Thomas E. Drew

Major General (Vermont) Thomas E. Drew (born August 8, 1950) was the adjutant general of the State of Vermont. In this post he served as the senior uniformed military officer in the state, and was responsible for the organization, training and equipping of the 4,000 members of the Vermont Army and Air National Guard. As adjutant general, he also served as inspector general, quartermaster general and head of the State Military Department, including veterans affairs.

Thomas E. Drew
Major General Thomas E. Drew
Born	(1950-08-08) August 8, 1950 Proctor, Vermont
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1973–2001, 2006–2013
Rank	Major general
Unit	Vermont National Guard
Commands held	Company A, 2nd Battalion 172nd Armor (1983 to 1985) 1st Battalion 172nd Armor (1992 to 1995) 86th Armored Brigade (1997 to 2000) Vermont National Guard (August, 2012 to March, 2013)
Battles/wars	Operation Enduring Freedom
Awards	Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal (5) Army Commendation Medal (2) Army Achievement Medal
Other work	Executive Director, Addison County branch, Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
Website	http://www.vtguard.com

Biography

Thomas Edwin Drew was born in Proctor, Vermont, on August 8, 1950.[1] He was raised in Florence, attended school in Florence, Pittsford and Brandon and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1972.[2]

Military career

Drew received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army through UVM's Reserve Officer Training Corps. After serving on active duty with the 9th Infantry Division until 1977, he joined the Vermont National Guard and became a member of the Active Guard and Reserve Program. He retired as a colonel in 2001. Drew's service included command of: Company A, 2nd Battalion, 172nd Armor (1983 to 1985); 1st Battalion, 172nd Armor (1992 to 1995); and the 86th Armored Brigade (1997 to 2000).[3]

Civilian career

Upon retirement, General Drew served as the executive director of the Addison County branch of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a non-profit community service provider in Castleton.[4]

Subsequent military career

In 2006, Drew returned to military service as deputy adjutant general with a state commission as a brigadier general.[5]

Drew served as deputy adjutant general until 2009, when he was voluntarily recalled to active duty as a colonel.[6][7] He deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom as deputy commander of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain).[8][9] During the deployment Drew reached age 60, the mandatory age for retirement from the military, but remained in Afghanistan and continued to serve.[10]

Upon redeploying from Afghanistan Drew returned to the military's Retired Reserve and resumed his state duties as deputy adjutant general.[11]

In 2012 Michael Dubie was appointed as deputy commander of United States Northern Command.[12] Upon Dubie's August 3, 2012, resignation as Vermont's adjutant general to assume his new duties, Drew succeeded him as adjutant general.[13] Drew was subsequently promoted to major general (Vermont), and served out the remainder of Dubie's term.

On February 21, 2013, the Vermont General Assembly elected Steven A. Cray to serve as adjutant general.[14] (In Vermont, the adjutant general is elected for a two-year term in secret balloting by a combined meeting of the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont State Senate in February of each odd-numbered year.)[15]

Cray took over from Drew in a ceremony on March 1, 2013, and Drew retired.[16]

Education

• University of Vermont, Bachelor of Science in History, 1972, Burlington, Vermont
• U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School, Intelligence Officer Basic Course, 1973, Fort Huachuca, Arizona
• United States Army Armor School, Armor Officer Advanced Course, 1984, Fort Knox, Kentucky
• United States Army Command and General Staff College, Command and General Staff Officer Course, 1988, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas[17]

Awards and decorations

Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle and Pistol bars

86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Combat Service Identification Badge

172nd Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia

	Legion of Merit
	Bronze Star Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal (5)
	Army Commendation Medal (2)
	Army Achievement Medal
	Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (5)
	National Defense Service Medal (3)
	Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one campaign star
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device for Mobilization
	Army Service Ribbon
	Army Overseas Service Ribbon
	Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (2)
	NATO Medal
	Vermont Medal of Merit
	Vermont Commendation Medal
	Vermont Outstanding Unit Award
	Vermont Service Ribbon (3)
	Vermont Duty Ribbon (5)
	Vermont State Special Duty Ribbon[18]

Effective Dates of Promotions

Promotions

Insignia	Rank	Date
	Major General (Vermont)	August 13, 2012
	Brigadier General (Vermont)	April 2, 2006
	Colonel	September 14, 1998
	Lieutenant Colonel	August 18, 1992
	Major	October 23, 1985
	Captain	May 28, 1977
	First Lieutenant	May 28, 1975
	Second Lieutenant	January 26, 1973[19]

Other achievements

• Order of St. George Bronze Medallion, U.S. Cavalry & Armor Association, 1995
• Order of St. George Silver Medallion, 2000[20]

Michael Dubie, Peter Shumlin, Drew, Command Sergeant Major Forest Glodgett prepare for Transfer of Authority where Drew succeeded Dubie as Adjutant General. Photo by James Greene, Vermont National Guard.

Drew salutes Scott Doyon of Clinton, Maine after presenting Bronze Star Medal, Oct. 21, 2010.

References

1. Vermont Birth Records, 1909-2008, entry for Thomas Edwin Drew, accessed August 3, 2012
2. Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont Legislative Directory Archived 2010-12-26 at the Wayback Machine, 2009, page 364
3. Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch, Thomas E. Drew, accessed August 3, 2012
4. Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory Archived 2012-08-22 at the Wayback Machine, 2011, page 338
5. Vermont National Guard Public Affairs, From the Deputy Adjutant General, Green Mountain Guard magazine, August, 2006, page 2
6. Vermont National Guard Public Affairs, From the Deputy Adjutant General, Green Mountain Guard magazine, October, 2009, page 2
7. Keith McGilvery, Meet the New Man in Charge of the Vt National Guard Archived 2012-08-06 at the Wayback Machine, WCAX-TV, August 3, 2012
8. Joanna Fox, Daily Afghan-Iraq Update/11-27, Troop Scoop blog, November 27, 2010
9. C. MacGibbon, New Zealand Defence Force, Tribute to Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell, DSD, The Bugle deployment newsletter, October, 2010, page 10
10. Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
11. Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
12. Matt Sutkoski, A Day of Change at the Vermont Guard, Burlington Free Press, August 3, 2012
13. Chittenden Community Television, New Vermont Adjutant General, Thomas E. Drew, August 3, 2012
14. Kirk Carapezza, Vermont Public Radio, Longtime General Elected to Lead Vermont National Guard, February 21, 2013
15. Vermont Emergency Management Agency, Annex O, Vermont Emergency Management Plan, 2011, page 1
16. Sam Hemingway, Burlington Free Press, Cray takes helm of Vermont Guard in ceremony at Camp Johnson, March 1, 2013
17. Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
18. Author's review of Drew's uniform in photos and video of Transfer of Authority ceremony, August 3, 2012
19. Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
20. Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch

Military offices
Preceded by Michael Dubie	Vermont Adjutant General 2012–2013	Succeeded by Steven A. Cray