# Karl O. Thomas

Karl Owen Thomas (born 1 November 1963) is a United States Navy vice admiral who serves as the deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare and Director of Naval Intelligence. He most recently served as the 53rd commander of the United States Seventh Fleet from 2021 to 2024.

## Biography

Born in Fairfax, Virginia, and raised in Northern Virginia, Thomas earned a bachelor's degree in management systems from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1986. He later received a Master of Science degree in information technology from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Thomas started off as a carrier aviator in the E-2C Hawkeye; he rose quickly to serve as commanding officer of VAW-117 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has served on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), USS George Washington (CVN-73), U.S. 6th Fleet Command Ship, USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
Thomas served as the commander of Carrier Strike Group 5 for a time, deploying on USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) out of Yokosuka, Japan. While in that role he took the opportunity to stress "Freedom of Navigation Operations" when his weaker allies couldn't. CVN 76 transited the South China Sea regularly in order to send a message to Beijing that the seas must be free and open.
He then served as Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans, and Strategy.
In April 2021, he was nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assignment to relieve Vice Admiral William R. Merz as commander of the United States Seventh Fleet.

## Awards and decorations

Naval Flight Officer Badge :
| Navy Distinguished Service Medal ||||||
| Defense Superior Service Medal | Defense Superior Service Medal | Legion of Merit with four award stars | Legion of Merit with four award stars | Meritorious Service Medal with two award stars | Meritorious Service Medal with two award stars |
| Air Medal | Air Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with four award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with four award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two award stars |
| Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation with bronze oak leaf cluster | Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation with bronze oak leaf cluster | Navy Unit Commendation with bronze service star | Navy Unit Commendation with bronze service star | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with two bronze service stars | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with two bronze service stars |
| Navy E Ribbon, 4th award | Navy E Ribbon, 4th award | National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star | National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two bronze service stars | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two bronze service stars |
| Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
| Armed Forces Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one silver and three bronze service stars | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one silver and three bronze service stars | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service star | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service star |
| Special Operations Service Ribbon with bronze service star | Special Operations Service Ribbon with bronze service star | Navy Expert Rifleman Medal | Navy Expert Rifleman Medal | Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal | Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal |
| Surface Warfare Officer Pin ||||||
| Command at Sea insignia ||||||
| Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge ||||||

## Gallery

* At the change of command ceremony in 2018
* At the change of command ceremony in 2018
* U.S. Navy Capt. Karl O. Thomas, right foreground, the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), speaks with an attendee during a Veterans Day ceremony, 8 November 2013
* With Swedish Admiral who hosted Baltic Operations Exercise 2009 Leadership in Karlskrona
* Capt. Karl Thomas, commanding officer of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, serves food on the mess decks during Thanksgiving dinner on 27 November 2014. Carl Vinson was deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, maritime security operations, and theater security cooperation efforts in the region
* Capt. Karl Thomas, commanding officer of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, addresses Sailor of the Year candidates in the Chief’s Mess.
* Capt. Karl O. Thomas, commanding officer of USS Mount Whitney, leads Sailors, civilian mariners, and embarked U.S. 6th fleet staff members to conduct a foreign object debris walk down on the flight deck prior to the ship getting underway for flight quarters on 1 February 2010. Mount Whitney is the U.S. Sixth Fleet's flagship. It is home-ported in Gaeta, Italy, and operates with a hybrid crew of U.S. Sailors and Military Sealift Command civilian mariners.
* Capt. Karl Thomas, commanding officer of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, speaks with U.S. Rep. John Mica, from Florida, in the navigation bridge aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson on 22 October 2014. Carl Vinson and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing 17, are deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, maritime security operations, and theater security cooperation efforts in the region.
* Capt. Karl Thomas, commanding officer of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, speaks on 22 October 2014 with U.S. Representatives John Mica, left, from Florida, Juan Vargas, middle, and Darrell Issa, seated, from California, on the navigation bridge. Carl Vinson and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing 17, are deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, maritime security operations, and theater security cooperation efforts in the region.
* ABU DHABI Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Samantha Kelly, left, takes a “selfie” with Capt. Karl Thomas, commanding officer of aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, in the ship’s in-port cabin on 25 February 2015. Carl Vinson is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, maritime security operations, and theater security cooperation efforts in the region.