Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

IN l985, Commander Tem E. Bugarin made history as the first Filipino in the US Navy to command a surface ship of the line when he assumed command of the USS Saginaw, LST1188.

Born in Bay-Bay Leyte, Philippines in 1946, Captain Bugarin immigrated to the US with his

parents at the age of 2. He was raised in Stockton, California. In 1969, when he was 23 yrs old, Tem was commissioned an Ensign through the Navy’s (ROC) Reserve Officer Candidate Program. In 1989, Dr. Bugarin was promoted to Captain in the United States Navy.

Captain Bugarin has served in several duty stations during his 30 years in the Navy which include USS FLOYD COUNTY LST 76, a special warfare group specializing in jungle and small riverine and coastal group warfare; Monterey Postgraduate School earning a degree in Operations Research / Systems Analysis; USS GRIDLEY CG-21; USS LYNDE McCORMICK DDG-8; USS SAIPAN LHA-2; and USS RACINE LST 1162.

Commander Bugarin became the first naval officer born in the Philippine Islands to assume command of a U. S. Naval Warship - USS SAGINAW (LST 1188), homeported in Little Creek, Virginia. He commanded numerous senior level commands including two ships USS Saginaw LST 1191 and USS Juneau LPD 10 and two shore commands - Afloat Training Group Western Pacific in Japan and the Board of Inspections and Surveys for the Pacific Fleet.

A learned academician, Dr. Bugarin’s education includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Cal State University in Fresno; a Masters of Science in Operations Research and Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California; a Masters of Business and Public Administration from Southeastern University; a Masters of Arts in International Relations from Salve Regina College, Newport, Rhode Island; and a Doctorate in Business Administration with an emphasis on Strategic Management and International Marketing, from the United States International University, San Diego, CA.

With his vast and impressive educational achievements of having 3 Masters degrees and a Doctorate degree, Dr. Bugarin taught middle managers and junior naval officers the art of leadership, management, and statistical methods in insuring quality and efficient maintenance controls of assigned equipment.

"I was half involved as an engineer and teaching and training young sailors and naval officers," said Bugarin of his time in the Navy. "While in the Navy and briefly afterward, I was able to earn three master’s degrees and a doctorate in business administration. I liked teaching in the Navy so much that I have taught for the University of Phoenix a whole host of math, leadership and business courses. I believe we old-timers, engineers and mentors born from real life experiences, could very well teach young teachers and young administrators a thing or two," said Bugarin as reported by a San Diego newspaper.

After 30 years in the US NAVY, Tem Bugarin retired and became a Professor for the University of Phoenix. The Doctor of Business Administration taught Quantitative Methods, Probability and Statistics, Organizational Behavior, Strategic Management and Implementation, and Quality Control Process. He also teaches at the California International Business University in San Diego.

Aside from being a professor, Bugarin is also a scientist with the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific). The Center deals with Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; providing the information technology resources essential to the US war fighter in today’s increasingly complex, increasingly hostile world. Bugarin is with the SPAWAR Systems Command. (AJPress)

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( Published March 17, 2010 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. B2 )