AARON P. FOWLER, LTJG, USN
Aaron Fowler '18
Lucky Bag
From the 2018 Lucky Bag:
Aaron Fowler
On a bright summer day in 1986, a young, wide-eyed Aaron Fowler reported for I-Day at the U.S. Naval Academy. After living the high life for two years as a Bearshark, Aaron realized that his life at the Naval Academy lacked something. That something was a sheep slaughter. So to itch that hard to reach scratch, he embarked on a two-year mission to North Africa. But don't you dare call him a Mormon. He may have done some other stuff while he was there, but 'ole Aaron doesn't talk much about those years. At the end of his voyage abroad, he returned as a member of 8th company. In just two short years, Aaron has become the dad of the company and the moral compass for his rambunctious roommates. Most of his days are spent in limbo between conducting his fatherly duties and joining the young'uns in their shenanigans.
(VMH note: "1986" is not a typo; suspect it was a joke based on Aaron's age.)
Aaron Fowler
On a bright summer day in 1986, a young, wide-eyed Aaron Fowler reported for I-Day at the U.S. Naval Academy. After living the high life for two years as a Bearshark, Aaron realized that his life at the Naval Academy lacked something. That something was a sheep slaughter. So to itch that hard to reach scratch, he embarked on a two-year mission to North Africa. But don't you dare call him a Mormon. He may have done some other stuff while he was there, but 'ole Aaron doesn't talk much about those years. At the end of his voyage abroad, he returned as a member of 8th company. In just two short years, Aaron has become the dad of the company and the moral compass for his rambunctious roommates. Most of his days are spent in limbo between conducting his fatherly duties and joining the young'uns in their shenanigans.
(VMH note: "1986" is not a typo; suspect it was a joke based on Aaron's age.)
Loss
Aaron "died while participating in a training evolution with the Marine Corps at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kanehoe Bay. Fowler became unresponsive during the training and was pronounced deceased at the hospital."
He was a member of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit One, based in San Diego.
Photographs
From the Lucky Bag
Aaron as a 1/c Midshipman in an undated photograph.
Obituary
From Legacy.com:
Aaron grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma with his parents, Charles and Lou-Ann Fowler; his older brother Ethan; and younger brothers Austin and Evan. His upbringing instilled an intense work ethic and motivation for self-challenge.
He wanted everything from life, which carried him through many countries, callings, and experiences. He commissioned with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He made the uncommon choice to pause his Navy education for two years of overseas missions to North Africa. Upon commissioning from the U.S. Naval Academy, he spent a year and a half attaining a Master's degree in Arabic Studies in Georgetown, including overseas language training in Oman. In DC, he found a close church family in Capitol Hill Baptist.
Aaron's frequent travel reflected his intense curiosity for the world and his deep desire for community and relationships. Though reserved, Aaron was not shy to express his honest opinions or to challenge those around him. He challenged himself most of all, though you wouldn't know it to see him. His easygoing nature and willingness to help those around him made for fast friendships, and his loyalty in the midst of his many commitments made the friendships stick. Everyone who knew him knew also of his strong devotion to Christ.
After completing his Master's degree at Georgetown, Aaron finally began two years of rigorous physical and academic Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training. In January 2022, upon successful completion of the EOD training pipeline, he reported to EOD Mobile Unit ONE in San Diego, California.
Aaron died on Easter Sunday in a military training accident in Hawaii. He is remembered for his kindness, wit, sarcasm, and selflessness. Aaron is strong and singular, missed by many around the world, and now at home with his Heavenly Father.
Other Information
From KHRH Oklahoma on April 28, 2022:
TULSA, Okla. — His parents describe their son, Lt. j.g. Aaron Fowler, as kind, honest, and a servant.
In his 29 years of life, Fowler's family said he touched hundreds of lives.
“He was a loyal brother, he was a faithful and loyal friend, he was a faithful Child of God,” his mother, Lou-Ann Fowler said.
“He looked for opportunities to serve others,” his mother said.
Including in the service to his country.
“We just recognize the heroes that our military men are, they have literally in Aaron’s case given their lives,” his mother said.
Fowler grew up in Tulsa and graduated from Union High School. He entered the service ten years ago. In May of 2018, he graduated from the Naval Academy. Then, last year, he began explosive ordnance training in Florida. His mother said his mission went beyond his military assignments.
“His focus was always the Lord, some of the young men that he served with have talked about how he said, hey…let’s have a bible study, you know he was always focusing on something that would glorify the Lord and that was the primary love of his life,” his mother said.
Fowler was assigned to explosive ordnance disposal mobile unit one. On April 17, he died while participating in a training exercise with the Marine Corps base in Hawaii.
“The Naval Academy is a long and a hard road, and frankly the service to the Lord is a long and a hard road, and when Aaron made a commitment he followed through, he knew what he was singing up or in both cases in the military and in his faith and he finished well,” his mother said.
"I love him...I'm proud of him," his father, Charles Fowler said.
As his family honors his memory, they are anchoring their hope in the faith their son proclaimed.
“He was very intentional about wanting to be a part of bringing people to Jesus Christ, and so that’s how we remember him, knowing that we’ll see him again,” Mother said.
From Georgetown.edu:
CCAS [Center for Contemporary Arab Studies] Mourns the loss of MAAS [Master of Arts in Arab Studies] alum Navy Lt. j.g. Aaron Fowler, who died on Sunday during training at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay. Aaron, originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, joined the U.S. Navy in 2012 and graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Arabic. Following his graduation, Aaron became a commissioned officer in May of 2018. The following August, Aaron joined the Master of Arts in Arab Studies (MAAS) program at Georgetown’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, where he focused his coursework on development and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa. Upon the start of his graduate career, Aaron wrote that he hoped to use his MA degree and his role in the U.S. Navy to advance relations between the United States and foreign militaries. He graduated from MAAS in December 2019.
…
Members of the CCAS community remember Aaron as an inquisitive and bright student, a thoughtful friend, and a kind soul. We extend our deepest condolences to Aaron’s family and friends.
Aaron graduated from Union Public Schools in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he was "a 2010-2011 National Merit Scholar and a former student of Jarman Elementary School. He was the son of Charles and Lou Ann Fowler of Tulsa."
Aaron started with the Class of 2016, but commissioned with the Class of 2018 following a two-year religious mission. After graduation and commissioning he attended post-graduate school and other training until January; EODMU 1 was his first unit.
He is buried in Oklahoma.
Aaron is the only member of the Class of 2018 in Memorial Hall.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
