Brigadier General Lawrence (Larry) S. Thomas III

 

 

Brigadier General Lawrence S. Thomas, III is assigned as the Commander, New Jersey Air National Guard at Fort Dix, N.J.  His military career began in August 1977 when he received his commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy. His flight training began at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and finished at Naval Air Station Beeville, Texas in February 1979.  After designation as a Naval Aviator, General Thomas qualified in the F-14 aircraft and was assigned to Fighter Squadron 41 -The Black Aces- aboard the USS Nimitz.  Upon completion of this tour in February 1983, he had successfully completed over 400 aircraft carrier landings. General Thomas was then assigned as one of the initial cadre to fly the F/A-18 Hornet. From March 1983 to January 1985, he served as an F/A-18 Hornet instructor and evaluator pilot at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California.

 

In August 1986, General Thomas was sworn into the New Jersey ANG as a member of the 177th Fighter Wing. He flew the F-106 and the F-16 during this 15 year assignment.  General Thomas has participated in numerous deployments. He has deployed for exercises and real world missions to Goose Bay, Red Flag, Key West and Panama. In November 2000, General Thomas deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia to enforce the southern no-fly-zone in Iraq. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, General Thomas flew F-16 contingency missions over NYC, Washington and Camp David. General Thomas has served as the 119th Fighter Squadron Operations Officer, the 177th Fighter Wing Vice Commander and then Commander. He then served at Headquarters NJANG as Director of Operations and the State Headquarters Inspector General. Recently, he served as the 108th Air Refueling Wing Commander during the wing’s mobilization for Iraqi Freedom.  General Thomas is employed as a Boeing 767 pilot for US Airways. 

 

EDUCATION:

1977        Bachelor of Science, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Ohio University

1981        Navy Fighter Weapons School, Topgun

1991        Squadron Officers School

1996        Air Command and Staff College

1999        Air War College

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

1.        May 1977 - August 1977, Aviation Officer Candidate, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

2.        September 1977- February 1979, Student Naval Aviator, VT-27, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and VT-26 and VT-25, Naval Air Station Beeville, Texas

3.        March 1979 – November 1979, F-14 Pilot Training, VF-101, Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia

4.        November 1979 - February 1983, F-14 Pilot, VF-41, USS Nimitz

5.        March 1983 - January 1985, F/A-18 Instructor Pilot including Fighter/Weapons, Radar Bombing, and Carrier Qualifications, VFA-125, Naval Air Station Lemoore, California

 

6.        August 1986 - November 1998, F-106 Pilot, F-16A and F-16C Pilot, 119th Fighter Squadron’s Squadron Scheduler, Assistant Fight Commander, Flight Commander, and Operations Officer, 177th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, NJ

7.        November 1998 – March 2001 Vice Commander then Commander, 177th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, NJ

8.        March 2001 – March 2003, Inspector General and Director of Operations, Headquarters, New Jersey Air National Guard, Fort Dix, NJ

9.        April 2003 – October 2003, Commander, 108th Air Refueling Wing, McGuire AFB, NJ

10.     November 2003 – May 2006 Deputy Commander New Jersey Air National Guard,  Fort Dix, NJ

11.     May 2006 – Present, Commander, New Jersey Air National Guard – Air Component New Jersey National Guard, Fort Dix, NJ

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command Pilot

Total Flight Hours: More than 11,000

Military Aircraft Flown: T-28, T-2, TA-4, F-14, F/A-18, F-106, F-16, KC-135 and C-32

Civilian Aircraft Flown: McDonnell Douglas DC-9, Boeing 727, 757, 767, Airbus 319, 320, 321, 330

 

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Meritorious Service Medal – one bronze oak leaf cluster

Aerial Achievement Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal – three oak leaf clusters

Air Force Achievement Medal – two oak leaf clusters

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award – one ‘V’ device

Air Force Organizational Excellence Award

Navy Unit Commendation

Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation

Navy Battle ‘E’ Ribbon

Combat Readiness Medal – two bronze oak leaf clusters

Naval Expeditionary Medal

National Defense Service Medal – one bronze star

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Sea Service Ribbon – two bronze stars

Air Force Longevity Service Award – four bronze oak leaf clusters

Air Force Reserve Medal – one bronze hourglass and ‘M’ device

Small Arms Expert Marksman Ribbon

Air Force Training Ribbon

 

NEW JERSEY NATIONAL GUARD AWARDS:

New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal

New Jersey Meritorious Service Medal

New Jersey Commendation Medal

New Jersey Ribbon of Honor

New Jersey Merit Award – 19 devices

New Jersey Desert Storm Support Ribbon

New Jersey Governor’s Unit Award

New Jersey Unit Strength Award – 2 devices

 

DATES OF PROMOTION:

Ensign                                                    August 26, 1977

Lieutenant Junior Grade                      August 26, 1979

Lieutenant                                             September 7, 1981                                               

Major                                                     August 26, 1991                                                                                                  

Lieutenant Colonel                              September 25, 1996

Colonel                                                  October 6, 2000    

Brigadier General                                 May 18, 2006                                                            

 

Current as of June 2006