Cape city councilman promoted to colonel in Army Reserve

For the past 25 years, City Councilman Wayne Bowen has served in the U.S. Army Reserve and was expecting to retire as a lieutenant colonel.

But over the summer, Bowen received news he was selected for a promotion and now holds the rank of colonel, he announced Thursday.

Bowen, a professor and chair of the Department of History at Southeast Missouri State University, was elected to the Cape Girardeau City Council in April 2013. He was re-elected for a full four-year term in April 2014.

Since joining the Army Reserve, he has been called to active duty four times, including a tour in Iraq in 2004.

With officer promotions in the Army being increasingly competitive, Bowen said he wasn't expecting to receive a promotion. And his branch, Adjutant General, has one of the lowest selection rates for promotion, at 25 percent.

He learned of his promotion while he was in Turkey in June. When he returned to the states, he soon began searching for a colonel position.

"The way it works in the reserves is that you have to find your own position to be able to accept the promotion," he said. "In the reserves and National Guard, you have to find a vacancy, and if you don't, you never get to accept the promotion."

He applied for colonel positions throughout the country and was able to accept a job in Pensacola, Florida. He will travel there once a month, starting this week.

"It is a pretty significant drive, and I'm able to fly sometimes, but because there are very few colonel positions in the Army Reserve, I'm grateful that I found one -- and found one in a unit that I like and that's a fit for my background, training and interests," he said.

He will be a team chief in the 350th Civil Affairs Command that conducts missions throughout Latin America in support of governments in the regions.

"It's a unit with lots of Spanish-speaking officers and NCOs, and I speak Spanish as well so that's a good fit," he said. "They have missions in Haiti and Panama and elsewhere in the Caribbean, so I'm looking forward to that."

Bowen said his time in the reserves continues to be a wonderful part of his life.

"I've met spectacular people, not just in the United States, but overseas," he said. "I've had the honor of serving in uniform. I've been able to improve my own civilian profession through my military experiences, and I've written books and articles and taught classes that really would not have been possible without what the military's provided."

Bowen said his service also has benefited his family, even though the time away can be difficult.

"My sons are growing up to see that freedom requires sacrifices, and that when I'm gone and we miss each other over the weekend, they know that it's because Daddy's gone to help the country and help other people," he said, adding his ability to serve has "really only been possible because of my wife, Kendra, who has been so supportive."

He also thanked Southeast for not only supporting him but encouraging his service.

Overall, Bowen said his time in the military has made him a better person.

"And I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue serving with this promotion," he said.

klamb@semissourian.com

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