# John F. Thompson (general)

John Ferdinand "JT" Thompson is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force who last served as the commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center from May 2017 to July 2021. He entered the United States Air Force in 1984 as a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy.
Prior to assuming his current position, Thompson was commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He has served in a variety of scientific, acquisition and logistics-oriented capacities, including staff assignments at Air Force Systems Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and in the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition.
With the transition of the Space and Missile Systems Center to the new Space Systems Command and announcement of its new commander, Thompson held his retirement ceremony on July 27, 2021, with an official retirement date of August 1, 2021. He is the longest serving three-star commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center, serving for over 4 years in the post.
Thompson now serves as a member of the board of directors of the Utah State University's Space Dynamics Laboratory.

## Education

1984 Bachelor of Science, US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1988 Master of Science, Industrial Engineering, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas 1989 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1995 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1996 Advanced Program Management Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va. 2001 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2006 National Security Management Course, Syracuse University, NY

## Assignments

1. January 1985–August 1987, Occupational Analyst, Air Force Occupational Measurement Center, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 2. August 1987–August 1988, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas 3. August 1988–August 1989, Manager, International Cooperative Research and Development, Deputy Chief of Staff for Technology, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews AFB, Md. 4. August 1989–December 1990, Special Assistant, Deputy Chief of Staff for Technology, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews AFB, Md. 5. December 1990–July 1991, Action Officer, Commander's Staff Group, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews AFB, Md. 6. July 1991–July 1992, Action Officer, Command Integration, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command (Provisional), Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 7. July 1992–August 1994, Chief, Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile Subsystems Development, TSSAM System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 8. August 1994–June 1995, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 9. June 1995–August 1996, Chief, Acquisition Management and Policy Branch, Program Integration Division, Directorate of Global Power Programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Washington, D.C. 10. August 1996–November 1996, Student, Advanced Program Management Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va. 11. November 1996–January 1998, Lead Joint Strike Fighter Program Element Monitor, Air Superiority Division, Directorate of Global Power Programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Washington, D.C. 12. January 1998–January 1999, Executive Officer, Directorate of Global Power Programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Washington, D.C. 13. January 1999–January 2000, Deputy Chief, Industrial Operations Division, Commodities Directorate, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, Utah 14. January 2000–July 2000, Chief, Commodities Division, Commodities Directorate, Ogden ALC, Hill AFB, Utah 15. July 2000–July 2001, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 16. July 2001–May 2003, Chief, Air Vehicle Division, C-17 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 17. June 2003–February 2005, Director of Propulsion, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker AFB, Okla. 18. February 2005–August 2006, Commander, 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing, Oklahoma City ALC, Tinker AFB, Okla. 19. August 2006–November 2006, Deputy Director, Strategic Plans and Programs (A8), Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 20. November 2006–March 2009, Chief of staff, Headquarters AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 21. March 2009–March 2010, Commander, 303rd Aeronautical Systems Wing, and Air Force Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Aeronautical Systems Center, AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 22. March 2010–September 2011, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Strategic Systems, Kirtland AFB, N.M. 23. September 2011–July 2012, Deputy Program Executive Officer for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program, Arlington, Va. 24. July 2012–January 2013, Tanker Program Executive Officer and KC-46 Program Director, Tanker Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 25. January 2013–September 2014, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Tankers, Tanker Directorate, AFLCMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 26. October 2014–May 2017, Commander, AFLCMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 27. May 2017–July 2021, Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.

## Awards and decorations

Thompson is the recipient of the following awards:
* Air Force Master Acquisition and Financial Management Badge
* Air Staff Badge
* Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
* Defense Superior Service Medal
* Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
* Defense Meritorious Service Medal
* Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
* Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
* Air Force Achievement Medal
* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
* Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with one silver oak leaf cluster
* Air Force Recognition Ribbon
* National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
* Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
* Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
* Air Force Training Ribbon

## Dates of promotion

| Rank | Date |
| Second lieutenant | December 19, 1984 |
| First lieutenant | December 19, 1986 |
| Captain | December 19, 1988 |
| Major | November 1, 1994 |
| Lieutenant colonel | September 1, 1998 |
| Colonel | August 1, 2002 |
| Brigadier general | December 5, 2008 |
| Major general | November 18, 2011 |
| Lieutenant general | October 2, 2014 |