Rob C. Thomas II

US Air Force Military Biographies, Annual, 2004

ROB C. THOMAS II

Rob C. Thomas II, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Warfighting Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. Mr. Thomas serves as principal assistant to the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Warfighting Integration. He directs the integration of manned, unmanned and space systems to create an integrated command and control, communications and computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability for the Air Force. He is responsible for the formulation and execution of long-range strategic plans for integration of C4ISR, Air Force experimentation, Air Force modeling and simulation, and communications and information systems, to include information assurance. He is also the senior civilian for the Air Force communications and information functional community.

Prior to joining the Deputy Chief of Staff for Warfighting Integration, Mr. Thomas was Director of Architecture and Interoperability with the Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Information. Previously he had served as Director of Technology and Architecture for the U.S. Customs Service. During his tenure, he created and directed an agency-wide enterprise architecture and investment management process. He was credited by the General Accounting Office with closing management weaknesses, a process that was declared a best practice by the Office of Management and Budget, and the GAO. He served as the Acting Chief Architect for the Department of the Treasury in 2000, where he led the development of the Treasury Enterprise Architecture Framework. He also served as Chair of the Federal CIO Council Architecture Working Group. Mr. Thomas retired from the Air National Guard in 2001 after 20 years of service.

EDUCATION

1992 Bachelor of science degree in information systems, Wayland Baptist University, Texas

1994 Advanced Communications-Computer Officer Course, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.

1996 Master of science degree in information systems management, Colorado Tech University

2000 Program for Senior Executive Fellows, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

2002 Leadership for a Democratic Society, Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, Va.

CAREER CHRONOLOGY

1. 1979-1985, various assignments in base and airborne communications, concluding at Survey Section, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Belgium

2. 1985-1987, communications technician, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Denver, Colo.

3. 1987-1988, satellite scheduler, Operating Location-F, Air Force Systems Command, Colorado Springs, Colo.

4. 1988-1989, technical adviser, Detachment 9, 2nd Space Wing, Air Force Space Command, Falcon AFB, Colo.

5. 1989-1993, action officer, later, Manager of C4 Architecture, Engineering and Standards, Headquarters Air Training Command, later, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas

6. 1993-1995, Manager of Architecture, later, Chief of C4I Architecture, Functional Process Improvement and Data Management, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.

7. 1995-1997, Decentralized Hospital Computer Program Site Manager, Fort William Henry Harrison, Department of Veterans Affairs, Helena, Mont.

8. 1997-1998, Chief Information Officer, Health Administration Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver, Colo.

9. 1998-1999, Chief Architect, U.S. Customs Service, Springfield, Va.

10. 1999-2001, Director, Technology and Architecture Group, Acting Director, Planning Group, and Acting Director, Customs Modernization Office, U.S. Customs Service, Washington, D.C.

11. 2001-2002, Director of Architecture and Interoperability, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Information, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

12. 2002-2002, acting Director, C4ISR Architecture and Assessment, Deputy Chief of Staff for Warfighting Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

13. 2002-present, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Warfighting Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

AWARDS AND HONORS

1997 Meritorious Service Medal

1997 Best Information Technology Practices in the Federal Government, Federal Chief Information Officers Council

1998 State of Colorado Meritorious Service Medal

1998 Outstanding Process Improvement Award, Denver Federal Executive Board

2000 Technology Leadership Award, Federal CIO Council

2001 Showcase Government Excellence Award

2001 Technology Leadership Award, Federal CIO Council

2001 Federal 100 Award

2002 Enterprise Architecture Award, Federal CIO Council and Industry Advisory Council

2003 Pioneers Award, Federal CIO Council and Industry Advisory Council

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS

Air Force Association

Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association

Association for Enterprise Integration, National Defense Industrial Association

(Current as of May 2004)