Thomas A. Cropper

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Thomas A. Cropper
RDML T. A. Cropper, USN.jpg
Rear Admiral Thomas A. Cropper, USN
Born (1959-06-20) June 20, 1959 (age 64)
Leonardtown, Maryland [1]
AllegianceFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Service/branch United States Navy
United States Maritime Service
Years of service1981–2012 (USN)
2012–present (USMS)
Rank Rear Admiral (USN)
Rear Admiral (USMS)
Commands held Commander, Strike Force Training Pacific (2010–2012)
California Maritime Academy (2012–present)
Battles/wars Operation Desert Storm
Awards Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Alma mater Iowa State University (BA)
University of Tennessee (MA)
Catholic University of America (MA)
Naval War College (MA)

Thomas Albert Cropper [2] (born June 20, 1959 [3] ) is an American retired United States Navy rear admiral and academic administrator serving as president of the California State University Maritime Academy. Cropper was appointed on July 1, 2012 with the rank of honorary rear admiral in the U.S. Maritime Service. [4]

Contents

Early life and education

Born in Maryland, Cropper earned a Bachelor of Arts in engineering operations from Iowa State University in 1981. He also earned a Master of Arts in aviations systems from the University of Tennessee and Master of Arts in world politics from the Catholic University of America. He is a distinguished graduate of the Naval War College, earning a third Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies. [5] [6]

Operational assignments

Upon his graduation from Iowa State University, Cropper entered the navy as an ensign. During his thirty-one-year navy career, he served in a variety of command and staff positions. He was designated a naval aviator in 1982, followed by operational assignments with three aircraft carrier-based jet squadrons. He went on to serve as the commanding officer of an F/A-18 strikefighter squadron and as commander of the air wing aboard USS Nimitz. Cropper has embarked on eight extended deployments, on USS America (CV-66), USS Forrestal (CV-59), USS Enterprise (CVN-65), USS Eisenhower (CVN-69), and USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and flew nearly 5,000 hours in 43 different aircraft while logging over 1200 carrier arrested landings. [5]

The PBS television series Carrier was filmed while Cropper commanded the air wing aboard the USS Nimitz, and he appears in several episodes.

Ashore

Thomas Cropper attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, served as a military assistant in the Office of Secretary of Defense William Cohen, and as the Navy Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He also led "Strike University" at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, served as chief of staff, U.S. Third Fleet, and headed the Joint Chiefs of Staff Working Group chartered with the development of national level security strategy. [5]

Flag officer assignments

As a flag officer, Cropper served as Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, leading and managing over 24,000 people in combat operations as deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command. as well as Commander, Strike Force Training Pacific, where he directed education and at-sea training for navy ships and aviation squadrons deploying to the Western Pacific and the Middle East. [5]

Retirement

He retired from the navy at the rank of rear admiral - lower half in 2012 and soon after assumed the duties as the CMA president. [7]

Military awards

Rear Admiral Cropper's personal decorations include:

Naval Aviator Badge.jpg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg
1 golden star.svg
1 golden star.svg
1 golden star.svg
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg
1 golden star.svg
Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg
Air Medal ribbon.svg Award numeral 1.png
1 golden star.svg
1 golden star.svg
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation ribbon.svg
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement ribbon.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Joint Meritorious Unit Award-3d.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg
Battle Effectiveness Award ribbon, 2nd award.svg
Navy Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg
Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Outstanding Volunteer Service ribbon.svg
Humanitarian Service ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon.svg NATO Medal Yugoslavia ribbon bar.svg
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg United States Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon with expert device.svg United States Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon with expert device.svg
Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge.png

Dates of rank

Maritime Service

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References

  1. "Meet Cal Maritime's 14th President". Cal Maritime. Vallejo, California: The California State University. Winter 2012. p. 14. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  2. "Membership" (PDF). Naval Order of the United States. Vol. XXVII, no. 2. Spring 2017. p. 24. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  3. Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Reserve Officers on the Active-Duty List. Bureau of Naval Personnel. October 1, 1984. p. 126. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  4. Rohrs, Sarah (30 May 2012). "Retiring rear admiral named new California Maritime Academy president". Times-Herald News. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Dan Petty. "Navy.mil Leadership Biographies". navy.mil.
  6. "Rear Admiral Thomas A. Cropper | CSU". www2.calstate.edu. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  7. "CSUM". csum.edu.