Colonel John D. Thomas

Colonel Thomas is a 1979 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and a 1985 graduate of the Air Force Institute of Technology. He holds a Senior Space & Master Missile Rating with operational and engineering experience spanning an 11 year period. During this time, Colonel Thomas logged over 11,000 hours commanding strategic nuclear alert missions with the Titan II missile system where he was the commander of missile complex 3-8, dubbed by crew members as "Iron Man 3-8".   Colonel Thomas has served in a wide variety of high visibility acquisition assignments that include key programs such as the F-22 stealth fighter, the Airborne Laser, and LANTIRN. Colonel Thomas has also served on a number of headquarters' staff positions that include Air Staff at the Pentagon, U.S. Southern Command, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, and the Air Force Security Assistance Center.