Capt Thomas Bowen, an AFIT student earning his master's degree in materials science within the department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, combines his passion for motorcycles with recruiting for the Air Force. 

He races with the North Central region of the West East Racing Association (WERA) where riders are ranked according to ability and are assigned Provisional Novice, Novice, or Expert status.  This is Bowen's third year of motorcycle racing.  He finished the 2016 racing season in first position for the B Superstock Novice class, and second position for both C Superstock Novice and C Superbike Novice classes.  The type of motorcycle, engine size, and modifications distinguish between the different classes.

"The races are short, about twenty minutes long, usually eight laps, but very intense.  Speed depends on the course layout the tracks on which I compete, top speeds range from 120mph to 150mph."

Bowen races a 2006 Yamaha R6 - a 600cc sportbike.  "My bike as it is now isn't street legal, but it's amazing how powerful they are right off the showroom floor.  You can buy a motorcycle, and without any modifications, take it to a racetrack and be good to go.  These motorcycles are being sold as street machines, but they are purpose built race bikes.  I have taken my stock street bike (1000cc) to the track and gone 170 mph.  They are super-fast bikes."

While on his first AF assignment at Tyndall AFB, Bowen worked in a robotics unit where they designed sensor packs to augment commercial robots designed for Explosive Ordnance Disposal troops.  Through this work, he volunteered to man a booth with the AF Recruiting Office for the FIRST Robotics Competition - an organization working to promote robotics interest in high school students.  "I had a blast, and was really impressed with what the kids could do.  I enjoyed being able to share my AF story in the hopes that they would see that there are a lot more opportunities within the AF than just being a pilot.  The students seemed very interested in what the AF was doing in the field of robotics."

Around the same time, Bowen started competing in the regional racing competitions and was placing first, second or third in almost all of his races, so he started to look for sponsors to help offset the costs.  He talked with friends and learned about the AF's We Are All Recruiters program.  Being able to share his passion for racing and love for the Air Force seemed like a natural fit.  He worked with the 339th Recruiting Squadron to support a race In Belding Michigan at the Grattan Raceway in late August 2016.  "They provided me with an Air Force tent, banner, brochures and other freebies to hand out, giving me a very nice, professional set up."

Morning rain hindered the start of the Saturday race at Grattan.  "I was in the first race of the day starting at 1300.  The rain had stopped but the track was still fully wet.  The race went well enough and although the track was slippery I managed to place 3rd.  The following two races were much later in the afternoon and with the sun poking through the clouds, dried up the track enough to switch back to dry tires.  With a couple wet spots I wasn't able to push as hard as I normally would but still managed good lap times and placed 2nd in both of those races.  During the awards ceremony I thanked AF recruiting for allowing me the opportunity to come race and had several individuals come up to me afterwards to talk about the AF.  Later that afternoon I walked around the pits in my AF t-shirt and talked with individuals while handing out provided AF memorabilia."

But by Sunday the weather was warm and sunny.  "I was feeling very encouraged, not only because I was placing well but I kept setting personal best times.  My last race was by far the most competitive.  I didn't get as good of a start but still entered turn 1 in third.  I was catching up to the second place rider when I was passed and started having a heated battle for 3rd.  This went on for the majority of the race and I was in 3rd into the final lap but was passed by two riders into the braking zone of turn 1.  While I was right on the tail of the 4th place rider, I couldn't get by him and ended up 5th, with a difference of only 0.6 seconds.  While I was disappointed at not getting a podium finish, I smashed my previous best lap time and had the most fun racing I've ever had in the 5 years of riding motorcycles on the track."

In October, Bowen finished up the 2016 racing season with the national finals held in Birmingham, Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.  "During the practice weekend I pushed the recruiting angle hard, giving a brief speech each morning during the riders' meeting.  During the races, I improved my best lap time by a couple seconds and finished 2nd nationally for my strongest category, B Superstock (750cc class).  The others were insanely competitive and at times involved more risk than I was willing to accept and I finished 6th and 9th in C Superstock and C Superbike (600cc class), respectively.  It was a great way to wrap up the season, and has given me a lot of drive for how to improve both my race craft for 2017 as well as promoting the Air Force."

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Bowen doesn't come from a military family "...my mom is a retired high school French and Spanish teacher and my dad is a political science professor at a university in California, but I wanted to fly so that steered me towards the Air Force."    Bowen received an appointment to the AF Academy where he earned a bachelor's degree in systems engineering aeronautics.  He had a pilot's slot, but lost it due to hearing loss:  "As a kid I decided it was a good idea to launch a model rocket at arms distance with no hearing protection.  But on the bright side, I don't think I would have the free time to race if I was a pilot."

Following graduation from AFIT, Bowen will be working with AFRL's Sensors Directorate.  "I am doing research in ultra-high temperature ceramics, so continuing to work in materials research after I graduate would be very fulfilling."

Bowen will be moving up to the Expert category for the 2017 racing season. "When you reach the top of the Expert level, you can apply for a professional race license.  I anticipate several difficult seasons at the expert level before I am even remotely close to qualifying for a professional race, but competing in a professional race would be the pinnacle of my racing career." 
 

   
Capt Thomas Bowen racing at the Grattan Raceway in late August 2016

Capt Bowen studying for a final exam at the racetrack