Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson is the Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command where he oversees military security cooperation and combat operations within the Arabian Peninsula, Northern Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, and Central and Southern Asian States.
Lt. Gen. Bergeson was commissioned in 1985 upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has commanded a fighter squadron, operations group, fighter wing, numbered Air Force and has held various staff assignments, including positions as Chief of Aviation, Strategic Operations, Multi-National Forces Iraq; U.S. Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, United Kingdom; and Director, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.
Prior to his current assignment, Lt. Gen. Bergeson served as the Deputy Commander, United Nations Command Korea; Deputy Commander, U.S. Forces Korea; Commander, Air Component Command, South Korea/U.S. Combined Forces Command; and Commander, Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Osan Air Base, South Korea. He is a graduate and then instructor pilot of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and is a command pilot with more than 3,300 hours in fighter aircraft, including the F-15 A/B/C/D/E, F-22 and A-10C. He has flown combat sorties in multiple operations.
EDUCATION
1985 Bachelor of Science, Operations Research, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1990 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1992 Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1997 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1998 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 Master of Arts, Airpower Art and Science, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 NATO Defense College, Rome
2006 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2009 Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1985–December 1986, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. December 1986–April 1987, Student, F-15 Qualification Training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3. April 1987–December 1990, Instructor Pilot, Wing Standardization and Evaluation Pilot and Executive Officer to the Commander, 313th Air Division, Kadena Air Base, Japan
4. December 1990–January 1992, Instructor Pilot, 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
5. January 1992–June 1992, Student, Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. June 1992–April 1994, Weapons Officer, 59th FS, Eglin AFB, Fla.
7. April 1994–August 1997, Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander and Assistant Director of Operations, F-15C Division, Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. August 1997–July 1998, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 1998–August 1999, Student, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. September 1999–March 2000, Assistant Director of Operations, 71st FS, Langley AFB, Va.
11. April 2000–June 2001, Director of Operations, 27th FS, Langley AFB, Va.
12. June 2001–January 2003, Commander, 71st FS, Langley AFB, Va.
13. January 2003–February 2005, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
14. February 2005–August 2005, Student, NATO Defense College, Rome
15. August 2005–March 2007, Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Va.
16. March 2007–May 2007, Vice Commander, 1st Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va.
17. May 2007–May 2008, Chief, Aviation Division, Strategic Operations Directorate (CJ3), Multi-National Forces Iraq, Southwest Asia
18. May 2008 – August 2008, Student, F-15E Senior Officer Course, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
19. August 2008 – May 2010, Commander, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
20. May 2010–August 2010, Student, Joint Military Attaché School, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
21. August 2010–August 2012, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, U.S. Embassy, London
22. August 2012–August 2013, Director, Operational Capability Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
23. August 2013–July 2016, Director, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
24. July 2016–August 2018, Deputy Commander, United Nations Command Korea; Deputy Commander, U.S. Forces Korea; Commander, Air Component Command, South Korea/U.S. Combined Forces Command; and Commander, Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Osan Air Base, South Korea
25. August 2018–August 2020, Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2007–May 2008, Chief, Aviation Division, Strategic Operations Directorate (CJ3), Multi-National Forces Iraq, Southwest Asia, as a colonel
2. August 2010–August 2012, U.S. Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, United Kingdom, London, as a brigadier general
3. July 2016–August 2018, Deputy Commander, United Nations Command Korea; Deputy Commander, U.S. Forces Korea; Commander, Air Component Command, South Korea/U.S. Combined Forces Command; and Commander, Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Osan Air Base, South Korea as a lieutenant general
4. August 2018–August 2020, Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla. as a lieutenant general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,300 hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-15A/B/C/D/E, F-22A and A-10C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device, silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1986 Distinguished Graduate, Undergraduate Pilot Training
1986 ATC Commander's Trophy Recipient
1986 Distinguished Graduate, Fighter Lead-in Training
1990 Commandant's Trophy, Squadron Officer School
1992 Outstanding Graduate, F-15C Weapons Instructor Course
1997 Instructor Pilot of the Year, U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course
2010 U.S. Air Force General and Mrs. Jerome O'Malley Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1985
First Lieutenant May 29, 1987
Captain May 29, 1989
Major Aug. 1, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 1999
Colonel July 1, 2004
Brigadier General June 4, 2010
Major General July 3, 2013
Lieutenant General July 8, 2016
(Current as of July 2020)