BRIGADIER GENERAL TRACE N. THOMAS
Brig Gen Trace Thomas serves as the Chief of Staff, Montana Air National Guard, Helena, Montana. General Thomas is responsible for the oversight of Joint Force Headquarters, 120th Airlift Wing and 219 RED HORSE Squadron manpower and resources. He ensures the Montana Air National Guard can meet mobilization requirements and effectively integrate with the active component under all contingencies and serves as a vital member of the Adjutant General’s senior staff.
General Thomas enlisted in the Montana Air National Guard in October 1986 as an Aircraft Maintenance Specialist. After college, General Thomas was selected for Undergraduate Pilot Training and received his commission from the Academy of Military Science, McGhee-Tyson ANGB, Knoxville, Tennessee. General Thomas graduated from Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training in December of 1993 and his flying assignments include operational tours in the F-16, F-15 and C-130. Prior to his current position, General Thomas was the Commander for the 120th Airlift Wing, 120th Operations Group, and the 120th Maintenance Group, Montana Air National Guard, Great Falls, Montana
General Thomas is a command pilot with more than 4300 hours in the F-16A/C, F-15C and C-130H1/2/3. He has qualified as an instructor, evaluator, and Mission Commander in multiple aircraft. His operational experiences include 737 EAS Commander and over 200 combat and combat support hours in Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, and INHERENT RESOLVE along with numerous deployments in support of CORONET NIGHTHAWK and OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Science, Aviation Studies, Rocky Mountain College, Billings, Mont.
1994 Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas
1994 F-16 RTU, 114 FW, ORANG, Klamath Falls, Ore.
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 F-15 RTU, 114 FW, ORANG, Klamath Falls, Ore.
2009 Mishap Investigation Course, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, N.M.
2014 C-130 RTU, Little Rock AFB, Little Rock, Ark.
2015 Mobility Commander’s Tactics Course, MOANG, St. Joseph, Mo.
2019 Commander’s Development Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2023 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt AFB, Fla.
2024 Alan L. Freed Associates Area Studies Seminar – Middle East and South Asia, Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1986 - July 1992, Aircraft Maintenance Specialist, 120 FIG, Montana Air National Guard, Great Falls, Mont.
2. July 1992 - March 1994, Student, Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. March 1994 - September 1994, F-16 RTU, 114 FW ORANG, Klamath Falls, Ore.
4. September 1994 - September 1998, Alert Pilot/Scheduler 186 FS, Det 1, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
5. September 1998 - February 2002, Chief of Scheduling, 120 FW, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont.
6. February 2002 - December 2004, Chief of Standardization/Evaluation, 120 FW, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont. (October 2002-October 2002, Alert Pilot, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia)
7. December 2004 - October 2009, Chief of Training, 120 FW, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont. (January 2007-March 2007, Combat Pilot, Balad AB, Iraq)
8. October 2009 - August 2010, Wing Chief of Safety, 120 FW, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont.
9. September 2010 - October 2013, Director of Operations, 120 OG/186 FS, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont. (June 2010-March 2012, Alert Pilot, 120 FW/DET 1, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii)
10. October 2013 - September 2014, Operations Support Squadron Commander, 120 FW, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont.
11. September 2014 - May 2017, 186th Airlift Squadron Commander, 120 AW, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont. (January 2017-March 2017, 737 EAS Commander, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
12. May 2017 - April 2019, 120th Operations Group Commander, 120 AW, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont.
13. April 2019 - June 2020, 120th Maintenance Group Commander, 120 AW, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont.
14. June 2020 - December 2023, 120th Airlift Wing Commander, 120 AW, MTANG, Great Falls, Mont.
15. March 2024 - Present, Chief of Staff, JFHQ-MTANG, Fort Harrison, Mont.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4300 hours
Aircraft flown: F-16 A/C, F-15C, C-130H1/2/3
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with eight oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 30, 1992
First Lieutenant Jan. 18, 1995
Captain Jan. 18, 1997
Major April 8, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 4, 2006
Colonel Dec. 2, 2017
Brigadier General Jan. 7, 2024
(Current as of December 2024)
