General Raymond Anthony Thomas III (also known as Tony Thomas; born 6 October 1958) is a retired general officer of the United States Army and former commander of the United States Special Operations Command.
He participated in numerous combat operations during his career, such as Operation Urgent Fury 1983, Operation Just Cause in 1989, Gulf War in 1991, and since 2001 the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every year between 2001 and 2013 (minus his time in Iraq with the 1st Armored Division in 2007), Thomas deployed to Afghanistan as part of various special operations units.
Military career Thomas was born in Pennsylvania on 6 October 1958, and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1980. Thomas was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He led a Ranger Rifle platoon from A Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion during the Invasion of Grenada in 1983, that was dropped from an MC-130 onto a landing strip in Grenada. After completion of Infantry Officer Advanced Course in early 1986, he was assigned as Assistant S-3, Plans/Liaison Officer with 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia until 1987. Thomas was then assigned as a company commander with 3rd Ranger Battalion. In 1989, during the Invasion of Panama, he led his Ranger Rifle Company in another combat jump.
In 1992, Thomas volunteered for and completed a specialized selection course for assignment to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, also known as Delta Force. He served as Operations Officer, Troop Commander, Executive Officer and B Squadron Commander from 1992 to 1994 and 1996 to 1999. In June 1995 Thomas earned a master's degree from the Naval Command and Staff College in Newport, Rhode Island, followed by assignment as Executive Officer, 2nd Ranger Battalion from June 1995 to July 1996. From 2000 to 2002, he served as commanding officer of the 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.
Thomas crossed over from the special operations realm into the conventional warfare realm when he was selected by Lieutenant General Mark P. Hertling, then-commander of the 1st Armored Division, to be his deputy commander during the Iraq War, from 2007 to 2008. During that tour the division worked alongside Arabs and Kurds and despite the difficult relationship between the ethnic groups Thomas was praised by Hertling for "his ability to quickly fuse intelligence" adding, "He helped us fight better." After his tenure in the 1st Armored Division came to an end Thomas returned to special operations. From 2010 until 2012 Thomas served as the deputy commander of Joint Special Operations Command. As a major general, Thomas was in charge of all United States and NATO special forces in Afghanistan from 2012 until 2013. Every year between 2001 and 2013 (minus his time in Iraq with the 1st Armored Division in 2007) Thomas deployed to Afghanistan as part of various special operations units.
After commanding special forces units in Afghanistan, Thomas was promoted to lieutenant general and was reassigned to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia where he served as the Associate Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for Military Affairs. In August 2014, Thomas replaced Joseph Votel as the commander of Joint Special Operations Command. Votel was promoted to four-star general and replaced Admiral William H. McRaven as the commander of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). In a ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, on 30 March 2016, Thomas took command of USSOCOM and received his fourth star. General Thomas retired from active duty on 29 March 2019.
Thomas currently resides in the Tampa Bay area and was honored prior to Game 5 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals.
Dates of rank + Rank Date General17 March 2016 Lieutenant general22 May 2014 Major general10 November 2011 Brigadier general16 June 2008 Colonel1 June 2002 Lieutenant colonel1 March 1997 Major1 April 1992 Captain1 February 1984 First lieutenant28 November 1981 Second lieutenant28 May 1980
Awards and decorations Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award) Master Parachutist Badge with 2 jump stars and USSOCOM background trimming Ranger Tab Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge Honduran Parachutist Badge Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge United States Special Operations Command Badge 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Combat Service Identification Badge 75th Ranger Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia 13 Overseas Service Bars Defense Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster Defense Superior Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal with four oak leaf clusters Purple Heart Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal Army Presidential Unit Citation Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster Valorous Unit Award with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Unit Commendation National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead Device and service star Southwest Asia Service Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Army Service Ribbon Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4 NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia with service star Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
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