RDML Thomas J. Wilson, III, USN (ret.)
Rear Admiral Wilson is a native of Charleston, S.C., and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1973. Early tours at sea were in cruisers, carriers and a destroyer. He served as executive officer in USS TRUXTUN (CGN 35).
Rear Admiral Wilson’s first command was USS BARBEY (FF 1088). He deployed to the Arabian Gulf, arriving 2 August 1990 and was part of the initial Gulf maritime interception operations for Operation Desert Shield. After decommissioning BARBEY in March 1992, he was assigned as Head, Surface Junior Officer Assignment Branch in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, DC.
He returned to sea as commanding officer USS VICKSBURG (CG 69) in May 1994. This tour focused on joint and combined operations in the European, Atlantic and Central command areas. VICKSBURG operated with allied forces in Operation Sharp Guard and Deny Flight. She also provided life saving services for Cuban asylum seekers in Operation Able Vigil as well as continuing operations in the Arabian Gulf in the embargo operations then underway against Iraq.
Ashore again Rear Admiral Wilson was the Chief, Pacific Command Division, Current Operations Directorate on the Joint Staff where he was engaged in national level crisis planning and management for combat operations as well as numerous non-combat contingencies around the globe. He was subsequently assigned as the executive assistant to the Director for Operations where he gained invaluable insight into political-military processes.
Upon promotion to flag rank he was assigned as the 34th Commander, Standing Naval Force Atlantic. His central focus was development of concepts of operations for the Force’s employment in non-combat roles. He was then assigned as Deputy Director, Surface Warfare Division, OPNAV Staff where he was responsible for planning, programming and budget generation for future ships and combat systems as well as operations and maintenance of current fleet assets. His final active duty assignment was as the Oceanographer and Navigator of the Navy, sponsoring the entire meteorological and oceanographic resources for Navy as well as guiding the policy decisions for transition into electronic chart generation and use. During this assignment Rear Admiral Wilson led the effort to transform the enterprise wide environmental assessment process to better leverage technology and provide better and timelier support to the warfighter.
After retirement from active duty, Rear Admiral Wilson has remained engaged with ensuring the nation has the very best defense articles industry can provide. He has experience with both small and large defense contractors in management positions and is currently President of his own consulting company.
