David D. Thompson

David Dean "DT" Thompson (born c. 1963) is a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force, currently serving as vice commander of the United States Space Force.[2][3] He was nominated on August 2020 for promotion to general of the U.S. Space Force and serve as its first Vice Chief of Space Operations.[4][5]

David D. Thompson
Birth nameDavid Dean Thompson[1]
Nickname(s)"DT"
Bornc. 1963
Ambridge, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Air Force
Years of service1985–present (35 years)
Rank Lieutenant general
Commands heldAerospace Data Facility-Colorado
45th Operations Group
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal

Commissioned in 1985 as a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, he is a career space officer with assignments in operations, research and development, acquisition, and academia.[6] He has commanded operational space units at the squadron, group, and wing levels.

Early life and education
USAFA yearbook photo of Thompson

Born and raised in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, Thompson graduated in Ambridge Area High School in 1981.[7] He got his Bachelor of Science, majoring in astronautical engineering, from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and graduated in 1985. In 1989, he received his graduate degree of Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He is also an Olmsted Scholar, graduate of the Senior Acquisition Course and a Level III-Certified Program Manager.

Military career

Thompson was commissioned in May 29, 1985 as a second lieutenant of the U.S. Air Force after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

A month after his commission, he was assigned on July 1985 at the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory at the Edwards Air Force Base, California. For three years after getting his graduate degree, he was an instructor on astronautics in the U.S. Air Force Academy, assigned as the executive officer of the Department of Astronautics of the academy. From 1995 to 1998, he served at Space and Missile Systems Center as program manager.

From July 2015 to July 2017, he served as the Air Force Space Command's then-two-star vice commander. That position was then renamed as AFSPC deputy commander in 2017 with Thomson serving as the special assistant to the AFSPC commander. In 2018, the AFSPC planned to revive the vice commander position, turning it into a position for a three-star general after Congress nixed plans on creating a deputy chief of staff for space operations position.[8] On April 4, 2018, he then assumed the retook his previous position as AFSPC vice commander, promoting him to a lieutenant general.[9]

With the redesignation of the AFSPC as the newly-created United States Space Force (USSF) on December 20, 2019, Thompson retained his position as vice commander of the USSF. In August 2020, he was nominated for transfer to the Space Force at his permanent rank of major general[10] with a new assignment at the rank of general[11] as the first Vice Chief of Space Operations (VCSO).[12]

Awards and decorations
Badge Master Space Operations Badge
Badge Basic Parachutist Badge
Badge Master Acquisition and Financial Management Badge
1st row Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit
2nd row Bronze Star Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal
3rd row Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
4th row Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
5th row Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
6th row Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon Air Force Training Ribbon
Badge Basic Missile Maintenance Badge

Effective dates of promotion
RankDate
Second lieutenantMay 29, 1985
First lieutenantMay 29, 1987
CaptainMay 29, 1989
MajorAugust 1, 1996
Lieutenant colonelMay 1, 2000
ColonelAugust 1, 2004
Brigadier generalJune 18, 2010
Major generalOctober 10, 2013
Lieutenant generalApril 4, 2018
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References
  1. Polaris (PDF). XXVII. Colorado Springs, Colorado: United States Air Force Academy. 1985. p. 84. Retrieved February 21, 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. "Lieutenant General David D. Thompson". www.af.mil. February 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. Pope, Charles (January 5, 2020). "Officials provide details on building the Space Force, its structure, and operating imperatives". US Space Force. Washington DC. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  4. Erwin, Sanra (August 8, 2020). "With Thompson's nomination, U.S. Space Force leadership takes shape". SpaceNews. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  5. "General Officer Announcement". United States Department of Defense. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. Schurr, Marjorie A. (June 18, 2019). "Steel foundation: Locally-born general comes home to tell AF story". Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  7. Prose, J.D. (June 15, 2019). "Air Force Lt. Gen. David Thompson, an Ambridge native, tours RMU simulation center". Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  8. Erwin, Sandra (January 17, 2018). "Air Force to create three-star 'vice commander' post to manage space activities". SpaceNews. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  9. "Air Force establishes Pentagon-based AFSPC vice commander position". af.mil. Retrieved May 22, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  10. "PN2164 — Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson — Space Force". congress.gov. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  11. "PN2163 — Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson — Space Force". congress.gov. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  12. "General Officer Announcement". defense.gov. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
Military offices
Preceded by
David J. Buck		 Vice Commander of the Air Force Space Command
July 2015-July 2017		 Position renamed
Preceded by
Bruce H. McClintock		 Special Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Space Command
July 2017-April 2018		 Succeeded by
???
New office Vice Commander of the Air Force Space Command
April 4, 2018–December 20, 2019		 Unit redesignated
New office Vice Commander of the United States Space Force
December 20, 2019–present		 Incumbent
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