Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders

    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      This is the official portrait of Thomas J. Lawhead.Engage OnFacebook PostsYour browser is incompatible with this widget.
                        
                        View on Twitter
        
        This is the official portrait of Thomas J. Lawhead.THOMAS J. LAWHEADMr. Thomas J. Lawhead is the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Integration and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this role, Mr. Lawhead serves as the HAF A5, known as Air Force Futures, responsible for developing the Air Force strategy and concepts, conducting strategic assessments of the operating environment through wargames and workshops, manifesting an integrated future force design, and achieving timely and effective operational capabilities required for tomorrow’s Airmen to fight and win.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Lawhead was the Director of Capability Development, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, HAF, the Pentagon. He led a team of more than 200 military, civilians, and contractor personnel in establishing capability-based requirements policy and supporting major command requirements and future Air Force modernization programs. These programs include fighters, bomber, mobility aircraft, command and control, munitions, missile defense cyber, as well as a range of future cross-domain networked capabilities.
Mr. Lawhead entered the Air Force in 1983 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served in a variety of operations and staff positions throughout his career. He served as an instructor pilot, flight commander, assistant operations officer, operations officer, squadron commander and group commander for various fighter units, as well as staff positions in the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Air Operations Squadron and in the programs division of the Air Staff. He has extensive operational experience as an instructor pilot and evaluator in the F-16 Fighting Falcon.**EDUCATION**
1983 Bachelor of Science, Aeronautical Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1987 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1996 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
1996 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2002 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2006 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.**CAREER CHRONOLOGY**
1. June 1983–June 1984, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. June 1984–November 1984, Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
3. November 1984–July 1988, T-37 Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, Williams AFB, Ariz.
4. July 1988–October 1988, Student, Lead-in Fighter Training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
5. October 1988–June 1989, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, MacDill AFB, Fla.
6. June 1989–October 1991, Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, Flight Commander, 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Torrejon Air Base, Spain
7. October 1991–June 1995, Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, Assistant Operations Officer, 314th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
8. June 1995–June 1998, Readiness Flight Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Air Operations Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
9. June1998–June 2003, Operations Officer and Commander, 389th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
10. June 2003–June 2004, Program Element Monitor, Combat Forces Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. June 2004–August 2005, Exercise Branch Chief, Program Integration Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. August 2005–June 2006, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. June 2006–June 2008, Commander, 52nd Operations Group, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
14. June 2008–November 2010, Weapons System Division Chief, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. November 2010, Retired from active duty
16. November 2010–August 2013, Congressional Action Division Chief, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. August 2013–April 2019, Operations Branch Chief and Director of Staff, Air Force F-35 Lightning II Integration Office, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18. April 2019–July 2021, Associate Deputy Director for Programs, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programs, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. July 2021–July 2022, Director, Capability Development, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air Force Futures, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. July 2022–present,  Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Integration and Requirements, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.**FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating:  command pilot
Flight Hours:  more than 4,000
Aircraft Flown:  T-37, T-38 and F-16**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with “V” device
(Current as of August 2022)
  Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil