Thomas R. Wilson

Last updated

Thomas R. Wilson
Vadm thomas r wilson.jpg
Vice Admiral Thomas R. Wilson
Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
July 1999 – July 2002
Born (1946-03-04) 4 March 1946 (age 77)
Columbus, Ohio
AllegianceFlag of the United States.svg  United States of America
Service/branch United States Department of the Navy Seal.svg United States Navy
Years of service1969–2002
Rank US-O9 insignia.svg Vice Admiral
Commands heldDirector, Defense Intelligence Agency
Director of Intelligence, U.S. Atlantic Command
Battles/wars Cold war
Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal (3)
Distinguished Service Medal (Navy)
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (3)
National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
Director of Central Intelligence Director's Award

Thomas Ray Wilson (born 4 March 1946) is a retired United States Navy vice admiral. He previously served as Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from July 1999 to July 2002. [1]

Contents

Overview

Vice Admiral Thomas R. Wilson, USN was the 13th Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Other flag rank assignments included Director of Intelligence (J2), The Joint Staff; Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Military Support, Central Intelligence Agency; Vice Director of Intelligence, The Joint Staff; and Director of Intelligence, United States Atlantic Command. Following retirement from the Navy in 2002, he served in several senior executive roles for Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (ATK): President of ATK Missile Systems, Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ATK Precision Systems Group, and ATK Senior Vice President for Tidewater Operations, retiring from ATK in 2009.

Vice Admiral Wilson and his wife, Ann, have three sons: Jeffrey, Gregory, and Matthew.

Early life

Thomas Ray Wilson was born on 4 March 1946 in Columbus, Ohio, and raised in the small community of Groveport, Ohio. As a youth he spent much time working on family farms, acquiring a lifelong interest in agriculture and rural life in America. He graduated from Groveport Madison High School in 1964, where he was active in sports, band, and other school activities as well as the Boy Scouts of America and the Groveport Methodist Church.

Education and training

Wilson entered Ohio State University in 1964, and in 1968 graduated with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture with concentrations in agricultural economics and rural sociology. He entered Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, in October 1968 and was commissioned an Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve in March 1969. Wilson was a distinguished graduate of the Defense Intelligence College in 1975, and was a member of the Defense Intelligence College class that participated in the pilot program leading to the college being able to grant a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence Degree. Other Military training included Communications Officer Ashore Course at Newport, RI in 1969; Targeting and mission planning at Nuclear Weapons Training Group Atlantic, in Norfolk, VA in 1980; and Flag and General Officer CAPSTONE Training in 1995. In 1978, while stationed in Keflavik, Iceland, he earned an M.A. in management and human relations from Webster University.

Awards, decorations and badges

Admiral Wilson has received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (three awards), Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal (two awards), and Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (four awards), and Navy Overseas Service Ribbon (four awards).

Unit awards include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with Oak Leaf Cluster and Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with two Bronze Stars.

Authorized badges include the Atlantic Command Badge, The Joint Staff Identification Badge, and the Defense Intelligence Agency Badge.

Vice Admiral Wilson has received the following awards from foreign countries: Republic of China (Taiwan) Service Ribbon, Czech Republic Order of the White Lion, and the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.

Vice Admiral Wilson is also the recipient of the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Central Intelligence Agency Director’s Award, and the Defense Intelligence Agency Director's Award. In 2001 he received the NAACP’S Meritorious Service Award for his leadership of DIA's nationally recognized Diversity and Equal Opportunity programs.

U.S. military decorations
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Defense Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg
Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with 2 oak leaf clusters)
Navy Distinguished Service ribbon.svg Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Navy)
US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg Defense Superior Service Medal
1 golden star.svg
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg
Legion of Merit (with gold star)
1 golden star.svg
Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg
Meritorious Service Medal (with gold star)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Joint Service Commendation ribbon.svg
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
1 golden star.svg
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation ribbon.svg
Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with award star)
Battle Effectiveness Award ribbon, 1st award.svg Navy "E" Ribbon
Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
National Defense Service Medal (with bronze star)
Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (with 3 bronze stars)
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg Navy-Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon (with 3 bronze stars)
Noribbon.svg Republic of China (Taiwan) Service ribbon
CZE Rad Bileho Lva 3 tridy BAR.svg Czech Order of the White Lion (Military Division, Third Class)
Den kongelige norske fortjenstorden.svg Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (degree unknown)
Unit awards
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Joint Meritorious Unit Award-3d.svg
Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with oak leaf cluster)
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (with 2 bronze stars)
Badges
Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Defense Intelligence Agency Badge.jpg Defense Intelligence Agency Badge
United States Atlantic Command Badge
National non-military awards
NIDRib.gif National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
Noribbon.svg Director of Central Intelligence Director's Award
DIA award
Dir DIA Award.JPG Defense Intelligence Agency Directors Award

Related Research Articles

The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth version existing for acts of joint military service performed under the Department of Defense.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William O. Studeman</span>

William Oliver Studeman is a retired admiral of the United States Navy and former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, with two extended periods as acting Director of Central Intelligence. As deputy director of Central Intelligence, he served in the administrations of George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton under three directors of Central Intelligence, Robert Gates, R. James Woolsey Jr., and John M. Deutch. Studeman retired from the navy in 1995 after almost 35 years of service. Between 1988 and 1992 he was director of the National Security Agency; he was the Director of Naval Intelligence, from September 1985 to July 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal</span> Award

The National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal (NIDSM) is a decoration awarded for service to the United States Intelligence Community. The decoration is awarded to any member or contributor to the National Intelligence Community, either civilian or military, who distinguishes themselves by meritorious actions to the betterment of national security in the United States of America, through sustained and selfless service of the highest order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward A. Burkhalter</span> United States admiral (1928–2020)

Vice Admiral Edward Allen Burkhalter, Jr. was a United States Navy admiral and Director of Strategic Operations for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1984 to 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James A. Williams</span> United States Army general

James Arthur Williams was a United States Army lieutenant general. Williams served as Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency in the 1980s. He was a 1987 inductee of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame and was the chairman of the board of directors for the National Military Intelligence Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry E. Soyster</span> United States Army general

Harry Edward Soyster is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel V. Wilson</span> United States Army general

Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughan Wilson, aka "General Sam", completed his active military career in the fall of 1977, having divided his service almost equally between special operations and intelligence assignments.

Awards and decorations of the United States government are civilian awards of the U.S. federal government which are typically issued for sustained meritorious service, in a civilian capacity, while serving in the U.S. federal government. Certain U.S. government awards may also be issued to military personnel of the United States Armed Forces and be worn in conjunction with awards and decorations of the United States military. In order of precedence, those U.S. non-military awards and decorations authorized for wear are worn after U.S. military personal decorations and unit awards and before U.S. military campaign and service awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert T. Church</span>

Albert Thomas Church III is a retired vice admiral in the United States Navy. Church served as on active duty for 36 years, retiring as a vice admiral in 2005. During his service he commanded two warships, the Navy's largest shore installation at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, and was the longest-serving budget director of the Navy (1998–2002). Church also served as the Naval Inspector General, during which time he completed a comprehensive review of interrogation techniques used by the Department of Defense in Iraq, Afghanistan, and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He is currently president of Prescient Edge Corporation, a US-based national security services and technology Firm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles J. Leidig</span>

Vice Admiral Charles J. "Joe" Leidig, Jr., USN was the Deputy to the Commander for Military Operations, U.S. Africa Command from August 2010 until June 2013. Leidig retired in September 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradley C. Hosmer</span> United States Air Force general

Bradley Clark Hosmer is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force (USAF). He served as the twelfth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado from 1991 to 1994. He was the first Academy graduate to return as superintendent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diego E. Hernández</span> Recipient of the Purple Heart medal

Vice Admiral Diego E. Hernandez was a United States Navy officer who was the first Hispanic American to be named Vice Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony L. Cothron</span>

Rear Admiral Tony Lee Cothron was the Director of Intelligence for the Chief of Naval Operations and the 62nd Director of Naval Intelligence. He is currently a professor at Liberty University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nancy Elizabeth Brown</span>

Vice Admiral Nancy E. Brown is a retired vice admiral in the United States Navy who most recently served as the Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems, The Joint Staff. She was the principal advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on all C4 systems matters within the Department of Defense. Her service spanned 32 years. She retired in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Hight</span>

Elizabeth Ann Hight is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who served as the vice director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). She assumed this post in December 2007. In 2008, she was nominated for appointment to the grade of vice admiral and assignment as director, Defense Information Systems Agency; commander, Joint Task Force – Global Network Operations; and deputy commander, U.S. Strategic Command Global Network Operations and Defense, Arlington, Virginia. Her nomination was rejected by the Senate due to a perceived conflict of interest with her husband, retired Air Force Brigadier General Gary Salisbury, who is vice president of business development and sales for Northrop Grumman Corp.'s mission systems sector, defense mission systems division. She retired from the Navy in 2010.

Awards and decorations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas L. Brown II</span> United States Navy officer (born 1960)

Thomas L. Brown II was a retired United States Navy officer and the first Navy officer to command Special Operations Command South, based in Homestead Joint Air Reserve Base, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warren L. Carpenter</span> Flight surgeon and physician

Warren L. Carpenter was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and the Air Force, including serving as the Department of Defense's Chief Medical Officer for military space shuttle missions, flying 297 combat hours, serving as one of six Residents in Aerospace Medicine selected to fly on medical evacuation aircraft to bring home the U.S. prisoners-of-war from North Viet Nam on the final repatriation leg of Operation Homecoming, and earning six Service awards for marksmanship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark A. Clark (general)</span> American general

Mark A. "Droopy" Clark is a retired U.S. Marine Major General. Clark was the fourth commander of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC). He retired from the Marine Corps in 2014 upon relinquishing command of MARSOC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry O. Tuttle</span>

Jerry Owen Tuttle was a vice admiral in the United States Navy. He was the second Captain of USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6) and commanded the USS John F. Kennedy; Naval Inspector General; Deputy and Chief of Staff for the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations; and Deputy Director for Intelligence, Defense Intelligence Agency.

References

  1. "DIA - This is DIA: Executive Biographies". www.dia.mil. Archived from the original on 16 October 2004.

Sources