John “J.T.” Thomson retired as a Lieutenant General from the U.S. Army in 2020 after 34 years of active military service. He served across the globe and led formations at the platoon, company, battalion, brigade, division, and Army level. His recent assignments included 75th Commandant of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and commander of NATO Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey.

For the first seven years of his career, J.T. served in Europe during the Cold War, then deployed for the Persian Gulf War. Later deployments included multiple combat tours to both Iraq and Afghanistan. J.T. also served in the Pentagon with the Joint Staff and the Army Staff. While on the Joint Staff, he collaborated extensively with the U.S. State Department on global security affairs.

Born in Bamberg, West Germany, J.T. grew up as a ‘military brat’ and appreciated living all over the world, experiencing many diverse cultures. He is conversant in German and enjoys fishing, skiing, college football, and international travel.