'Citizen soldier'

By STEPHEN NOHLGREN, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 10, 2002

[Photo courtesy of Linda Bowman Security guard Larry Bowman, shown with his wife, Linda, was helping people escape when the north tower collapsed.

Rep. Carey Baker always wanted to change how Florida charges university and community college tuition.

Baker, a Eustis Republican, serves in the Florida National Guard. A lot of recruits join up after leaving the military, either from overseas or from out of state. Many want to use the GI bill to get an education, but can't qualify for in-state tuition until they have lived in Florida for at least a year.

It wasn't right, Baker figured. Anyone willing to defend the state should get in-state tuition right away. He filed a bill in the 2001 legislative session, but it didn't pass.

Larry Bowman, 46, was a security guard at the World Trade Center. On the side, he was a minister at a House of God church in Brooklyn. When he lived in his native Lake County three years ago, he served in the guard with his friend, Carey Baker.

On Sept. 11, Bowman telephoned his wife Linda from the north tower. He was guiding people out of the burning building and rushing back to help more. She begged him to save himself, but he told her: "I can't leave, but I'm going to be all right. I love you." He was killed in the collapse of the tower.

"He was a strong Christian man," Baker says. "He felt it was his obligation to help people in need."

For the 2002 session, Baker refiled his National Guard bill again. He called it the "Larry Bowman Act." This time, it passed both houses unanimously. Anyone on active duty in the Florida National Guard now qualifies for in-state college tuition, regardless of how long he or she has lived in Florida.

"I was proud to serve with him." Baker says. "He was the finest example of a citizen soldier."

-- Information from the Orlando Sentinel was used in this report.

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