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Headquarters Air Forces Europe General Edwin W. Rawlings Award
National Guard Bureau, Air National Guard Action Officer of the Year
D. C. Air National Guard Major General Calvin G. Franklin Leadership Award
Air National Guard Outstanding Civil Engineer Senior Military Manager of the Year
Air Force Outstanding Civil Engineer Manager of the Year Award Air Reserve Component
District of Columbia National Guard Military Family of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec. 22, 1988
First Lieutenant Feb. 3, 1991
Captain Feb. 3, 1993
Major June 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel , Nov. 22, 2005
Colonel June 14, 2013
Brigadier General June 8, 2020
(Current as of September 2024)
