Captain John Bauer is a native of Westlake, Ohio. Bauer first entered the Navy in 1993 and served as a member of the Seabees’ Underwater Construction Teams until 2000 when he was accepted to be an Explosive Ordnance Officer (EOD). He earned his undergraduate degree from Excelsior University. He earned a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and completed the Total Ship Systems Engineering Certificate from the Naval Postgraduate School. He also holds a Master in Business Administration from University of Phoenix.
Bauer’s EOD tour consisted of the First Lieutenant on USS Grapple (ARS 53) where he completed one of the first deployments to the Arabian Gulf post 9/11. Upon transferring to the Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) community in 2004, he completed his qualification tour at Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRF-JRMC), Yokosuka, Japan. He completed an individual augmentee tour for one year with the U.S. Army in Baghdad, Iraq as the Security Officer for J9. His follow on tour was in NAVSEA 00C as a project manager in the Underwater Ship Husbandry Department. Bauer led a team in completing the first hyperbaric aluminum weld in support of future maintenance on aluminum hulls.
Bauer was selected to lead the repair efforts of the USS Porter (DDG 78) in Dubai post collision with a super tanker, enabling her to sail back the States under her own power.
Bauer continued to support the fleet as the Division Head for Amphib and CVN maintenance at Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center where he completed the first Joint Strike Fighter modernization package aboard USS Wasp (LHD-1). Bauer followed on as the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) for FDRMC, Detachment Bahrain. In support of future operations, he was assigned as the program manager representative for the DDG 1000 Class at Supervisor Shipbuilding (SUPSHIP) Bath where he successfully delivered USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001). He also served as the OIC for the DDG 1000 Class Post Delivery efforts overseeing the Combat Systems Activation and Post-Shakedown Availabilities for DDG 1000 and DDG 1001 in San Diego, Calif.
Bauer assumed his current position, Commanding Officer, Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, on 05 March 2021.
Bauer’s personal awards are; Army Accommodation Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 4 Meritorious Service Medals, 3 Navy/Marine Corp Commendation Medals, and Navy/Marine Corp Achievement Medal.