Raymond A. Thomas

Raymond A. Thomas III
General Raymond A. Thomas Commander, United States Special Operations Command
Born	(1958-10-06) October 6, 1958 (age 59) Pennsylvania, United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1980–present
Rank	General
Commands held	United States Special Operations Command Joint Special Operations Command
Battles/wars	Operation Urgent Fury Operation Just Cause Gulf War Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal (5) Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal (5) Purple Heart

General Raymond Anthony Thomas III, also known as Tony Thomas, (born October 6, 1958) is a senior officer in the United States Army and current commander of United States Special Operations Command.

He has participated in numerous combat operations, such as Operation Urgent Fury 1983, Operation Just Cause in 1989, Gulf War in 1991, and since 2001 the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every year between 2001 and 2013 (minus his time in Iraq with the 1st Armored Division in 2007) Thomas deployed to Afghanistan as part of various special operations units.

Thomas was born in Pennsylvania in 1958 and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1980. Thomas was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He led a Ranger Rifle platoon during the Invasion of Grenada in 1983, that was dropped from an MC-130 onto a landing strip in Grenada. He completed Infantry Officer Advanced Course in early 1986 and was assigned as Assistant S-3, Plans/Liaison Officer with 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia till summer 1987. Thomas was then assigned as company commander with 3rd Ranger Battalion. In 1989, during the Invasion of Panama, he led his Ranger Rifle Company in another combat jump. In 1992, Thomas volunteered for and completed a specialized selection course for assignment to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, also known as Delta Force. He served as Operations Officer, Troop Commander, Executive Officer and Squadron Commander from 1992 to 1994 and 1996 to 1999. From 2000 to 2002, Thomas served as commanding officer of Army's 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Thomas crossed over from the special operations realm into the conventional warfare realm when he was selected by Lieutenant General Mark P. Hertling, then-commander of the 1st Armored Division, to be his deputy commander during the Iraq War, from 2007 to 2008. During that tour the division worked alongside Arabs and Kurds and despite the difficult relationship between the ethnic groups Thomas was praised by Hertling for "his ability to quickly fuse intelligence" adding, "He helped us fight better." After his tenure in the 1st Armored Division came to an end Thomas returned to special operations. From 2010 until 2012 Thomas served as the deputy commander of Joint Special Operations Command. As a major general, Thomas was in charge of all U.S. and NATO special forces in Afghanistan from 2012 until 2013. Every year between 2001 and 2013 (minus his time in Iraq with the 1st Armored Division in 2007) Thomas deployed to Afghanistan as part of various special operations units.