David D. Thompson

USAFA yearbook photo of Thompson

Born and raised in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, Thompson graduated in Ambridge Area High School in 1981.[7] He got his Bachelor of Science, majoring in astronautical engineering, from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and graduated in 1985. In 1989, he received his graduate degree of Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He is also an Olmsted Scholar, graduate of the Senior Acquisition Course and a Level III-Certified Program Manager.

General Raymond promoting Thompson to general of the U.S. Space Force, October 1.

Thompson received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force from the United States Air Force Academy in 1985. He is a career space officer with assignments in operations, research and development, acquisition, and academia.[8] He has commanded operational space units at the squadron, group, and wing levels.

A month after his commission, he was assigned in July 1985 at the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory at the Edwards Air Force Base, California. For three years after getting his graduate degree, he was an instructor on astronautics in the U.S. Air Force Academy, assigned as the executive officer of the Department of Astronautics of the academy. From 1995 to 1998, he served at Space and Missile Systems Center as program manager.

From July 2015 to July 2017, he served as the Air Force Space Command's then-two-star vice commander. That position was then renamed as AFSPC deputy commander in 2017 with Thomson serving as the special assistant to the AFSPC commander. In 2018, the AFSPC planned to revive the vice commander position, turning it into a position for a three-star general after Congress nixed plans on creating a deputy chief of staff for space operations position.[9] On April 4, 2018, he then assumed the retook his previous position as AFSPC vice commander, promoting him to a lieutenant general.[10]

With the redesignation of the AFSPC as the newly created United States Space Force on December 20, 2019, Thompson retained his position as vice commander of the Space Force. In August 2020, he was nominated for transfer to the Space Force at his current rank of lieutenant general.[11] He was also nominated for appointment to the rank of general[12] and assignment as the first vice chief of space operations.[13] He was confirmed by the Senate on September 30, 2020,[12] and assumed rank following day.[14] Thompson assumed office on October 2.[6]

• Appearances on C-SPAN