Matt Bohlen was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, and graduated from boot camp in October 1997 from Recruit Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois. Upon graduation, Matt attended Airman Apprenticeship School. His first command was onboard the USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74) in Norfolk, Virginia, where he worked as an aircraft launch and recovery maintenance person. His first deployment was an around-the-world maiden deployment, concluding with a homeport change to San Diego, California. He then completed a Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment, a Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) deployment and was onboard for the world premiere of the movie “Pearl Harbor” held on the flight deck, in Hawaii. He advanced to Aviation Boatswain's Mate Third Class (ABE3) a year before transferring to his next command, working in the Security Department, at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily. He took a detour through San Antonio, Texas at Lackland Airforce Base to learn how to be a military police officer and headed to Sicily weeks after 9/11. Shortly after arriving in Sicily, he advanced to Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Second Class (ABE2) and while there, converted to Master-At-Arms. After three years in Sicily, his next duty station was the Security Department at Naval Base Pascagoula, Mississippi. He endured the wrath of Hurricane Katrina and Pascagoula was shut down shortly after and he headed to his second sea command, the USS BONHOMME RICHARD (LHD-6). Shortly after heading out on deployment, he was selected as an Individual Augmentee to assist with Army forces in Kuwait. He flew home for a month and headed to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait where he worked hand in hand with two different Army infantry divisions, conducting security measures in the port of Kuwait. After 8 months he returned to the Bonhomme Richard where he conducted another WESTPAC deployment and another RIMPAC. His next command was harbor patrol, with the Security Department, Navy Region Southwest, in San Diego, California. In 2011, he separated from active duty and shortly joined the Navy Reserves.
Shortly upon his transition to the reserves he was advanced to Master-at-Arms First Class (MA1). He served as the training officer for the Operational Support Unit in Denver, Colorado. He volunteered for a “deployment” and had the opportunity to go back to Recruit Training Center Great Lakes as a line coach for recruits who went through the live fire pistol and shotgun training in boot camp. After six months he returned home and had a desire to rejoin the active component. Through a bit of arduous paperwork and waiting, on April 1, 2014, he re-enlisted into active duty as an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate First Class (ABE1), with orders back to the USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN-74), stationed in Bremerton, Washington. While stationed on the JCS for round two, he conducted another WESTPAC, and another RIMPAC and had the opportunity to deploy on another world deployment, riding her from Washington back to Virginia as she prepared for her “nuclear refueling”. After arriving in Virginia his next and final duty station was Recruiting Duty in Phoenix, Arizona. He spent three years looking for highly qualified and motivated individuals to join the Navy and essentially take his place. On September 30, 2022, he officially retired from the United States Navy after serving for 25 years.
Within those 25 years, he had an amazingly supportive wife and four children, two of which live here in Los Alamos, while two live in Colorado.
While in the reserves, Matt completed his Associate’s Degree in General Education and his Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media Design.
On August 1, 2022, he began his new career as an NJROTC instructor at Los Alamos High School. He oversees all the curriculum and other items that are needed to make Topper Company run smoothly. He is the coach for the male and female physical fitness and marksmanship competition teams. He oversees the welfare of cadets and the planning and implementation of ideas proposed by cadet staff. Petty Officer Bohlen teaches physical fitness on selected days while also performing other duties throughout the unit. In addition to running Topper Company, Petty Officer Bohlen also teaches Military Fitness courses at the high school.
West Coast born and raised Travis Pratt grew up in the Pacific Northwest and graduated High School in Vista, CA in the spring of 2000. Upon graduation from Boot Camp as a Fireman (E-3) at RTC Great Lakes in April 2001, he reported to Nuclear Field "A" School at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command in Goose Creek, SC. Following the successful completion of "A" School, where he learned his rate of Electrician's Mate, he was advanced to the rank of Electrician's Mate Third Class (E-4) and continued on to Nuclear Power School, also located at NNPTC. After graduating from NPS in the spring of 2002 he then transferred to the Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit (also known as Prototype school) as a student at the S8G Prototype in Ballston Spa, NY. Upon completion of the third and final leg of the nuclear power training pipeline he received orders to the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) homeported in Bremerton, WA.
As a member of Reactor Electrical division he supported the ships mission via his duties operating and maintaining the ship's electrical generation, distribution, and support equipment. Deploying in January 2003 for a scheduled 6 week underway in support of Carrier Flight Deck Qualifications the Vinson was extended due to the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, eventually returning in September following several extensions at sea in support of security operations in the Pacific while participation in Operation Foal Eagle (a joint operation with South Korea.) Advancing to EMN2 in 2004 he then deployed again in 2005 for an around the world tour and a Homeport Change to Newport News, VA for The Carl Vinson's scheduled Refueling & Complex Overhaul (RCOH). Supporting both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom along the way. Also welcoming his first child while underway and not getting to meet him until the ship pulled-in.
While in the shipyard in Virginia the Vinson became only the third Nimitz class carrier to undergo a mid-life RCOH. During his time in the shipyard in Virginia he was promoted to EMN1, and welcomed his second child in 2007 before then returning to the S8G Prototype at NPTU Ballston Spa, NY as an instructor, for the same school he had attended as a student, in the fall of 2008.
In the fall of 2010 he transferred back to Virginia to report to the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) homeported in Norfolk, VA. Doing back-to-back deployments on board the Enterprise he was aboard the ship for the final deployment and world tour followed by the ship's 50th anniversary celebration. During those two deployments the Enterprise was involved in the Libyan conflict and was on stand-by to evacuate American nationals from US Embassies in North Africa, and well as actively engaged in anti-piracy operations off of the coast of Somalia and the apprehension of the pirates from the Quest incident. Welcoming his third child he once again did not get to meet him until the ship pulled into port! Performing a homeport change back to Newport News he was a member of the inactivation and decommissioning crew of the Enterprise.
Transferring back to the Carl Vinson, now homeported at Naval Station North Island in Coronado, CA in 2013 he deployed again in Summer of 2014 for the Carl Vinson's record setting 10 month deployment alongside the USS Bunker Hill, USS Gridley, USS Sterett, and USS Gridley. Reporting to the Persian Gulf they relived the USS George HW Bush in fighting the Islamic State and the Levant (ISIL).
Next up was a shore tour with the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Detachment San Diego (PNSDETSD) located at Point Loma Naval Base, San Diego. Where he received a Fleet Letter of Commendation for his role in the installation of a safety modification in the battery for the USS Pasadena (SSN-752). This potentially life-saving modification installed to reduce the chance of an uncontrolled fire in the battery well possibly leading to the loss of the submarine.
Transferring back to the Carl Vinson for his twilight tour he guided Reactor Department through an 18 complex shipyard overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA as the Zone Manager/Shipyard Liaison for Reactor Electrical Division. Taking the ship back down to San Diego for preparations for her next deployment before retiring from the Navy in February 2021.
Relocating to New Mexico in the spring of 2021 he joined the Los Alamos National Laboratory as a Building Manager for Weapons Facilities Operations, and responsible for several critical facilities including DARHT (Dual Axial Radiographic Hydrodynamic Testing Facility). Seeing a need within the LAHS ROTC program he left his job at the Lab to begin another journey with LAHS Hilltopper Company in January 2026, nearly 25 years after initially joining the Navy.
Petty Officer Pratt (or PO P) lives in Los Alamos with his wife, 2 of 3 kids (the other one lives in White Rock, and their 3 dogs, 3 cats, and 2 leopard Geckos. He is currently enrolled in school and pursuing his bachelor's degree in Nuclear Energy Engineering Technologies from Thomas Edison State University.