Brigadier General Lawrence S. Thomas, III is assigned as the chief of staff, New Jersey Air National Guard at Fort Dix, N.J. His military career began in August 1977 when he received his commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy. His flight training began at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and finished at Naval Air Station Beeville, Texas in February 1979. After designation as a Naval Aviator, General Thomas qualified in the F-14 aircraft and was assigned to Fighter Squadron 41 -The Black Aces- aboard the USS Nimitz. Upon completion of this tour in February 1983, he had successfully completed over 400 aircraft carrier landings. General Thomas was then assigned as one of the initial cadre to fly the F/A-18 Hornet. From March 1983 to January 1985, he served as an F/A-18 Hornet instructor and evaluator pilot at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California.
In August 1986, General Thomas was sworn into the New Jersey ANG as a member of the 177th Fighter Wing. He flew the F-106 and the F-16 during this 15 year assignment. General Thomas has participated in numerous deployments. He has deployed for exercises and real world missions to Goose Bay, Red Flag, Key West and Panama. In November 2000, General Thomas deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia to enforce the southern no-fly-zone in Iraq. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, General Thomas flew F-16 contingency missions over NYC, Washington and Camp David. General Thomas has served as the 119th Fighter Squadron Operations Officer, the 177th Fighter Wing Vice Commander and then Commander. He then served at Headquarters NJANG as Director of Operations and the State Headquarters Inspector General. Recently, he served as the 108th Air Refueling Wing Commander during the wing's mobilization for Iraqi Freedom. General Thomas is employed as a Airbus 330 pilot for US Airways.
1977 Bachelor of Science, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Ohio University
1981 Navy Fighter Weapons School, Topgun
1991 Squadron Officers School
1996 Air Command and Staff College
1999 Air War College
1. May 1977 - August 1977, aviation officer candidate, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
2. September 1977- February 1979, student Naval Aviator, VT-27, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and VT-26 and VT-25, Naval Air Station Beeville, Texas
3. March 1979 - November 1979, F-14 pilot Training, VF-101, Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia
4. November 1979 - February 1983, F-14 pilot, VF-41, USS Nimitz
5. March 1983 - January 1985, F/A-18 instructor pilot including Fighter/Weapons, Radar Bombing, and Carrier Qualifications, VFA-125, Naval Air Station Lemoore, California
6. August 1986 - November 1998, F-106 pilot, F-16A and F-16C pilot, 119th Fighter Squadron's Squadron Scheduler, assistant fight commander, flight commander, and operations officer, 177th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, NJ
7. November 1998 - March 2001 vice commander then commander, 177th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, NJ
8. March 2001 - March 2003, inspector general and director of operations, Headquarters, New Jersey Air National Guard, Fort Dix, NJ
9. April 2003 - October 2003, commander, 108th Air Refueling Wing, McGuire AFB, NJ
10. November 2003 - May 2006, deputy commander New Jersey Air National Guard, Fort Dix, NJ
11. May 2006 - Present, chief of staff, New Jersey Air National Guard, Fort Dix, NJ
Rating: Command Pilot
Total Flight Hours: More than 4,000
Military Aircraft Flown: T-28, T-2, TA-4, F-14, F/A-18, F-106, F-16, KC-135 and C-32
Meritorious Service Medal - one bronze oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal - three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal - two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award - one ‘V' device
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Navy Battle ‘E' Ribbon
Combat Readiness Medal - two bronze oak leaf clusters
Naval Expeditionary Medal
National Defense Service Medal - one bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Sea Service Ribbon - two bronze stars
Air Force Longevity Service Award - four bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Reserve Medal - one bronze hourglass and ‘M' device
Small Arms Expert Marksman Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal
New Jersey Meritorious Service Medal
New Jersey Commendation Medal
New Jersey Ribbon of Honor
New Jersey Merit Award - 19 devices
New Jersey Desert Storm Support Ribbon
New Jersey Governor's Unit Award
New Jersey Unit Strength Award - 2 devices
Ensign August 26, 1977
Lieutenant Junior Grade August 26, 1979
Lieutenant September 7, 1981
Major August 26, 1991
Lieutenant Colonel September 25, 1996
Colonel October 6, 2000
Brigadier General May 18, 2006
(Current as of November 2006)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.