Lt. Gen. Jon T. Thomas is the Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and the Deputy Theater Air Component Commander to the Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. PACAF is responsible for Air Force activities spread over half the globe. The command supports 46,000 Airmen serving principally in Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Alaska and Guam.
Lt. Gen. Thomas graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989. He commanded operational flying units at the squadron, group and wing levels and a command pilot with more than 4,000 hours in 11 different aircraft. Prior to his current position, Lt. Gen. Thomas served as the Deputy Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1991 Master of Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
1995 Squadron Officers School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2000 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Master of Strategic Studies, Graduate with highest academic distinction, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Executive Leadership Seminar, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2010 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2014 Capstone Joint Flag Officer Development Program, Washington, D.C.
2015 U.S.-U.K. Rising Leaders Forum, Washington, D.C.
2016 Advanced Senior Leader Development Program, Washington, D.C.
2019 Pinnacle Senior Leader Development Course, Suffolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1989–June 1991, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2. July 1991–August 1992, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
3. September 1992–October 1994, KC-10 Pilot, 344th Air Refueling Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
4. November 1994–June 1998, KC-10 Evaluator Pilot and Wing Executive Officer, 9th ARS and 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
5. July 1998–April 2000, Branch Chief, Program Integration Division, Directorate of Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. May 2000–July 2002, Aide de Camp to the Commander, U.S. Transportation Command and Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. August 2002–July 2005, Operations Officer, 7th Airlift Squadron; Commander, 8th Airlift Squadron; and Deputy Commander, 62nd Operations Group, McChord AFB, Wash.
8. August 2005–June 2006, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 2006–July 2007, Deputy Commander, 603rd Air and Space Operations Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
10. July 2007–July 2009, Commander, 86th OG, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. July 2009–June 2011, Commander, 97th AMW, Altus AFB, Okla.
12. July 2011–January 2012, Chief, Global Mobility Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
13. January 2012–July 2013, Chief, Program Integration Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
14. August 2013–June 2015, Deputy Director for Future Joint Force Development, Joint Staff, Suffolk, Va
15. June 2015 –August 2016, Commander, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
16. August 2016–June 2017, Director of Strategic Plans, Requirements and Programs, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
17. July 2017–August 2018, Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence, and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
18. September 2018–April 2020, Deputy Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
19. April 2020–present, Deputy Commander, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor- Hickam, Hawaii
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2000–July 2002, Aide de Camp to the Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a major and lieutenant colonel
2. August 2013–June 2015, Deputy Director for Future Joint Force Development, Joint Staff, Suffolk, Va., as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: over 4,000
Aircraft flown: KC-10A, T-38A, C-17A, C-130E/J, C-20H, C-21A, C-37A, C-40B, T-38C and KC-135R
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1989
First Lieutenant May 31, 1991
Captain May 31, 1993
Major July 1, 1999
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2002
Colonel Jan. 1, 2007
Brigadier General Aug. 2, 2013
Major General June 1, 2017
Lieutenant General Sept. 4, 2018
