BRIGADIER GENERAL THOMAS C. HANNON
Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Hannon serves as the Assistant Adjutant General for the Rhode Island Air National Guard. He is responsible for the coordination and direction of over 1,000 military & civilian members of the Rhode Island Air National Guard. He is the principle full-time Air Force advisor to The Adjutant General (TAG-RI) and serves as the Deputy Homeland Security Advisor for civil support, homeland security, international affairs, and other joint force activities.
General Hannon enlisted in the Connecticut Air National Guard in 1987 as a Supply Specialist. He held the rank of Technical Sergeant until he was commissioned through the Academy of Military Science in 1998 as a Logistics Officer. During his 20 years of service with the Connecticut ANG he served in every area of the logistics career field before being appointed as the 103d Security Forces Squadron Commander in 2004.
General Hannon transferred to the Rhode Island Air National Guard in 2007 serving as the 143d Security Forces Squadron Operations Officer until he assumed command of the squadron in 2013. Upon his promotion to Colonel, he was selected to command the 143d Mission Support Group, consisting of 6 squadrons and 500 Airmen. Prior to his current position, the general was assigned to Joint Force Headquarters as the Director of Staff and has deployed 3 times in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH and ENDURING FREEDOM.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Arts, Administration of Justice, Salve Regina University, Newport, R.I.
1991 Master of Science, Administration of Justice, Salve Regina University, Newport, R.I.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Air War College, by correspondence
2018 CJCS Level IV Antiterrorism Executive Seminar, McLean, Va.
2020 Joint Task Force Commanders Course, United States Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2022 Leadership in Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2022 Dual Status Commanders Course United States Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2024 China and the Indo-Pacific Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1998 - August 2004, Transportation Officer, 103d Logistics Readiness Squadron, Bradley Field, East Granby, Conn. (August 2001 – October 2001, Vehicle Operations Officer, 363d Expeditionary Transportation Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
2. August 2004 - May 2007, Commander, 103d Security Forces Squadron, Bradley Field, East Granby, Conn.
3. May 2007 - May 2012, Operations Officer, 143d Security Forces Squadron, Quonset State Airport, North Kingstown, R.I. (January 2008 – May 2008, Executive Officer Director of Mobility Forces, Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC), Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar / March 2011 – September 2011, Operations Officer, 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan)
4. May 2012 - September 2016, Commander, 143d Security Forces Squadron, Quonset State Airport, North Kingstown, R.I.
5. October 2016 - September 2019, Commander, 143d Mission Support Group, Quonset State Airport, North Kingstown, R.I.
6. October 2019 - September 2023, Director of Staff/ Chief, Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Cranston, R.I.
7. October 2023 - September 2024, Chief of Staff/ Chief Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, East Greenwich, R.I.
8. October 2024 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General, Joint Force Headquarters, East Greenwich, R.I..
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant March 12, 1998
First Lieutenant March 12, 2000
Captain March 12, 2002
Major March 13, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2010
Colonel Oct. 2, 2016
Brigadier General Oct. 1, 2023
(Current as of January 2025)
