Captain John Bauer currently serves as Chief of Staff for Naval Sea System Command’s (NAVSEA) Surface Ship Maintenance, Modernization and Sustainment directorate.
His next assignment will be as Supervisor of Diving and Salvage for the United States Navy, a position that will further leverage his extensive experience in diving, salvage operations, and naval engineering to ensure mission readiness and operational excellence.
Captain John Bauer, a native of Westlake, Ohio, first enlisted in the Navy in 1993 and served as a member of the Seabees’ Underwater Construction Teams until 2000, when he was selected to serve as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Officer.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Excelsior University, followed by a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering and a Total Ship Systems Engineering Certificate from the Naval Postgraduate School. He later completed a Master’s in Business Administration and a Doctorate in Leadership from the University of Phoenix. Additionally, he holds a certificate in Leadership in Business Management from Harvard University.
His operational experience includes serving as the First Lieutenant aboard USS Grapple (ARS 53), where he participated in one of the first post-9/11 deployments to the Arabian Gulf. Following his EOD tour, Captain Bauer transitioned to the Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) community in 2004. He completed his qualification tour at the Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRF-JRMC) in Yokosuka, Japan. Captain Bauer also served as an individual augmentee for one year in Baghdad, Iraq, as the Security Officer for J9 with the U.S. Army.
As a Project Manager in NAVSEA’s Salvage and Diving directorate, Captain Bauer led the first hyperbaric aluminum weld project in support of future maintenance on aluminum hulls. His leadership continued during his tenure as the lead for USS Porter (DDG 78) repair efforts in Dubai, where he was instrumental in enabling the ship to return to the United States under its own power after a collision with a super tanker. Captain Bauer also served as the Division Head for Amphibious and CVN maintenance at Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, where he successfully executed the first Joint Strike Fighter modernization package aboard USS Wasp (LHD-1).
As Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center Detachment Bahrain, Captain Bauer led efforts supporting future operations, and later served as the program manager representative for the DDG 1000 Class at Supervisor of Shipbuilding Bath. There, he oversaw the successful delivery of USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001). He subsequently served as the OIC for DDG 1000 Class Post Delivery efforts, overseeing Combat Systems Activation and Post-Shakedown Availabilities for both USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) and USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) in San Diego.
In March 2021, Captain Bauer assumed command of Southwest Regional Maintenance Center.
Captain Bauer's personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, five Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and a Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, reflecting his exemplary leadership and contributions to the U.S. Navy and the nation.