Squadron Commander
Lt Col Bowden is the Tip of the Mitt Composite Squadron Commander MI-031 of Civil Air Patrol, a federally chartered nonprofit corporation and the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. Civil Air Patrol is headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
Lt Col Bowden also serves on the National Headquaters Marketing and Communications Staff, appointed to the position in 2017, Lt Col Bowden is responsible to the National Commander to lead the internal and external multimedia efforts nationwide. The national multimedia website is photos.cap.gov.
He also serves as the Michigan Wing Director of Operations.
Since 2014, Lt Col Bowden has served as the Commander of the Johnson Flight Academy, a two-week National Cadet Special Activity (NCSA). Under his leadership, he has shown significant improvements in safety, finances and cadet flight performance. With over 100 members and $4 million in assets, Lt Col Bowden is responsible for the oldest and largest Civil Air Patrol flight academy, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in June 2016.
Lt Col Bowden joined Civil Air Patrol as a cadet in Michigan Wing in 2002 as part of the Livonia Thunderbolt Cadet Squadron. During his cadet career, he completed 14 achievements in the CAP cadet program, earning the General Ira C. Eaker Award #1944 in 2008. Then Cadet Lt Col Bowden served as the Great Lakes Region Cadet Advisory Council Chair and served one term on the National Cadet Advisory Council representing Great Lakes Region. He also attended National Blue Beret twice and Johnson Flight Academy four times, the last as a fully qualified FAA Advanced Ground Instructor and commercial pilot. C/Lt Col Bowden also participated in the International Air Cadet Exchange to Belgium in the summer of 2008.
Following transition to Senior Membership, Lt Col Bowden’s assignments included Cadet Activities Officer, Assistant Cadet Programs Development Officer and Assistant Communications Officer for Michigan Wing. At the unit level, Bowden has served as the Squadron Commander, Operations Officer, Standardization/Evaluation Officer, and Public Affairs Officer as part of the Livonia Thunderbolt Composite Squadron. Now he serves as the Squadron Commander for the Tip of the Mitt Composite Squadron which he founded in 2020.
Lt Col Bowden earned his private pilot license in 2007, and is currently a commercial, multi-engine, and instrument-rated Certified Flight Instructor, Advanced Ground Instructor, CAP Cadet Orientation Pilot, and CAP Check Pilot with over 1100 flying hours. Bowden holds a Master Rating in Communications and Public Affairs, and Technical Ratings in Operations, Standards & Evaluations, Historian and Cadet Programs specialty tracks. Bowden is a qualified Mission Pilot, Observer, Scanner, Mission Information Officer, Safety Officer, and is an Air Branch Director.
Outside of Civil Air Patrol, Lt Col Bowden works as the Support Enablement and Customer Success Manager for Barracuda Networks, a world wide industry leader in network security and storage. Bowden holds a Bachelor of Science from the Western Michigan University in Aviation Flight Science and a Master of Science from Walsh College in Information Assurance, with a specialization in digital forensics. Lt Col Bowden lives with his wife Maj Jessica Bowden splitting time between South East and Northern Michigan.
