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.