LIEUTENANT GENERAL DALE W. THOMPSON JR.

Lieutenant General Dale W. Thompson Jr. is vice commander, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. AFMC researches, develops, tests, acquires and provides logistics support necessary to keep Air Force units and weapon systems in a state of readiness, and sustains their operations in peace and war. The command manages these systems from their inception on the drawing board through their retirement from the inventory through 18 specialized centers. AFMC has approximately 116,000 military and civilian employees around the world.

General Thompson was born in Oklahoma City and graduated from Lawton (Okla.) High School in 1956. He is a 1960 graduate of the second class of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. After completing pilot training he was assigned to tactical fighter wings in the Pacific, the United States and Europe. He flew extended temporary duty tours in Southeast Asia in the F-105 and a tour as a forward air controller in the O-1. He has also served on the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, and in numbered air forces and major command headquarters. He has commanded a cadet squadron at the Air Force Academy; a forward operating location in Vietnam; an F-111 fighter wing in Europe; and an air logistics center in Utah. He is a command pilot with 3,800 flying hours in fighters, principally the F-100, F-105 and F-111. He is credited with 483 combat hours in the F-105 and O-1 in Southeast Asia.

EDUCATION
1960 Bachelor of science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1976 Master's degree in public administration, Auburn University, Ala.
1969 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1971 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1974 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1976 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1984 Executive Development Management Program, Columbia University, N.Y.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1960 - August 1961, student, pilot training, Graham Air Force Base, Fla., and Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. September 1961 - October 1962, student, F-100 flight training, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
3. November 1962 - May 1965, F-100 and F-105 fighter pilot, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa
4. May 1965 - February 1967, F-105 pilot, 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.
5. February 1967 - September 1970, commander, Cadet Squadron O-1, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
6. September 1970 - August 1971, O-1 forward air controller and squadron operations officer, 19th Tactical Support Squadron, Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam
7. August 1971 - April 1973, F-111 pilot and wing executive officer, 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Station Upper Heyford, England
8. April 1973 - July 1974, F-111 operations staff officer, Headquarters 3rd Air Force, Royal Air Force Station Mildenhall, England
9. July 1974 - June 1975, executive officer to the inspector general, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany
10. July 1975 - June 1976, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
11. June 1976 - July 1979, chief of the operations branch, National Military Command System Support Division, Organization of the Joint Chief of Staff, Washington, D.C.
12. July 1979 - June 1980, deputy commander for operations, 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Station Upper Heyford, England
13. June 1980 - June 1981, director of tactical fighter operations, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany
14. June 1981 - February 1984, vice commander, 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Station Upper Heyford, England
15. February 1984 - August 1986, commander, 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Station Upper Heyford, England
16. August 1986 - July 1987, vice commander, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah
17. July 1987 - August 1988, deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
18. August 1988 - September 1990, chief of staff, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright- Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
19. September 1990 - May 1993, commander, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah
20. May 1993 - present, vice commander, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 3,800
Aircraft flown: F-100, F-105, T-33, O-1, F-111, F- 15

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Distinguished graduate of the bicentennial class at the Air War College, June 1976

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 8, 1960
First Lieutenant Dec 8, 1961
Captain Dec 8, 1964
Major Jun 20 , 1968
Lieutenant Colonel Apr 1, 1974
Colonel Apr 1, 1974
Brigadier General Jun 1, 1986
Major General Jan 1, 1989
Lieutenant General May 27, 1993

(Current as of July 1993)