Thomas G. Bowman - USMC - St. Petersburg
Education and Training Accomplishments:
Thomas G. Bowman was commissioned in the United States Marine Corps through the NROTC program at the University of Texas at Austin in 1969. Secretary Bowman received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UT Austin. Later in 1979, he received his Juris Doctor from Western New England University. He then served as the Marine Corps Representative and Instructor of Law at the Naval Justice School and a guest lecturer at the Naval War College, Newport R.I, from 1983 to 1988
Professional or Employment History:
After law school, Secretary Bowman was assigned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., where he served as a prosecutor, defense counsel, and Law Center Director. He left active duty in 1988 to become an assistant district attorney in Southeastern Massachusetts but was recalled to active duty during the Gulf War. Released in May 1991, he practiced law concentrating in military and Veterans issues before returning again to active duty in 1994. He retired from Marine Corps as a colonel in October 1999, after serving as Senior Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs and to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
In addition to the plethora of roles Secretary Bowman has held, he also has served as Special Assistant for Veterans Research at the University of South Florida and as a Senior Advisor to the Director of VA’s Sunshine Healthcare Network which serves Veterans in Florida, Southeastern Georgia, and the Caribbean.
Advocacy on Behalf of Veterans:
Secretary Bowman was a proud member of the Board of Directors for the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV). He has been a passionate advocate for this issue for decades and continues to be a champion for homeless veterans today. In 2018, the Service Member Support (SMS) Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting our wounded warriors, awarded Thomas G. Bowman with the Veterans Advocate Award. This award is given to an individual that has demonstrated the most impactful advocacy on behalf of America’s veterans. Secretary Bowman is a strong advocate with an extensive history to back up this award.
Civic Activities and Contributions:
Secretary Bowman served as Senior Counsel to the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee. From there, he became the Executive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. He went on to become the Acting Assistant Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs, Senior Advisor to the Secretary ofVeterans Affairs, Deputy Chief of Staff of VA, and eventually Chief of Staff of VA. Further, Secretary Bowman was the majority staff director of the Senate VA Committee, and ultimately then was sworn in on August 10, 2017 as the United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Awards and Honors:
2018 Veterans Advocate Award (Service Member Support Foundation)