Thomas S. Moorman Jr.
Thomas S. Moorman Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 November 1940 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | 18 June 2020 (aged 79) National Institutes of Health, U.S. |
| Occupation | United States Air Force general |
| Years active | 1962–1997 |
| Known for | Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (1994–1997) |
Thomas Samuel Moorman Jr. (November 16, 1940 – June 18, 2020) was a distinguished officer in the United States Air Force, holding the position of Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from July 1994 until August 1997.
Early life
Born in Washington, D.C. on November 16, 1940, Moorman was the son of Thomas S. Moorman. He earned his commission in 1962 as a distinguished military graduate through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program.
Military career
Throughout his career, Moorman occupied significant intelligence and reconnaissance positions worldwide. In 1982, while stationed at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, he was instrumental in the planning and formation of the Air Force Space Command. By 1987, assigned to The Pentagon, he oversaw program management encompassing Air Force surveillance systems, communications, navigation and weather satellites, space launch vehicles, anti-satellite weaponry, strategic radar installations, and command centers. Additionally, he served as the Air Force’s representative for the Strategic Defense Initiative program and was responsible for its implementation.
During his tenure as commander and later vice commander of Air Force Space Command, Moorman managed a broad array of assets including military space systems, ground-based radar installations, missile warning satellites, national space launch facilities at Patrick Air Force Base and Vandenberg Air Force Base, the worldwide space surveillance radar network, as well as overseeing the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) arsenal.
Following his retirement from active duty, Moorman took on the role of Partner in Charge for Booz Allen Hamilton’s Satellite & Hybrid Communications Team. He also contributed to the Space Foundation’s board of directors from 1997 through 2009, serving as chairman between 2008 and 2009. He died at the National Institutes of Health on June 18, 2020, at age 79.
Education
- 1962: Bachelor’s degree in history and political science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
- 1965: Completed Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
- 1972: Master of Business Administration, Western New England College, Springfield, Massachusetts
- 1975: Graduated from Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
- 1975: Master’s degree in political science, Auburn University, Alabama
- 1979: Attended Air War College via seminar
- 1980: Completed studies at National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
Assignments
- July 1962 – August 1965: Intelligence officer with B-47 bombardment wing at Schilling Air Force Base, Kansas
- August 1965 – October 1966: Mission planner for the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California
- October 1966 – November 1967: Operations officer for the 432nd Reconnaissance Technical Squadron stationed at Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
- November 1967 – November 1970: Reconnaissance intelligence staff officer with the 497th Reconnaissance Technical Group in Wiesbaden-Schierstein, West Germany
- November 1970 – August 1975: Assistant director of evaluation and executive officer at the Air Force Special Projects Production Facility, located at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts
- August 1975 – August 1979: Executive and deputy director of plans and programs within the Office of Space Systems under the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C.
- August 1979 – June 1980: Student at National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
- June 1980 – August 1981: Deputy military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C.
- August 1981 – March 1982: Director of space operations at North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado
- March 1982 – August 1982: Deputy director of Space Defense within the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
- August 1982 – July 1984: Served as inaugural director of commander’s group for Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base
- July 1984 – March 1985: Vice commander of the 1st Space Wing based at Peterson Air Force Base
- March 1985 – October 1987: Director of space systems in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C.
- October 1987 – March 1990: Directed Space and Strategic Defense Initiative programs; also acted as special assistant for Strategic Defense Initiative to vice commander of Air Force Systems Command at The Pentagon and Andrews Air Force Base
- March 1990 – March 1992: Commander of Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base
- March 1992 – July 1994: Vice commander of Air Force Space Command
- July 1994 – August 1997: Vice chief of staff at Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington, D.C.
- August 1, 1997: Retirement
Major honors and distinctions
Command Space and Missile Operations Badge
- Air Force Distinguished Service Medal awarded with an oak leaf cluster
- Defense Superior Service Medal
- Legion of Merit accompanied by an oak leaf cluster
- Meritorious Service Medal with an oak leaf cluster
- Air Force Commendation Medal presented with an oak leaf cluster
- National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
- Recipient of the Space Foundation General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award
Promotion effective dates
- Second Lieutenant – July 10, 1962
- First Lieutenant – June 9, 1965
- Captain – January 2, 1967
- Major – May 1, 1973
- Lieutenant Colonel – November 1, 1978
- Colonel – July 1, 1981
- Brigadier General – April 1, 1985
- Major General – February 1, 1988
- Lieutenant General – April 1, 1990
- General – August 1, 1994
Personal life
Thomas Samuel Moorman was the fourth in his family line to carry this name. His grandfather served in the U.S. Army and retired with the rank of colonel. His father was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy.
Moorman’s interment took place at Arlington National Cemetery on December 1, 2021.