[1] Born in May 1956 and raised in Bismarck, North Dakota, he received his commission from the United States Naval Academy in 1978.

Following a successful interview with Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, he was subsequently trained in the Navy's nuclear propulsion and submarine programs.

[2] Ashore, Fowler served as a submarine tactics instructor at Naval Submarine Training Center, Pacific; as a junior member on the Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board on the staff of the commander in chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; as the head, Submarine Programs Section of the Programming Division (N80) on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations; deputy executive assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (N8) and the vice chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Pacific submarine force prospective commanding officer instructor; and as the executive assistant to the commander, U.S. Strategic Command.

Fowler stressed, however, that the academy was not in a state of emergency, and that these changes were merely to keep the recent graduates ready to enter into wartime service.

[6] In April 2021, Golden Key Group announced Fowler's promotion to president of the Reston, Virginia-based professional services company.