Raymond A. Thomas

Thomas was born in Pennsylvania on 6 October 1958, and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1980.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QqspAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Raymond+Anthony+Thomas+III%22|title=Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy|date=Sep 19, 1989|access-date=Sep 19, 2019|via=Google Books}}{{cite web|url=http://www.matthewaid.com/post/50006119624/new-senior-appointment-at-cia|title=New Senior Appointment at CIA |first= Matthew |last=Aid|publisher=matthewaid.com|access-date=September 4, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140904200857/http://www.matthewaid.com/post/50006119624/new-senior-appointment-at-cia|archive-date=September 4, 2014|date= May 9, 2013}} Thomas was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment.{{cite web|url=http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/07/30/new-commander-takes-over-jsoc-at-fort-bragg.html|title=New Commander Takes Over JSOC at Fort Bragg |publisher=military.com|access-date=September 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006073501/http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/07/30/new-commander-takes-over-jsoc-at-fort-bragg.html|archive-date=October 6, 2014 |date=July 30, 2014 | first=Drew |last=Brooks}} He led a Ranger Rifle platoon from A Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion during the Invasion of Grenada in 1983, that was dropped from an MC-130 onto a landing strip in Grenada. After completion of Infantry Officer Advanced Course in early 1986, he was assigned as Assistant S-3, Plans/Liaison Officer with 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia until 1987. Thomas was then assigned as a company commander with 3rd Ranger Battalion. In 1989, during the Invasion of Panama, he led his Ranger Rifle Company in another combat jump.{{cite news|first=Gal Perl |last=Finkel |url=http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/US-national-security-adviser-faces-challenges-at-home-and-abroad-482328 |title=US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER FACES CHALLENGES AT HOME AND ABROAD |website=The Jerusalem Post |date=February 22, 2017}}

In 1992, Thomas volunteered for and completed a specialized selection course for assignment to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, also known as Delta Force. He served as Operations Officer, Troop Commander, Executive Officer and B Squadron Commander from 1992 to 1994 and 1996 to 1999. In June 1995 Thomas earned a master's degree from the Naval Command and Staff College in Newport, Rhode Island, followed by assignment as Executive Officer, 2nd Ranger Battalion from June 1995 to July 1996. From 2000 to 2002, he served as commanding officer of the 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

File:Secretary Johnson meets with SOCOM (30028628961).jpg Jeh Johnson at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, 29 September 2016]]

Thomas crossed over from the special operations realm into the conventional warfare realm when he was selected by Lieutenant General Mark P. Hertling, then-commander of the 1st Armored Division, to be his deputy commander during the Iraq War, from 2007 to 2008. During that tour the division worked alongside Arabs and Kurds and despite the difficult relationship between the ethnic groups Thomas was praised by Hertling for "his ability to quickly fuse intelligence" adding, "He helped us fight better." After his tenure in the 1st Armored Division came to an end Thomas returned to special operations.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/09/us/09commanders.html?pagewanted=all|website=The New York Times|access-date=September 4, 2014 |title=Special Operations Veterans Rise in Hierarchy|first1= Thom |last1=Shanker |first2= Eric |last2=Schmitt|date=August 8, 2011}} From 2010 until 2012 Thomas served as the deputy commander of Joint Special Operations Command. As a major general, Thomas was in charge of all United States and NATO special forces in Afghanistan from 2012 until 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=15416|website=Defense.gov |title=News Release: General Officer Assignments|publisher=U.S. Department of Defense|access-date=September 4, 2014|date= June 29, 2012|number= 550–12|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141008230819/http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=15416|archive-date=October 8, 2014}} Every year between 2001 and 2013 (minus his time in Iraq with the 1st Armored Division in 2007) Thomas deployed to Afghanistan as part of various special operations units.

After commanding special forces units in Afghanistan, Thomas was promoted to lieutenant general and was reassigned to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia where he served as the Associate Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for Military Affairs. In August 2014, Thomas replaced Joseph Votel as the commander of Joint Special Operations Command. Votel was promoted to four-star general and replaced Admiral William H. McRaven as the commander of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). In a ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, on 30 March 2016, Thomas took command of USSOCOM and received his fourth star.{{cite web |url=http://www.socom.mil/News/Pages/VotelrelinquishescommandofUSSOCOM.aspx |title= Thomas becomes 11th SOCOM Commander |date= March 30, 2016 |publisher=U.S. Special Operations Command |access-date=2016-04-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019021118/http://www.socom.mil/News/Pages/VotelrelinquishescommandofUSSOCOM.aspx |archive-date=2016-10-19 }} General Thomas retired from active duty on 29 March 2019. {{cite web |url=https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/04/02/from-75th-ranger-regiment-to-the-pentagon-gen-clarke-now-helms-socom/ |title=From 75th Ranger Regiment to the Pentagon, Gen. Clarke now helms SOCOM|date=April 2, 2019 |first=Kyle |last=Rempfer |website=Army Times|access-date=2019-04-09}}

Thomas currently resides in the Tampa Bay area and was honored prior to Game 5 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals.

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{{Commonscat|Raymond A. Thomas III}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Commander, Joint Special Operations Command|years=2014–2016}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Commander, United States Special Operations Command|years=2016–2019}}

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Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:United States Military Academy alumni

Category:Military personnel from Pennsylvania

Category:United States Army Rangers

Category:College of Naval Command and Staff alumni

Category:United States Army personnel of the Gulf War

Category:United States Army personnel of the Iraq War

Category:United States Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:United States Army generals