Gary L. Thomas (general)

Gary Lee Thomas[1] (born 1962) is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general.[2] He was most recently the 35th Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. Gen Thomas is a naval aviator who flew the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet and participated in combat operations during the Gulf War, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the War in Afghanistan. He has commanded at the squadron and Wing level and also lead Marine Corps aviation's weapons school. Thomas is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and National Defense University.[3]

Gary L. Thomas
General Gary L. Thomas
Nickname(s)"Lurch"
Born1962 (age 60–61)
Austin, Texas
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Marine Corps
Years of service1984–2021
RankGeneral
Commands heldAssistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One
VMFA-323
Battles/warsGulf War
War in Afghanistan
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal

Biography

Early years

Thomas graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1984 and was commissioned in the united States Marine Corps as a Second Lieutenant.[4]

Military career
Brigadier General Thomas serves dinner to Marines at Camp Bastion, November 28, 2013.

LtCol Thomas took command of VMFA-323 on October 27, 2001 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.[5] The squadron deployed as the lone Marine fighter squadron onboard the USS Constellation (CV-64) in November 2002. During this deployment the squadron supported combat operatioins during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[6] Thomas turned over command of the squadron on June 13, 2003.[5] Following his command tour he attended National Defense University and graduated with an M.S. in National Security Strategy in June 2004.[3]

As a Colonel he commanded Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1). As a Brigadier General he served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation, and later as the Assistant Wing Commander of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing He was the Commanding General, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) in Afghanistan from February to December 2013.[7] He later as the Commanding General, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.[3]

On June 21, 2018, LtGen Thomas was nominated for appointment to the rank of General and to serve as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.[4] Thomas was the 35th Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.[7] On October 7, 2020, General Thomas tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at The Pentagon.[8]

He retired from active duty at the end of his term as assistant commandant, with his retirement ceremony held on October 15, 2021.[9]

Awards and decorations

Thomas' decorations and medals include:

Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges.
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Naval Aviator Badge
Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three gold award stars Air Medal with Combat "V", two gold award numerals and bronze Strike/Flight numeral 6 Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and award star Joint Service Achievement Medal
Navy Achievement Medal Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster Navy Unit Commendation with one bronze service star Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with three service stars
National Defense Service Medal with service star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Armed Forces Service Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with four service stars
Navy Arctic Service Ribbon NATO Medal for service with ISAF Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Rifle Expert Badge Pistol Expert Badge
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

References
  1. https://www.utnrotcalum.org/cacti/1984%20Cactus%20Pages.pdf
  2. "Lieutenant General Gary L. Thomas Promotion Ceremony".
  3. "Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps". marines.mil. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  4. Werner, Ben (2018-06-21). "LtGen. Gary Thomas Nominated to be Assistant Commandant Of Marine Corps". USNI News. United States Naval Institute. 2021-08-24
  5. "Marine Fighting Squadron 323". WINGS-AVIATION. 2013-07-01. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  6. Leland, Wendy (2003). "VMFA-323: Death Rattlers Afloat" (PDF). Naval Aviation News. 85 (5): 11–15. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  7. Snow, Shawn (2018-06-21). "The Marine Corps is getting a new assistant commandant". Marine Corps Times. Sightline Media. 2021-08-24
  8. Baldor, Lolita C. (2021-10-07). "Marine general has coronavirus after Pentagon meeting". News Nation. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  9. "Webcast: Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps General Gary L. Thomas Retirement Ceremony". DVIDS. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
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