ROBERT W. THOMAS JR.

Robert W. Thomas Jr. is a member of the Senior Executive Service and the Director of the Capability and Resource Integration Directorate, United States Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. He is responsible for establishing the command’s requirements and advocating for the assigned missions of deterring aggression and conflict, protecting and defending U.S. interests in the space domain, delivering space combat power for joint and combined forces, and developing ready and lethal joint warfighters.

Mr. Thomas graduated with a bachelor's degree in Management Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and received a military commission via the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1994. He holds master’s degrees from Naval Postgraduate School (Leadership and Human Resource Development), the Air Force’s Air University (Military Operations), and Missouri State University (Defense and Strategic Studies).

His 20-year Navy career included three tours on both attack and ballistic missile submarines, concluding as the Executive Officer on USS Maine SSBN-741 (Blue) in 2009. He also served as a Company Officer and instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1999-2002 and as Carrier Strike Group TEN’s Training Officer and Submarine Element Coordinator from 2005-2006. Arriving at USSTRATCOM in 2009, he held various positions in the Capability and Resource Integration Directorate and has worked on a number of nuclear delivery and weapon sustainment and modernization programs including the Columbia-class SSBN, Ground Based Strategic Deterrent ICBM, Long Range Standoff Cruise Missile, and the B-21 bomber.

Mr. Thomas also functions in a cross-directorate team advising the combatant commander on a range of policy issues spanning force posture and employment, space systems architecture and modernization, and acquisition reform to deliver capabilities to the warfighter in relevant timelines.

EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science, Management Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass.
1995 Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Training Command, Orlando, Fla.
2002 Master of Science, Leadership and Human Resource Development, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2007 Master of Science, Military Operations, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2017 Graduate Certificate International Security, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.
2020 Master of Science, Defense and Strategic Studies, Missouri State University, Springfield, Mo.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1994–May 1995, Student, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Training Command, Naval Base Orlando, Fla.
2. May 1995–October 1995, Student, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Training Command, Naval Base Charleston, S.C.
3. October 1995–April 1996, Student, Submarine Officer Basic Course, Naval Base Groton, Conn.
4. April 1996–May 1999, Division Officer, USS Greeneville (SSN 772), Naval Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
5. May 1999–May 2002 7th Company Officer, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
6. May 2002–November 2002, Student, Submarine Officer Advanced Course, Naval Base Groton, Conn.
7. November 2002–May 2005 Navigation and Operations Officer, USS Louisiana (SSBN-743) (Blue), Naval Base Kings Bay, Ga.
8. May 2005–June 2006, Training Officer and Submarine Element Coordinator, Carrier Strike Group Ten, Naval Base Norfolk, Va.
9. June 2006–June 2007 Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala.
10. June 2007–October 2007, Prospective Commanding Officer/Executive Officer Course, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
11. October 2007–July 2009, Executive Officer, USS Maine (SSBN-741) (Blue), Naval Base Kitsap, Wash.
12. July 2009–July 2010, Chief, Ballistic Missile Submarine Branch, Global Strike Capabilities Division, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
13. July 2010–October 2014, Deputy Chief, Global Strike Capabilities Division, Capability and Resource Integration Directorate, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
14. October 2014–July 2015, Supervisor, Systems Engineering, Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Station, Blair, Neb. 15. July 2015–March 2019, Deputy Chief, Global Strike Capabilities Division, Capability and Resource Integration Directorate, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
16. March 2019–November 2020, Associate Director, Capability and Resource Integration Directorate, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
17. November 2020–present, Director, Capability and Resource Integration Directorate, United States Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award

(Current as of March 2021)