Lt. Gen. Thomas J. Sharpy is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, Headquarters Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk, Virginia. He is responsible for developing operational and strategic capability requirements on behalf of 30 North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations. Additionally, he serves as SACT’s Innovation Representative, Air Domain cross-functional Champion, and Champion for NATO’s Command and Control, Cooperative Cyber Defense and Joint Air Power Competence Centers of Excellence.
Lt. Gen. Sharpy graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science. He then completed Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1988. His career has involved numerous supervisory and leadership positions at the wing, major command, and Air Staff levels. He also served in a number of joint assignments, including: Senior Military Aide to the Vice President of the United States; Director of Plans, Programs and Analyses for Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Vice Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; and Director, Strategic Plans, Requirements and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. Prior to his current assignment, Lt. Gen. Sharpy served as Deputy Commander, AMC, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, where he was responsible for the U.S. Air Force's air mobility strategic transportation mission and fleet of more than 1,160 aircraft.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1988 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
1994 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 Master of Business Administration, Louisiana Technical University, Ruston
1998 Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2004 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2007 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2010 Senior Executive Fellows Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2012 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2015 Senior Joint Intelligence Operations Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Defense Acquisition Executive Officer Workshop, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2016 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Leadership at the Peak, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2019 Defense Executive Technology Entrepreneurial Course, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1987–June 1988, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
2. June 1988–March 1992, KC-135 Pilot, 379th Bombardment Wing, Wurtsmith AFB, Mich.
3. March 1992–March 1994, Assistant Flight Commander and Chief of Training Flight, Barksdale AFB, La.
4. March 1994–August 1996, Chief Executive Officer and Chief of Aircrew Stan Eval, 21st Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
5. August 1996–June 1998, Aide to 15th Air Force Commander, Travis AFB, Calif.
6. June 1998–June 1999, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
7. June 1999–November 2000, Colonel's Group, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. November 2000–October 2002, Senior Military Aide to the Vice President of the United States, the White House, Washington, D.C.
9. October 2002–June 2003, Assistant Deputy Operations Group Commander, 436th Operations Group, Dover AFB, Del.
10. June 2003–May 2005, Commander, 9th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
11. May 2005–August 2005, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 436th Operations Group, Dover AFB, Del.
12. August 2005–June 2006, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2006–May 2007, Vice Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
14. May 2007–September 2008, Commander, 92nd Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
15. September 2008–June 2011, Director, Air Force General Officer Management, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. June 2011–August 2014, Director of Plans, Programs and Analyses, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
17. August 2014–June 2015, Vice Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.
18. June 2015–August 2015, Director of Strategic Plans, Requirements & Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
19. August 2015–October 2015, Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.
20. October 2015–August 2016, Director, Strategic Plans, Requirements & Programs, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
21. August 2016–October 2018, Deputy Commander, AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
22. October 2018–present, Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, Headquarters Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 2000–October 2002, Senior Military Aide to the Vice President of the United States, the White House, Washington, D.C., as a major and a lieutenant colonel
2. January 2008–June 2008, Director of Mobility Forces, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, as a colonel
3. August 2011–October 2011, Deputy Commander of Joint Task Force Odyssey Guard, Vicenza, Italy, as a brigadier general
4. September 2017–October 2017, Deputy Land Forces Component Commander-Air, Puerto Rico, as a major general
5. October 2018–present, Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, Allied Command Transformation (NATO), Norfolk, Va., as a lieutenant general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: 4,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, KC-135A/Q/R/T, C-5A/B/M, C-17
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
French Order of Merit
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with “V” device
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air and Space Campaign Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1987
First Lieutenant May 27, 1989
Captain May 27, 1991
Major Aug. 1, 1998
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2002
Colonel March 1, 2006
Brigadier General Oct. 3, 2011
Major General June 5, 2015
Lieutenant General Oct. 12, 2018
(Current as of September 2021)