Tom Bauer

Chief Warrant Officer Four George T. Bauer (BM, ’91) announces his retirement from the US Army after over 26 years of active duty service. Mr. Bauer is a native of Clemson, South Carolina, and entered active military service as an enlisted trombone player on 30 July 1996. After advancing through the Armed Forces School of Music he reported to his first duty station with the Army Ground Forces Band at Fort McPherson, Georgia in February of 1997. He later served with the 282d Army Band at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, the 76th Army Band in Mannheim, Germany and the Army Material Command Band at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.

 

While with the 76th Army Band, Tom deployed in support of the opening of Operation Iraqi Freedom I-III. Also while with the 76th, Mr. Bauer performed in support of the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Bastogne. In September of 2007, Tom was accepted into the US Army Warrant Officer Corps as a Bandmaster and was appointed a Warrant Officer One on 20 May 2008. In his capacity as Bandmaster, he was responsible for conducting all ensembles in the organizations he led, and integrating music into the greater mission of the units to which he was assigned. Shortly after appointment, Tom took command of the 98th Army Band (Silver Wings) at Fort Novosel, Alabama. After two years of command, Tom was accepted into the faculty of the US Army Warrant Officer Career College as a Military History Instructor and taught there until April 2012. Tom then took command of the US Army Military Intelligence Corps Band at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and assumed command of the 4th Infantry Division Band at Fort Carson Colorado in December of 2017. He was promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer Four in October of 2020, one of only four Bandmasters to hold that rank in the active duty Army at any one time. His last assignment was command of the 282d Army Band at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

 

He retired from active duty on 1 December 2022, after more than 26 years of military service. Mr. Bauer’s military awards culminate with the Legion of Merit, and include multiple awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medals. He has also been awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars and is authorized wear of the V Corps unit insignia for Former Wartime Service. His foreign awards include the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency and Weapons Proficiency, both in Gold. Tom hold a Bachelor’s degree in Music (Trombone) from Winthrop College (’91) and a Master’s degree in Music (Trombone) from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, where he studied with Vern and Jan Kagarice. Tom is married to the former Deborah K. Bauer (BM ’93) of Aiken, South Carolina. They have one daughter who is an Aerospace Engineering major at Purdue University. They will reside in Beaufort, South Carolina upon retirement.