Thomas A. Cropper

{{Infobox military person

| name = Thomas A. Cropper

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|6|20}}

| death_date =

| birth_place = Leonardtown, Maryland{{cite magazine |url=https://issuu.com/calmaritime/docs/calmaritimemagwinter2012 |title=Meet Cal Maritime's 14th President |date=Winter 2012 |magazine=Cal Maritime |page=14 |publisher=The California State University |location=Vallejo, California |accessdate=2 December 2020}}

| death_place =

| placeofburial =

| placeofburial_label = Place of burial

| image = RDML T. A. Cropper, USN.jpg

| caption = Rear Admiral Thomas A. Cropper, USN

| nickname =

| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

| branch = United States Navy
United States Maritime Service

| serviceyears = 1981–2012 (USN)
2012–present (USMS)

| rank = Rear Admiral (USN)
Rear Admiral (USMS)

| commands = Commander, Strike Force Training Pacific (2010–2012)
California State University, Maritime Academy (2012–2023)

| unit =

| battles = Operation Desert Storm

| awards = Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal

| alma_mater = Iowa State University (BA)
University of Tennessee (MA)
Catholic University of America (MA)
Naval War College (MA)

| laterwork =

}}

Thomas Albert Cropper{{cite magazine |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55eb4805e4b0c7e05226cf5f/t/592c7c6ad1758e7c6fdcdebd/1496087826803/Spring%2B2017.pdf |title=Membership |date=Spring 2017 |magazine=Naval Order of the United States |volume=XXVII |number=2 |page=24 |accessdate=2 December 2020}} (born June 20, 1959{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T5DfAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA126 |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Reserve Officers on the Active-Duty List |page=126 |date=October 1, 1984 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel |accessdate=2 December 2020}}) is an American retired United States Navy rear admiral and retired academic administrator who previously served as president of the California State University Maritime Academy. Cropper was appointed on July 1, 2012 with the rank of honorary rear admiral in the U.S. Maritime Service.{{cite web|last1=Rohrs|first1=Sarah|title=Retiring rear admiral named new California Maritime Academy president|url=http://www.timesheraldonline.com/general-news/20120530/retiring-rear-admiral-named-new-california-maritime-academy-president|website=Times-Herald News|date=30 May 2012|accessdate=24 September 2015}}

Early life and education

Born in Maryland, Cropper earned a Bachelor of Arts in engineering operations from Iowa State University in 1981. He also earned a Master of Arts in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee and Master of Arts in world politics from the Catholic University of America. He is a distinguished graduate of the Naval War College, earning a third Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies.{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=476|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003194013/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=476|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 3, 2008|title=Navy.mil Leadership Biographies|author=Dan Petty|work=navy.mil}}{{Cite web|title=Rear Admiral Thomas A. Cropper {{!}} CSU|url=https://www2.calstate.edu:443/csu-system/about-the-csu/leadership/presidents/Pages/Cropper.aspx|access-date=2020-07-03|website=www2.calstate.edu|language=en-US}}

Navy career

=Operational assignments=

Upon his graduation from Iowa State University, Cropper entered the U.S. Navy as an ensign and commenced flight training. During his thirty-one-year naval career, he served in a variety of command and staff positions. He was designated a Naval Aviator upon graduation from the strike jet training pipeline in 1982, followed by operational assignments with three aircraft carrier-based jet squadrons where he flew the A-6 Intruder and the F/A-18 Hornet. He went on to serve as the commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 83 (VFA-83) an F/A-18 strike fighter squadron and as commander of Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) aboard USS Nimitz. Cropper has embarked on eight extended overseas deployments aboard the aircraft carriers USS America (CV-66), USS Forrestal (CV-59), USS Enterprise (CVN-65), USS Eisenhower (CVN-69), and USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and flew nearly 5,000 hours in 43 different aircraft while logging over 1200 carrier arrested landings.

The PBS television series Carrier was filmed while Cropper commanded CVW-11 aboard the USS Nimitz, and he appears in several episodes.

=Ashore=

Cropper attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, served as a military assistant in the Office of Secretary of Defense William Cohen, and as the Navy Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He also led "Strike University" at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC), served as chief of staff, U.S. Third Fleet, and headed the Joint Chiefs of Staff Working Group chartered with the development of national level security strategy.

=Flag officer assignments=

As a flag officer, Cropper served as Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, leading and managing over 24,000 people in combat operations as deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command. as well as Commander, Strike Force Training Pacific, where he directed education and at-sea training for navy ships and aviation squadrons deploying to the Western Pacific and the Middle East.

=Retirement=

He retired from the navy at the rank of rear admiral - lower half in 2012 and soon after assumed the duties as the president of the California Maritime Academy (CMA) (which over his tenure, was renamed to California State University, Maritime Academy). He retired from the position on August 1, 2023. By 2024 Cal Maritime was bankrupt due to declining enrollment of 35% from 2018-2023- the largest decline of all CSU campuses. In 2025 CSU Maritime will cease to exist and will become a program of Cal Poly and be renamed Cal Poly Solano.{{Cite web |title=Statement on Pending Retirement of Cal Maritime President Thomas A. Cropper |url=https://www.csum.edu/campus-news/2022/president-cropper-statement-retirement.html |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=www.csum.edu |language=en}}{{cite web|url=http://www.csum.edu/web/about/csu-trustees-appoint-thomas-a.-cropper-as-president-of-cal-maritime|title=CSUM|work=csum.edu}}

Military awards

Rear Admiral Cropper's personal decorations include:

style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"

colspan=3|180px

colspan="3"|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

{{ribbon devices|number=3|type=award-star|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg|width=103}}21px

{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Achievement ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Joint Meritorious Unit Award-3d.svg|width=106}}

{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=4|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number0|type=service-star|ribbon=Battle Effectiveness Award ribbon, 2nd award.svg|width=106}}

{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg|width=106}}

{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Outstanding Volunteer Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Humanitarian Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}

{{ribbon devices|number=4|type=service-star|ribbon=Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=NATO Medal Yugoslavia ribbon bar.svg|width=106}}

{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=United States Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon with expert device.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=United States Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon with expert device.svg|width=106}}

colspan="3"|115px

Dates of rank

=Navy=

=Maritime Service=

34px Rear Admiral: July 1, 2012

References

External links

[https://www.csum.edu/president/ A Message from President Cropper]: Cal Maritime, Office of the President

Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:Iowa State University alumni

Category:United States Naval Aviators

Category:University of Tennessee alumni

Category:Catholic University of America alumni

Category:Naval War College alumni

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:United States Navy rear admirals (lower half)

Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal