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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      ThompsonOct2014Engage On
        
        ThompsonOct2014LIEUTENANT GENERAL JOHN F. THOMPSONLt. Gen. John F. Thompson is the Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. He is responsible for approximately 6,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of $9 billion. As the Department of the Air Force Program Executive Officer for Space, General Thompson manages the research, design, development, acquisition and sustainment of satellites and the associated command and control systems. His extensive portfolio includes military satellite communication, missile warning, navigation and timing, space-based weather, space launch and test ranges, certification for launch, space superiority, responsive space and other emerging evolutionary space programs.
Lt. Gen.Thompson entered the Air Force in 1984 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. 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.
The general has been Chief of the Commodities Division, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Utah, and Chief of the Air Vehicle Division, C-17 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. He also served as Director of Propulsion, Oklahoma City ALC, Oklahoma.; and Chief of Staff, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB. He has commanded the 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla., and the 303rd Aeronautical Systems Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, where he served as Air Force Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. General Thompson has also served as Air Force Program Executive Officer for Strategic Systems, Deputy Program Executive Officer for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program, and Air Force Program Executive Officer for Tankers/KC-46 Program Director.
Prior to assuming his current position, Lt. Gen. Thompson was Commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.**EDUCATION**
1984 Bachelor of Science, U.S. 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, N.Y.**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.**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
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 four oak leaf clusters**OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS**
1990 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award
2015 Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award
2020 General James V. Hartinger Award for Space Leadership**EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION**
Second Lieutenant Dec. 19, 1984
First Lieutenant Dec. 19, 1986
Captain Dec. 19, 1988
Major Nov. 1, 1994
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1998
Colonel Aug. 1, 2002
Brigadier General Dec. 5, 2008
Major General Nov.18, 2011
Lieutenant General Oct. 2, 2014
(Current as of July 2021)
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