Bowden was selected as this year’s winner by Dept. of the Navy Corrosion Executive, Fleet Forces Command Maintenance Officer, Pacific Fleet, Fleet Maintenance Officer, NAVSEA Materials Office and Commander, Navy Regional Maintenance Center. The award was named to honor Don Hileman, the founder of MegaRust, for his many contributions to fleet corrosion control.
Well known among Navy corrosion professionals, Bowden currently serves as the Corrosion Subject Matter Expert Branch Head and the Surface Team One Corrosion Community of Practice Process Master.
“Larry has consistently focused efforts for multiple stakeholders across all three enterprises to develop realistic and actionable strategies,” said Capt. Stephen Sarar, Commanding Officer, Surface Maintenance Engineering Planning Program. “His efforts in assisting and implementing innovative corrosion control solutions fleet-wide are essential to our Navy’s success.”
His efforts included assisting with the implementation of the Original Equipment Manufacturer underwater hull preservation pilot initiative and a new abrasive blasting standard in LHD 1-class ship salt-water ballast tanks. Bowden also had a hand in distributing paint cartridge systems and cleaning kits directly to Ship’s Force for their use in fighting corrosion. Additionally, he assisted in creating a fluidized bed coating facility that will serve the East Coast, providing long-term sustainment of water-tight doors and smaller louvers – horizontal slats designed to regulate airflow and/or light penetration while keeping moisture out.
As NAVSEA’s Directorate for Surface Ship Maintenance and Modernization, SEA 21 is the dedicated life cycle management organization for the Navy's in-service surface ships and is responsible for managing critical maintenance, sustainment, modernization, training and inactivation programs.
CNRMC oversees the operations of Regional Maintenance Centers in their execution of surface ship maintenance, modernization and sustainment.