Thomas R. Wilson
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral Thomas Ray Wilson 0USN (born March 4, 1946) was Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
from July 1999 to July 2002.http://www.dia.mil/history/histories/Directors/bio_twilson.html
. Other flag rank assignments included Director of Intelligence (J2), The Joint Staff; Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Military Support, Central Intelligence Agency
; Vice Director of Intelligence, The Joint Staff; and Director of Intelligence, United States Atlantic Command
. Following retirement from the Navy in 2002, he served in several senior executive roles for Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (ATK)
: President of ATK Missile Systems, Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ATK Precision Systems Group, and ATK Senior Vice President for Tidewater Operations, retiring from ATK in 2009.
Vice Admiral Wilson and his wife, Ann, have three sons: Jeffrey, Gregory, and Matthew.
, and raised in the small community of Groveport, Ohio
. As a youth he spent much time working on family farms, acquiring a life-long interest in agriculture and rural life in America. He graduated from Groveport Madison High School in 1964, where he was active in sports, band, and other school activities as well as the Boy Scouts of America
and the Groveport Methodist Church. He is a member of the Groveport Madison High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
in 1964, and in 1968 graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Agriculture Economics and Rural Sociology. He entered Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI
, in October 1968 and was commissioned an Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve
in March 1969. Wilson was a distinguished graduate of the Defense Intelligence College
in 1975, and was a member of the Defense Intelligence College class that participated in the pilot program leading to the college being able to grant a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence Degree
. Other Military training included Communications Officer Ashore Course at Newport, RI
in 1969; Targeting and mission planning at Nuclear Weapons Training Group Atlantic, in Norfolk, VA in 1980; and Flag and General Officer CAPSTONE Training
in 1995. In 1978, while stationed in Keflavik, Iceland
, he earned a Masters Degree
in Management and Human Relations from Webster University of St. Louis, MO
.
. In March, 1970 he was promoted to Lieutenant (Junior Grade), USNR.
In May 1971 LTJG Wilson was transferred to the Defense Intelligence Agency
in Washington, DC
, serving virtually his entire tour there as an intelligence analyst
in the current intelligence division (DI) supporting The Joint Staff
. A Peoples Republic of China (PRC) air and missile analyst
, he participated in national level current and crisis analyses of the Sino-Soviet border mobilizations, Chinese strategic bomber and missile development and deployment, and the 1974 Paracel Island conflict between the PRC
and Vietnam
. During this tour of duty, Wilson was promoted to Lieutenant
, augmented into the regular Navy
, and changed his designator from reserve unrestricted line (1105) to special duty intelligence (1630).
Following graduation from the Defense Intelligence College
in May 1975 LT Wilson transferred to USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
home-ported in San Diego, CA. He served as the Division Officer for the ship’s Intelligence Division and as the Multi-Sensor Interpretation (MSI) Officer in the ship’s Integrated Operational Intelligence Center (IOIC) during a six month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean in 1975. KITTY HAWK changed home ports from San Diego to Bremerton, WA
, in March 1976 where the ship underwent a one year overhaul, during which LT Wilson managed the ship’s force rehabilitation of all intelligence division working and berthing spaces.
From June 1977-June 1979 then LT Wilson served at U.S. Naval Station Keflavik, Iceland
, where he was the operational intelligence officer at the Commander Iceland Sector Antisubmarine Warfare Group (COMICEASWGRU) in the Antisubmarine Warfare Operations Center (ASWOC) Promoted to Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) during this tour he supported antisubmarine warfare (ASW), airborne surveillance, and intelligence collection operations by P-3 patrol squadrons and special purpose surveillance aircraft and ships of the Atlantic Fleet and by patrol aircraft from a variety of NATO nations. This period of time was at the height of the “Cold War
”, a period of extraordinary growth of the Soviet Navy, and characterized by unprecedented levels of Soviet submarine, surface ship, and naval aircraft deployments into the Norwegian Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
From July 1979 - June 1981 LCDR Wilson served as the senior intelligence officer for Carrier Air Wing THREE
, stationed at Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Florida
. Carrier Air Wing THREE embarked on USS SARATOGA (CV-60) for pre-deployment training in 1979 and made a six month deployment to the Mediterranean in 1980, where major operations included air-to-air missile exercises demonstrating freedom of navigation in the Gulf of Sidra
.
From June 1981 – June 1984 LCDR Wilson was assigned as Force Intelligence Officer for Commander Patrol Wings Atlantic (COMPATWINGSLANT) at Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine. As the senior intelligence officer in the patrol force, he directed the intelligence planning and support for two patrol wings consisting of twelve P-3 Orion squadrons and one Special Projects Unit. LCDR Wilson was promoted to Commander (CDR) during this tour.
From July 1984 – June 1987 CDR Wilson served in Naples, Italy
, where he was assigned as Commander, Task Group 168.3 and Officer-in-Charge of the U.S. Navy’s European Forward Area Support Team (EURFAST). A field command of Commander Naval Intelligence Command that reported operationally to the Commander U.S. SIXTH Fleet, CTG 168.3/EURFAST was responsible for intelligence collection and direct support operations for SIXTH Fleet ships, submarines, and squadrons operating in the Mediterranean, including the deployment on ships and submarines of command Intelligence Specialists and Sonar Technicians (Acoustic Intelligence Specialists). In addition to these direct support operations, CTG 168.3/EURFAST operated an Acoustic Intelligence (ACINT) Analysis laboratory and supervised numerous bilateral intelligence agreements with allied European Navies. During this period of time, CDR Wilson was “dual-hatted” as Commander Task Unit 168.4.2, a Human Intelligence (HUMINT) organization supporting operational and administrative U.S. Navy commands in Southern Europe.
From July 1987 - June 1989 CDR Wilson served as Director, Fleet Intelligence (N2) for Commander U.S. SEVENTH Fleet embarked in USS BLUE RIDGE (LCC-19) home-ported at Naval Station, Yokosuka, Japan. In this role, CDR Wilson directed intelligence support operations for all U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Forces home-ported in or deployed to the Seventh Fleet Area of Operations
in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, including Carrier Strike Groups, Amphibious Ready Groups, the Submarine Force, and Patrol Wing. During this period of time the Seventh Fleet intelligence team developed and experimented with the concept of “OSIS (Ocean Surveillance Information System) Afloat,” which was the temporary assumption by Seventh Fleet on USS BLUE RIDGE of fleet intelligence support operations normally performed by Fleet Ocean Surveillance Information Facility Western Pacific (FOSIF WESTPAC) in Kamiseya, Japan. Commander SEVENTH Fleet conducted extensive deployments throughout the Western Pacific, including an historic port visit to Shanghai, China
- - the first since World War II. CDR Wilson was promoted to Captain, USN during his tour of duty as SEVENTH Fleet N2
.
Returning to the United States for duty after five years overseas, CAPT Wilson reported to the Navy Staff
at the Pentagon in July 1989 where he assumed duties as Special Assistant for Intelligence and Special Access Programs (SAPs) for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Naval Warfare Requirements (OP-07). In this position Captain Wilson coordinated the preparation of the Director of Naval Warfare for Special Program Review Group (SPRG) deliberations and decisions on the degree to which intelligence and highly classified developmental operational programs actually satisfied validated naval warfare requirements. This period of time included the run up to and conduct of Desert Storm
combat operations against Iraq, during which Captain Wilson synchronized the transition of select high impact Special Access Programs from the later stages of development into highly successful early operational use in Desert Storm combat operations.
In early 1991 Captain Wilson transferred to Norfolk, VA
, where he assumed duties as Director of Intelligence (N-2) for the Atlantic Fleet
. In this role he had responsibility for direction and oversight of intelligence training and deployment preparation for Atlantic Fleet carrier battle groups (including carrier air wings), amphibious ready groups, submarines, and maritime patrol aviation squadrons. He also had overall responsibility for the Norfolk-based naval intelligence commands that supported Atlantic Fleet operations - - Fleet Ocean Surveillance Center Atlantic (FOSICLANT) and Fleet Intelligence Center Europe and Atlantic (FICEURLANT). In 1991-92, as the impact of the end of the Cold War manifested itself in vastly reduced Russian (as opposed to Soviet) naval operations and submarine deployments into the Atlantic and Mediterranean, new, different requirements for the fleet became increasingly challenging, e.g. counterdrug surveillance and interdiction operations. As a result, CAPT Wilson developed the concept and initiated the proposal to convert some of the Navy’s ocean surveillance ships (T-AGOS) operated by the Military Sealift Command to counterdrug platforms and to do the same for some of the P-3 maritime patrol aircraft of the Atlantic Fleet. Under his leadership three STALWART class T-AGOS ships were modified for a drug interdiction mission. The underwater acoustic arrays were removed, and air-search radars, integrated display systems, sophisticated communications suites and other special mission equipment were installed to detect and monitor suspected drug traffickers. Counterdrug Upgrade P-3 aircraft were also modified during this period of time, to include communications upgrades and the addition of air-to-air radar systems to track and identify potential drug-smuggling aircraft. An additional, and hugely important, responsibility during this period of time was capturing and evaluating all of the intelligence “lessons-learned” from Atlantic Fleet Carrier Battle Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups that were returning from combat operations during and in the immediate aftermath of Operation Desert Storm. Atlantic Fleet Intelligence staffs and commands employed a highly disciplined process during this undertaking to identify and submit to the Chief of Naval Operations and Atlantic Command the recommendations that ultimately signaled the way toward significantly improved fleet operational intelligence support.
In May 1992 at the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Command (USCINCLANT), CAPT Wilson was nominated for the flag-rank billet of USCINCLANT Director of Intelligence, J-2
. He was subsequently chosen for that assignment and later that year selected by the Navy for promotion to Rear Admiral (Lower Half). RDML Wilson served as the CINCLANT J2 until November 1994, a period of time that was highlighted by the interdiction of unprecedentedly large Haitian and Cuban refugee boat flotillas toward United States territorial waters and the construction and occupation of equally unprecedented refugee camps in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; training for, deployment and execution of a USCINCLANT-led military intervention in Haiti
; the implementation of many of the Desert Storm “lessons-learned” for enhanced electronic intelligence dissemination to operating forces; the transfer of most “echelon-above-corps” intelligence support resources from the military services to the combatant commands; and the transition of the United States Atlantic Command (USLANTCOM) mission from the near-total focus on its geographic area of responsibility to equal focus on joint force packaging, doctrine and training. This resulted in significant intelligence re-alignments and focus, as well the command being known as USACOM vs. USLANTCOM. Under Wilson’s leadership, USCINCLANT Intelligence conducted development and initial operational use of new intelligence dissemination and communications capability, along with the creation of the initial Joint Tactics Techniques and Procedures (TTP) documents that governed their introduction into current operations. These capabilities included Atlantic Command versions of what would eventually become the widely distributed Joint Deployable Intelligence Support System (JDISS) and Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communication System (JWICS)
. Both of these Atlantic Command-developed systems were used to provide intelligence support to operational forces engaged in the Haiti intervention in 1994. In what was to become standard operating procedure later in the 90’s and throughout the first decade of the 2000s, the Haiti intervention featured the first use of JWICS in a command and control function, including regular JWICS teleconferences between the President, Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, USCINCLANT and all of his component commanders (Forces Command, Air Combat Command, CINCLANTFLT, and COMARFORLANT), and operational commanders Haiti JTF Commander/18th Airborne Corps Commander/US SECOND Fleet Commander (all co-embarked on USS MOUNT WHITNEY), 10TH Mountain Division (embarked on USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER), JSOC (embarked on USS AMERICA), embarked Marine Amphibious forces, and Commander Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay.
From November 1994 - September 1997 RDML Wilson was assigned as Vice Director for Intelligence (VJ2), The Joint Staff in the Pentagon
. In his responsibility as the J-2’s principal deputy, he played a significant role in helping provide current and crisis intelligence support to senior civilian and uniformed military leadership in the Department of Defense. This support included providing daily intelligence briefings to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), Assistant Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (ACJCS), and the following additional Joint Staff flag and general officers: Director and Vice Director Strategy and Plans (J-5), Vice Director (VDJS), and Vice Director for Operations (VJ3). He also conducted the daily intelligence briefing for the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy (USDP) and his entire staff. During this period of time, the U.S. military continued to be engaged in crisis operations around the world, including Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, conduct of Operation Northern
and Southern Watch
in Iraq
, and United Nation Peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina
. In addition to his current and crisis intelligence support responsibilities, RDML Wilson led the Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Joint Warfighting Capability Assessment (ISRJWCA) as a part of the newly-established Joint Warfighting Capability Assessment process sponsored by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) chaired by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS)
and consisting of the Vice Chiefs of each of the military services. The ISRJWCA team, which consisted of representatives from the Joint Staff, all military services and all combat support intelligence agencies, conducted landmark analysis on the ISR requirements necessary to achieve “dominant battlespace awareness” over a range of contingency-type operational scenarios. It is out of this continuing analysis, which was briefed twice a year during JROC trips to each of the Unified Commands, that the identification and measurement of the contributions of various types of intelligence disciplines and platforms (satellite, manned aircraft, and UAV’s) was determined. An optimal mix of these platforms, along with an essential commitment to reserve funding for adequate tasking, processing, exploitation, and dissemination (TPED) investment, was the strong recommendation that resulted from the ISR JWCA studies and was adopted by the JROC. The major contributions of UAV’s with multiple sensor packages in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the Global War on Terrorism are considered validations of the ISR assessment work done in the mid-1990s.
In September 1997 RDML Wilson commenced a short tour of duty at the Central Intelligence Agency
where he served as the Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Military Support. In addition to coordinating intelligence support operations between the Central Intelligence Agency and United States Military Combatant Commands, RDML Wilson served as the DCI representative to the Military Intelligence Board, regularly supported the DCI at the Principals’ Committee meetings of the National Security Council
, and frequently represented the DCI at the Deputies’ Committee meetings of the same organization. He was promoted the Rear Admiral (upper half) during this tour of duty.
In March 1998, at the recommendation of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and with the concurrence of the Secretary of Defense, RADM Wilson was assigned as the Joint Staff Director of Intelligence, J-2, a [Defense%20Intelligence%20Agency%20(DIA) Defense Intelligence Agency] billet operationally allocated to the Joint Staff. The J2 concurrently serves as the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Director of Current Intelligence Operations
and is responsible for the operation of the National Military Joint Intelligence Center (NMJIC) which is collocated with the National Military Command Center
. The Joint Staff J2 is charged with leading and directing current and crisis intelligence support for the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and managing intelligence support for contingency operations, including targeting and battle damage assessment responsibilities, with the combatant commands. The Joint Staff was almost continually engaged in high paced contingency operations during RADM Wilson’s time as J2 in 1998-99: Daily No Fly Zone enforcement over Iraq, the conduct of a four day strike campaign (Operation Desert Fox) against Iraq in December 1998, and the escalating crisis in Kosovo culminating in a 78 day NATO bombing campaign (Operation Allied Force) led by the U.S. against the former Yugoslavia from 24 March – 11 June 1999. Terrorism against the United States also escalated significantly during this period of time when Al Qaida operatives in Kenya and Tanzania conducted suicide bombing attacks against United States embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam on 7 August 1998. This resulted in strike operations conducted less than two weeks later by U.S. forces against Al Qaida targets in Afghanistan and Sudan. In addition to coordinating intelligence support both up and down the chain of command, the Joint Staff intelligence team was intricately engaged in the analysis, selection, targeting, and battle damage assessments (BDA) associated with the respective strike campaigns. RADM Wilson frequently provided targeting and BDA briefings to the President, his national security team, and relevant congressional committees. He also was one of the primary Pentagon spokesmen who regularly briefed the national press corps on ongoing strike operations and BDA.
In May 1999 Thomas R. Wilson was nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate for promotion to Vice Admiral and appointment as the 13th Director of the [Defense%20Intelligence%20Agency%20(DIA) Defense Intelligence Agency]. He assumed that post on 27 July 1999, relieving Lieutenant General Patrick M. Hughes, US Army. As DIA Director VADM Wilson also served as the Manager of the [General%20Defense%20Intelligence%20Program General Defense Intelligence Program] and the Chairman of the Military Intelligence Board (MIB) consisting of the military service intelligence chiefs, the combatant command directors of intelligence, and the directors of the intelligence community’s designated combat support agencies - - the de facto Director of Military Intelligence. In this role he immediately convened the MIB in executive session and encouraged the senior leaders to work together to identify the four or five most pressing challenges facing the military intelligence community, assemble joint teams and leaders to put together plans and guide united efforts to address those challenges, and to conduct sustained campaigns aimed at solving intractable problems and implementing new doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures appropriate for the next century. The idea was to collectively narrow down the agenda to the agreed upon most pressing challenges, obtain military intelligence leadership “buy-in,” and conduct a concentrated, sustained campaign to achieve success without getting diverted by the “here and now.”
The priorities chosen by the MIB, which became known as “The Four Thrusts,” were as follows:
The agenda identified by the MIB, which was the unrelenting focus of military intelligence system improvement during Vice Admiral Wilson’s time at DIA, proved to be a prescient set of priorities as the intelligence community was thrust into a new set of realities that were precisely aligned with the “Four Thrusts:” The expanding asymmetric threat of terrorism leading up to and exploding with the attacks of 9/11, the vital importance of accurate and complete data bases as military operations associated with the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) emerged, the absolute reliance of tactical forces on timely and interoperable data delivered electronically on integrated operational systems, and the need to expand and improve the personnel resources of the military intelligence community to respond to dramatic new challenges in the post-9/11 environment.
While the “Four Thrusts” were an elected area of concentration of DIA and the military intelligence community, the brazen and barbaric attacks by our country’s terrorist enemies plunged the entire military intelligence team deep into a concentration on defending the country against terrorists and attacking this vicious enemy wherever and whenever possible. While the attacks of 11 September 2001 were the largest and most significant, they were preceded on 12 October 2000 by an Al Qaida suicide bombing of USS COLE (DDG 67)
in the Yemeni port Aden
, killing seventeen American sailors and injuring thirty-nine others. This bombing resulted in an accelerated shifting of intelligence resources to the terrorism crisis that had begun after the African embassy bombings in 1998.
The attacks of 11 September 2001 thrust DIA into the war on terrorism in a personal, emotional, and unanticipated way as seven DIA civilian employees were killed and eight more (seven civilian and one military) DIA personnel were wounded when a hijacked American Airlines Boeing 757 was crashed into the Pentagon. The immediate aftermath of this tragedy was for the agency a painful and demanding period of time as DIA’s workforce did everything possible for the families of the dead and cared for the wounded and their families. The agency simultaneously “spun up” operationally to take the battle to Al Qaida on a worldwide basis, beginning with the start of Operation Enduring Freedom strikes against Al Qaida and Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan on 7 October 2001.
While the continually expanding Global War on Terrorism
was the central area of operational concentration for the balance of Admiral Wilson’s tenure as DIA Director, additional significant and important issues were addressed aggressively, including a counterintelligence effort that resulted in the arrest of a Cuban spy inside DIA and intense focus on huge and dangerous military buildups on the India-Pakistan border following a militant attack on the Indian parliament on 13 Dec 2001. With regard to the latter issue, Admiral Wilson traveled to both countries in early 2002 for consultations with their military intelligence services aimed at explaining U.S. views of the dangers inherent in the buildups and chances for miscalculations that could potentially result in nuclear exchanges. Additionally, intense intelligence preparations for what was to eventually become Operation Iraqi Freedom began in 2002. A final issue of extraordinary importance – one that commanded VADM Wilson’s personal attention and effort during his time as DIA Director – was the issue of LCDR Michael Scott Speicher who was shot down on the first night of Operation Desert Storm
in 1991 and was the only military member not accounted for when that conflict was concluded. During this period of time DIA became the primary intelligence community organization leading efforts to learn the truth of this case, which was not finalized until his remains were recovered on 2 August 2009 and positively identified shortly thereafter.
Other notable events during the 1999-2002 period of Vice Admiral Wilson’s DIA directorship include: successful Y2K preparations and transition into the year 2000, dedication of the Shelby Center for Missile and Space Intelligence at Huntsville, AL
, the emergency landing of a U.S. Navy EP3 aircraft on China’s Hainan Island, the historic visit of Vice President Cheney to DIA, and winning authorization for expansion of the Defense Intelligence Analysis Center (DIAC) at Bolling Air Force Base.
Vice Admiral Wilson was relieved as Director of DIA on 29 July 2002 by Vice Admiral Lowell (Jake) Jacoby, USN
.
After retiring from the Navy in 2002, Vice Admiral Wilson joined Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (ATK) as President of ATK Missile Systems Company in Woodland Hills, California, and was elected a corporate Senior Vice President in August 2003. From 2003-2006 he served in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as President of ATK Precision Systems, a $600M business group specializing in design, development, demonstration and production of tank ammunition, precision-guided weapons, and defense electronics and force protection systems for the U.S. military and our allies. From 2006-2009 Vice Admiral Wilson was ATK’s Senior Vice President for Tidewater Operations and Combatant Command Relations. In that position he led ATK’s efforts at understanding and shaping near and long term military requirements emanating from the military commands in the Tidewater area, as well as the worldwide joint combatant commanders.
Vice Admiral Wilson is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Global Defense Technology and Systems, Inc. and serves on the Board of Directors of Global Integrated Security (U.S.), Meggitt Defense Systems, Inc, and Wilcoxon Research. Inc. He is past member of the National Defense Industrial Association Board of Trustees, The Ohio State University Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Defense Science Board
’s task force on intelligence, and a Director of National Intelligence task force on security.
(three awards), Navy Distinguished Service Medal
, Defense Superior Service Medal
, Legion of Merit
(two awards), Navy Meritorious Service Medal
(two awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal
(two awards), and Navy Commendation Medal
(two awards), the National Defense Service Medal
with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
, Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
(four awards), and Navy Overseas Service Ribbon
(four awards).
Unit awards include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award
with Oak Leaf Cluster and Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
with two Bronze Stars.
Authorized badges include the Atlantic Command Badge, The Joint Staff Identification Badge, and the Defense Intelligence Agency Badge.
Vice Admiral Wilson has received the following awards from foreign countries: Republic of China (Taiwan) Service Ribbon, Czech Republic Order of the White Lion
, and the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.
Vice Admiral Wilson is also the recipient of the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
, the Central Intelligence Agency Director’s Award, and the Defense Intelligence Agency Director’s Award. In 2001 he received the NAACP’S Meritorious Service Award for his leadership of DIA’s nationally recognized Diversity and Equal Opportunity programs.
{| style="width:100%;"
|-
|valign="top" |
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |U.S. military decorations
|-
|
|Defense Distinguished Service Medal
(with 2 oak leaf clusters)
|-
|
|Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Navy)
|-
|
|Defense Superior Service Medal
|-
|
|Legion of Merit
(with gold star)
|-
|
|Meritorious Service Medal
(with gold star)
|-
|
|Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal
(with oak leaf cluster)
|-
|
|National Defense Service Medal
(with bronze star)
|-
|
|Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
|-
|
|Navy-Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon
(with 3 bronze stars)
|-
|
|Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (with 3 bronze stars)
|-
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |Unit awards
|-
|
|Joint Meritorious Unit Award
(with oak leaf cluster)
|-
|
|Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (with 2 bronze stars)
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |Badges
|-
| align=center |
|Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
|-
|
|Defense Intelligence Agency
Badge
|-
|
|United States Atlantic Command
Badge
|-
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |National non-military awards
|-
|
|National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
|-
|
|Director of Central Intelligence Director's Award
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |DIA award
|-
|
|Defense Intelligence Agency Directors Award
|-
|}
Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
The Director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency is a three-star military officer and is the highest ranking intelligence officer in the Department of Defense. He is the primary military intelligence advisor to the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and also...
from July 1999 to July 2002.http://www.dia.mil/history/histories/Directors/bio_twilson.html
Overview
Vice Admiral Thomas R. Wilson, USN was the 13th Director of the Defense Intelligence AgencyDirector of the Defense Intelligence Agency
The Director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency is a three-star military officer and is the highest ranking intelligence officer in the Department of Defense. He is the primary military intelligence advisor to the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and also...
. Other flag rank assignments included Director of Intelligence (J2), The Joint Staff; Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Military Support, Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
; Vice Director of Intelligence, The Joint Staff; and Director of Intelligence, United States Atlantic Command
United States Atlantic Command
United States Atlantic Command was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. In 1999, U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as United States Joint Forces Command.-History:USLANTCOM was active from the 1947 to 1993 as a primarily U.S...
. Following retirement from the Navy in 2002, he served in several senior executive roles for Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (ATK)
Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems Inc., most commonly known by its ticker symbol, ', is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and 2010 revenues in excess of an estimated...
: President of ATK Missile Systems, Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ATK Precision Systems Group, and ATK Senior Vice President for Tidewater Operations, retiring from ATK in 2009.
Vice Admiral Wilson and his wife, Ann, have three sons: Jeffrey, Gregory, and Matthew.
Early life
Thomas Ray Wilson was born on March 4, 1946 in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, and raised in the small community of Groveport, Ohio
Groveport, Ohio
Groveport is a City in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,363 at the 2010 census.Groveport was the hometown of John Solomon Rarey, a 19th century horse whisperer, and developer of the Rarey technique for rehabilitating horses...
. As a youth he spent much time working on family farms, acquiring a life-long interest in agriculture and rural life in America. He graduated from Groveport Madison High School in 1964, where he was active in sports, band, and other school activities as well as the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and the Groveport Methodist Church. He is a member of the Groveport Madison High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
Education and training
Wilson entered The Ohio State UniversityOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1964, and in 1968 graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Agriculture Economics and Rural Sociology. He entered Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI
Officer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School or Officer Cadet School are institutions which train civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country....
, in October 1968 and was commissioned an Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in March 1969. Wilson was a distinguished graduate of the Defense Intelligence College
National Defense Intelligence College
see also main article Staff collegeThe National Intelligence University, , is an accredited education and research institution serving the United States Intelligence Community by preparing personnel for senior positions in the U.S...
in 1975, and was a member of the Defense Intelligence College class that participated in the pilot program leading to the college being able to grant a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence Degree
National Defense Intelligence College
see also main article Staff collegeThe National Intelligence University, , is an accredited education and research institution serving the United States Intelligence Community by preparing personnel for senior positions in the U.S...
. Other Military training included Communications Officer Ashore Course at Newport, RI
Officer Candidate School (U.S. Navy)
The United States Navy's Officer Candidate School, currently located at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, provides training to become a commissioned officer. Attendance is one possible way for civilian college graduates with no military experience to earn a commission as a U.S. Navy officer...
in 1969; Targeting and mission planning at Nuclear Weapons Training Group Atlantic, in Norfolk, VA in 1980; and Flag and General Officer CAPSTONE Training
CAPSTONE Military Leadership Program
CAPSTONE is a joint service professional military education courses for newly promoted brigadier generals and rear admirals serving in the United States military. The National Defense University conducts the CAPSTONE course at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, DC...
in 1995. In 1978, while stationed in Keflavik, Iceland
Naval Air Station Keflavik
United States Naval Air Station Keflavik is a former NATO facility at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland. It is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island...
, he earned a Masters Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Management and Human Relations from Webster University of St. Louis, MO
Webster University
Webster University is an American non-profit private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
.
Career
Vice Admiral Thomas R. Wilson commenced active naval service on 26 October 1968 when he entered Navy Officer Candidate School at Newport, RI. He was commissioned an Ensign, USNR, on 14 March 1969 and was assigned to the Intelligence Division (J2) of the United States Taiwan Defense Command (USTDC) in Taipei, Taiwan in April 1969. Wilson served for two years as an Indications and Warning center watch officer, intelligence analyst, and command briefer at USTDC, a joint military command charged with planning for the defense of TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. In March, 1970 he was promoted to Lieutenant (Junior Grade), USNR.
In May 1971 LTJG Wilson was transferred to the Defense Intelligence Agency
Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency is a member of the Intelligence Community of the United States, and is the central producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense, employing over 16,500 U.S. military and civilian employees worldwide...
in Washington, DC
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, serving virtually his entire tour there as an intelligence analyst
Intelligence analysis
Intelligence analysis is the process of taking known information about situations and entities of strategic, operational, or tactical importance, characterizing the known, and, with appropriate statements of probability, the future actions in those situations and by those entities...
in the current intelligence division (DI) supporting The Joint Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
. A Peoples Republic of China (PRC) air and missile analyst
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, he participated in national level current and crisis analyses of the Sino-Soviet border mobilizations, Chinese strategic bomber and missile development and deployment, and the 1974 Paracel Island conflict between the PRC
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. During this tour of duty, Wilson was promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, augmented into the regular Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, and changed his designator from reserve unrestricted line (1105) to special duty intelligence (1630).
Following graduation from the Defense Intelligence College
National Defense Intelligence College
see also main article Staff collegeThe National Intelligence University, , is an accredited education and research institution serving the United States Intelligence Community by preparing personnel for senior positions in the U.S...
in May 1975 LT Wilson transferred to USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
The supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk , formerly CVA-63, was the second naval ship named after Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the site of the Wright brothers' first powered airplane flight...
home-ported in San Diego, CA. He served as the Division Officer for the ship’s Intelligence Division and as the Multi-Sensor Interpretation (MSI) Officer in the ship’s Integrated Operational Intelligence Center (IOIC) during a six month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean in 1975. KITTY HAWK changed home ports from San Diego to Bremerton, WA
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, in March 1976 where the ship underwent a one year overhaul, during which LT Wilson managed the ship’s force rehabilitation of all intelligence division working and berthing spaces.
From June 1977-June 1979 then LT Wilson served at U.S. Naval Station Keflavik, Iceland
Naval Air Station Keflavik
United States Naval Air Station Keflavik is a former NATO facility at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland. It is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island...
, where he was the operational intelligence officer at the Commander Iceland Sector Antisubmarine Warfare Group (COMICEASWGRU) in the Antisubmarine Warfare Operations Center (ASWOC) Promoted to Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) during this tour he supported antisubmarine warfare (ASW), airborne surveillance, and intelligence collection operations by P-3 patrol squadrons and special purpose surveillance aircraft and ships of the Atlantic Fleet and by patrol aircraft from a variety of NATO nations. This period of time was at the height of the “Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
”, a period of extraordinary growth of the Soviet Navy, and characterized by unprecedented levels of Soviet submarine, surface ship, and naval aircraft deployments into the Norwegian Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
From July 1979 - June 1981 LCDR Wilson served as the senior intelligence officer for Carrier Air Wing THREE
Carrier Air Wing Three
Carrier Air Wing Three , known as the "Battle Axe", is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Harry S...
, stationed at Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Florida
Naval Air Station Cecil Field
Naval Air Station Cecil Field or NAS Cecil Field was a United States Navy base, located in Duval County, Florida. NAS Cecil Field was the largest military base in the Jacksonville, Florida, area....
. Carrier Air Wing THREE embarked on USS SARATOGA (CV-60) for pre-deployment training in 1979 and made a six month deployment to the Mediterranean in 1980, where major operations included air-to-air missile exercises demonstrating freedom of navigation in the Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte or the Great Sirte or Greater Syrtis .- Geography :The Gulf of Sidra has been a major centre for tuna fishing in the Mediterranean for centuries...
.
From June 1981 – June 1984 LCDR Wilson was assigned as Force Intelligence Officer for Commander Patrol Wings Atlantic (COMPATWINGSLANT) at Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine. As the senior intelligence officer in the patrol force, he directed the intelligence planning and support for two patrol wings consisting of twelve P-3 Orion squadrons and one Special Projects Unit. LCDR Wilson was promoted to Commander (CDR) during this tour.
From July 1984 – June 1987 CDR Wilson served in Naples, Italy
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, where he was assigned as Commander, Task Group 168.3 and Officer-in-Charge of the U.S. Navy’s European Forward Area Support Team (EURFAST). A field command of Commander Naval Intelligence Command that reported operationally to the Commander U.S. SIXTH Fleet, CTG 168.3/EURFAST was responsible for intelligence collection and direct support operations for SIXTH Fleet ships, submarines, and squadrons operating in the Mediterranean, including the deployment on ships and submarines of command Intelligence Specialists and Sonar Technicians (Acoustic Intelligence Specialists). In addition to these direct support operations, CTG 168.3/EURFAST operated an Acoustic Intelligence (ACINT) Analysis laboratory and supervised numerous bilateral intelligence agreements with allied European Navies. During this period of time, CDR Wilson was “dual-hatted” as Commander Task Unit 168.4.2, a Human Intelligence (HUMINT) organization supporting operational and administrative U.S. Navy commands in Southern Europe.
From July 1987 - June 1989 CDR Wilson served as Director, Fleet Intelligence (N2) for Commander U.S. SEVENTH Fleet embarked in USS BLUE RIDGE (LCC-19) home-ported at Naval Station, Yokosuka, Japan. In this role, CDR Wilson directed intelligence support operations for all U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Forces home-ported in or deployed to the Seventh Fleet Area of Operations
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, including Carrier Strike Groups, Amphibious Ready Groups, the Submarine Force, and Patrol Wing. During this period of time the Seventh Fleet intelligence team developed and experimented with the concept of “OSIS (Ocean Surveillance Information System) Afloat,” which was the temporary assumption by Seventh Fleet on USS BLUE RIDGE of fleet intelligence support operations normally performed by Fleet Ocean Surveillance Information Facility Western Pacific (FOSIF WESTPAC) in Kamiseya, Japan. Commander SEVENTH Fleet conducted extensive deployments throughout the Western Pacific, including an historic port visit to Shanghai, China
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
- - the first since World War II. CDR Wilson was promoted to Captain, USN during his tour of duty as SEVENTH Fleet N2
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
.
Returning to the United States for duty after five years overseas, CAPT Wilson reported to the Navy Staff
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
at the Pentagon in July 1989 where he assumed duties as Special Assistant for Intelligence and Special Access Programs (SAPs) for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Naval Warfare Requirements (OP-07). In this position Captain Wilson coordinated the preparation of the Director of Naval Warfare for Special Program Review Group (SPRG) deliberations and decisions on the degree to which intelligence and highly classified developmental operational programs actually satisfied validated naval warfare requirements. This period of time included the run up to and conduct of Desert Storm
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
combat operations against Iraq, during which Captain Wilson synchronized the transition of select high impact Special Access Programs from the later stages of development into highly successful early operational use in Desert Storm combat operations.
In early 1991 Captain Wilson transferred to Norfolk, VA
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, where he assumed duties as Director of Intelligence (N-2) for the Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
. In this role he had responsibility for direction and oversight of intelligence training and deployment preparation for Atlantic Fleet carrier battle groups (including carrier air wings), amphibious ready groups, submarines, and maritime patrol aviation squadrons. He also had overall responsibility for the Norfolk-based naval intelligence commands that supported Atlantic Fleet operations - - Fleet Ocean Surveillance Center Atlantic (FOSICLANT) and Fleet Intelligence Center Europe and Atlantic (FICEURLANT). In 1991-92, as the impact of the end of the Cold War manifested itself in vastly reduced Russian (as opposed to Soviet) naval operations and submarine deployments into the Atlantic and Mediterranean, new, different requirements for the fleet became increasingly challenging, e.g. counterdrug surveillance and interdiction operations. As a result, CAPT Wilson developed the concept and initiated the proposal to convert some of the Navy’s ocean surveillance ships (T-AGOS) operated by the Military Sealift Command to counterdrug platforms and to do the same for some of the P-3 maritime patrol aircraft of the Atlantic Fleet. Under his leadership three STALWART class T-AGOS ships were modified for a drug interdiction mission. The underwater acoustic arrays were removed, and air-search radars, integrated display systems, sophisticated communications suites and other special mission equipment were installed to detect and monitor suspected drug traffickers. Counterdrug Upgrade P-3 aircraft were also modified during this period of time, to include communications upgrades and the addition of air-to-air radar systems to track and identify potential drug-smuggling aircraft. An additional, and hugely important, responsibility during this period of time was capturing and evaluating all of the intelligence “lessons-learned” from Atlantic Fleet Carrier Battle Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups that were returning from combat operations during and in the immediate aftermath of Operation Desert Storm. Atlantic Fleet Intelligence staffs and commands employed a highly disciplined process during this undertaking to identify and submit to the Chief of Naval Operations and Atlantic Command the recommendations that ultimately signaled the way toward significantly improved fleet operational intelligence support.
In May 1992 at the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Command (USCINCLANT), CAPT Wilson was nominated for the flag-rank billet of USCINCLANT Director of Intelligence, J-2
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
. He was subsequently chosen for that assignment and later that year selected by the Navy for promotion to Rear Admiral (Lower Half). RDML Wilson served as the CINCLANT J2 until November 1994, a period of time that was highlighted by the interdiction of unprecedentedly large Haitian and Cuban refugee boat flotillas toward United States territorial waters and the construction and occupation of equally unprecedented refugee camps in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; training for, deployment and execution of a USCINCLANT-led military intervention in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
; the implementation of many of the Desert Storm “lessons-learned” for enhanced electronic intelligence dissemination to operating forces; the transfer of most “echelon-above-corps” intelligence support resources from the military services to the combatant commands; and the transition of the United States Atlantic Command (USLANTCOM) mission from the near-total focus on its geographic area of responsibility to equal focus on joint force packaging, doctrine and training. This resulted in significant intelligence re-alignments and focus, as well the command being known as USACOM vs. USLANTCOM. Under Wilson’s leadership, USCINCLANT Intelligence conducted development and initial operational use of new intelligence dissemination and communications capability, along with the creation of the initial Joint Tactics Techniques and Procedures (TTP) documents that governed their introduction into current operations. These capabilities included Atlantic Command versions of what would eventually become the widely distributed Joint Deployable Intelligence Support System (JDISS) and Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communication System (JWICS)
Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System
The Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System , is a system of interconnected computer networks used by the United States Department of Defense and the United States Department of State to transmit classified information by packet switching over TCP/IP in a secure environment.It is cleared...
. Both of these Atlantic Command-developed systems were used to provide intelligence support to operational forces engaged in the Haiti intervention in 1994. In what was to become standard operating procedure later in the 90’s and throughout the first decade of the 2000s, the Haiti intervention featured the first use of JWICS in a command and control function, including regular JWICS teleconferences between the President, Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, USCINCLANT and all of his component commanders (Forces Command, Air Combat Command, CINCLANTFLT, and COMARFORLANT), and operational commanders Haiti JTF Commander/18th Airborne Corps Commander/US SECOND Fleet Commander (all co-embarked on USS MOUNT WHITNEY), 10TH Mountain Division (embarked on USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER), JSOC (embarked on USS AMERICA), embarked Marine Amphibious forces, and Commander Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay.
From November 1994 - September 1997 RDML Wilson was assigned as Vice Director for Intelligence (VJ2), The Joint Staff in the Pentagon
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
. In his responsibility as the J-2’s principal deputy, he played a significant role in helping provide current and crisis intelligence support to senior civilian and uniformed military leadership in the Department of Defense. This support included providing daily intelligence briefings to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), Assistant Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (ACJCS), and the following additional Joint Staff flag and general officers: Director and Vice Director Strategy and Plans (J-5), Vice Director (VDJS), and Vice Director for Operations (VJ3). He also conducted the daily intelligence briefing for the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy (USDP) and his entire staff. During this period of time, the U.S. military continued to be engaged in crisis operations around the world, including Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, conduct of Operation Northern
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch, the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a US European Command Combined Task Force charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq...
and Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and United Nation Peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. In addition to his current and crisis intelligence support responsibilities, RDML Wilson led the Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Joint Warfighting Capability Assessment (ISRJWCA) as a part of the newly-established Joint Warfighting Capability Assessment process sponsored by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) chaired by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS)
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the second highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces ranking just below the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
and consisting of the Vice Chiefs of each of the military services. The ISRJWCA team, which consisted of representatives from the Joint Staff, all military services and all combat support intelligence agencies, conducted landmark analysis on the ISR requirements necessary to achieve “dominant battlespace awareness” over a range of contingency-type operational scenarios. It is out of this continuing analysis, which was briefed twice a year during JROC trips to each of the Unified Commands, that the identification and measurement of the contributions of various types of intelligence disciplines and platforms (satellite, manned aircraft, and UAV’s) was determined. An optimal mix of these platforms, along with an essential commitment to reserve funding for adequate tasking, processing, exploitation, and dissemination (TPED) investment, was the strong recommendation that resulted from the ISR JWCA studies and was adopted by the JROC. The major contributions of UAV’s with multiple sensor packages in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the Global War on Terrorism are considered validations of the ISR assessment work done in the mid-1990s.
In September 1997 RDML Wilson commenced a short tour of duty at the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
where he served as the Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Military Support. In addition to coordinating intelligence support operations between the Central Intelligence Agency and United States Military Combatant Commands, RDML Wilson served as the DCI representative to the Military Intelligence Board, regularly supported the DCI at the Principals’ Committee meetings of the National Security Council
National Security Council
A National Security Council is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security...
, and frequently represented the DCI at the Deputies’ Committee meetings of the same organization. He was promoted the Rear Admiral (upper half) during this tour of duty.
In March 1998, at the recommendation of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and with the concurrence of the Secretary of Defense, RADM Wilson was assigned as the Joint Staff Director of Intelligence, J-2, a [Defense%20Intelligence%20Agency%20(DIA) Defense Intelligence Agency] billet operationally allocated to the Joint Staff. The J2 concurrently serves as the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Director of Current Intelligence Operations
Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency is a member of the Intelligence Community of the United States, and is the central producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense, employing over 16,500 U.S. military and civilian employees worldwide...
and is responsible for the operation of the National Military Joint Intelligence Center (NMJIC) which is collocated with the National Military Command Center
National Military Command Center
Located in the Pentagon, the National Military Command Center houses the logistical and communications center for the National Command Authority of the United States of America. The facility, which is composed of several war rooms, is the principal command and control center of the Department of...
. The Joint Staff J2 is charged with leading and directing current and crisis intelligence support for the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and managing intelligence support for contingency operations, including targeting and battle damage assessment responsibilities, with the combatant commands. The Joint Staff was almost continually engaged in high paced contingency operations during RADM Wilson’s time as J2 in 1998-99: Daily No Fly Zone enforcement over Iraq, the conduct of a four day strike campaign (Operation Desert Fox) against Iraq in December 1998, and the escalating crisis in Kosovo culminating in a 78 day NATO bombing campaign (Operation Allied Force) led by the U.S. against the former Yugoslavia from 24 March – 11 June 1999. Terrorism against the United States also escalated significantly during this period of time when Al Qaida operatives in Kenya and Tanzania conducted suicide bombing attacks against United States embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam on 7 August 1998. This resulted in strike operations conducted less than two weeks later by U.S. forces against Al Qaida targets in Afghanistan and Sudan. In addition to coordinating intelligence support both up and down the chain of command, the Joint Staff intelligence team was intricately engaged in the analysis, selection, targeting, and battle damage assessments (BDA) associated with the respective strike campaigns. RADM Wilson frequently provided targeting and BDA briefings to the President, his national security team, and relevant congressional committees. He also was one of the primary Pentagon spokesmen who regularly briefed the national press corps on ongoing strike operations and BDA.
In May 1999 Thomas R. Wilson was nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate for promotion to Vice Admiral and appointment as the 13th Director of the [Defense%20Intelligence%20Agency%20(DIA) Defense Intelligence Agency]. He assumed that post on 27 July 1999, relieving Lieutenant General Patrick M. Hughes, US Army. As DIA Director VADM Wilson also served as the Manager of the [General%20Defense%20Intelligence%20Program General Defense Intelligence Program] and the Chairman of the Military Intelligence Board (MIB) consisting of the military service intelligence chiefs, the combatant command directors of intelligence, and the directors of the intelligence community’s designated combat support agencies - - the de facto Director of Military Intelligence. In this role he immediately convened the MIB in executive session and encouraged the senior leaders to work together to identify the four or five most pressing challenges facing the military intelligence community, assemble joint teams and leaders to put together plans and guide united efforts to address those challenges, and to conduct sustained campaigns aimed at solving intractable problems and implementing new doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures appropriate for the next century. The idea was to collectively narrow down the agenda to the agreed upon most pressing challenges, obtain military intelligence leadership “buy-in,” and conduct a concentrated, sustained campaign to achieve success without getting diverted by the “here and now.”
The priorities chosen by the MIB, which became known as “The Four Thrusts,” were as follows:
- “Shape to Meet the Asymmetric Threat” - - essentially making the unequivocal statement that intelligence plans and capabilities driven by “Cold War” priorities and doctrine would not suffice for the future and committing to develop new, more appropriate capabilities and tactics, techniques and procedures for the new emerging challenges.
- “Attack the Data Base Problem” - - an unambiguous recognition by the MIB that the constant diversion of resources away from focused data base work toward current and crisis intelligence commitments was undermining the “life blood” of biographic and facilities intelligence, including targeting support and validated “no-strike” lists.
- “Achieve Integration and Interoperability” - - a stated awareness by the MIB that the proliferation of different information technology systems with non-standard formats and protocols, both inside the intelligence community and among its customer communities, was significantly hindering the capability to provide first rate intelligence support in an efficient and effective manner.
- “Revitalize and Reshape the Work Force” - - a salient acknowledgement by the MIB that, to meet the challenges laid out in the “Four Thrusts Agenda,” one of those “thrusts” had to be a commitment to improving and making far more flexible the human resources system that was employed to identify skill set requirements, find and recruit, hire, train and educate, incentivize, and compensate the people needed to meet the challenges of the future.
The agenda identified by the MIB, which was the unrelenting focus of military intelligence system improvement during Vice Admiral Wilson’s time at DIA, proved to be a prescient set of priorities as the intelligence community was thrust into a new set of realities that were precisely aligned with the “Four Thrusts:” The expanding asymmetric threat of terrorism leading up to and exploding with the attacks of 9/11, the vital importance of accurate and complete data bases as military operations associated with the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) emerged, the absolute reliance of tactical forces on timely and interoperable data delivered electronically on integrated operational systems, and the need to expand and improve the personnel resources of the military intelligence community to respond to dramatic new challenges in the post-9/11 environment.
While the “Four Thrusts” were an elected area of concentration of DIA and the military intelligence community, the brazen and barbaric attacks by our country’s terrorist enemies plunged the entire military intelligence team deep into a concentration on defending the country against terrorists and attacking this vicious enemy wherever and whenever possible. While the attacks of 11 September 2001 were the largest and most significant, they were preceded on 12 October 2000 by an Al Qaida suicide bombing of USS COLE (DDG 67)
USS Cole (DDG-67)
The second USS Cole is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis-equipped guided missile destroyer homeported in NS Norfolk, Virginia. The Cole is named in honor of Marine Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, a machine-gunner killed in action on Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945, during World War II...
in the Yemeni port Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, killing seventeen American sailors and injuring thirty-nine others. This bombing resulted in an accelerated shifting of intelligence resources to the terrorism crisis that had begun after the African embassy bombings in 1998.
The attacks of 11 September 2001 thrust DIA into the war on terrorism in a personal, emotional, and unanticipated way as seven DIA civilian employees were killed and eight more (seven civilian and one military) DIA personnel were wounded when a hijacked American Airlines Boeing 757 was crashed into the Pentagon. The immediate aftermath of this tragedy was for the agency a painful and demanding period of time as DIA’s workforce did everything possible for the families of the dead and cared for the wounded and their families. The agency simultaneously “spun up” operationally to take the battle to Al Qaida on a worldwide basis, beginning with the start of Operation Enduring Freedom strikes against Al Qaida and Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan on 7 October 2001.
While the continually expanding Global War on Terrorism
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
was the central area of operational concentration for the balance of Admiral Wilson’s tenure as DIA Director, additional significant and important issues were addressed aggressively, including a counterintelligence effort that resulted in the arrest of a Cuban spy inside DIA and intense focus on huge and dangerous military buildups on the India-Pakistan border following a militant attack on the Indian parliament on 13 Dec 2001. With regard to the latter issue, Admiral Wilson traveled to both countries in early 2002 for consultations with their military intelligence services aimed at explaining U.S. views of the dangers inherent in the buildups and chances for miscalculations that could potentially result in nuclear exchanges. Additionally, intense intelligence preparations for what was to eventually become Operation Iraqi Freedom began in 2002. A final issue of extraordinary importance – one that commanded VADM Wilson’s personal attention and effort during his time as DIA Director – was the issue of LCDR Michael Scott Speicher who was shot down on the first night of Operation Desert Storm
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in 1991 and was the only military member not accounted for when that conflict was concluded. During this period of time DIA became the primary intelligence community organization leading efforts to learn the truth of this case, which was not finalized until his remains were recovered on 2 August 2009 and positively identified shortly thereafter.
Other notable events during the 1999-2002 period of Vice Admiral Wilson’s DIA directorship include: successful Y2K preparations and transition into the year 2000, dedication of the Shelby Center for Missile and Space Intelligence at Huntsville, AL
Missile and Space Intelligence Center
The Missile and Space Intelligence Center is an intelligence organization that is part of the Defense Intelligence Agency of the United States. MSIC is located at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.-History:...
, the emergency landing of a U.S. Navy EP3 aircraft on China’s Hainan Island, the historic visit of Vice President Cheney to DIA, and winning authorization for expansion of the Defense Intelligence Analysis Center (DIAC) at Bolling Air Force Base.
Vice Admiral Wilson was relieved as Director of DIA on 29 July 2002 by Vice Admiral Lowell (Jake) Jacoby, USN
Lowell E. Jacoby
Vice Admiral Lowell Edwin Jacoby, USN was the 14th Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Previously he was in the from 1999 to 2002, and the Director of Naval Intelligence and Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence from 1997 to 1999. He was the from 1994 to 1997 and Commander, from...
.
After retiring from the Navy in 2002, Vice Admiral Wilson joined Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (ATK) as President of ATK Missile Systems Company in Woodland Hills, California, and was elected a corporate Senior Vice President in August 2003. From 2003-2006 he served in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as President of ATK Precision Systems, a $600M business group specializing in design, development, demonstration and production of tank ammunition, precision-guided weapons, and defense electronics and force protection systems for the U.S. military and our allies. From 2006-2009 Vice Admiral Wilson was ATK’s Senior Vice President for Tidewater Operations and Combatant Command Relations. In that position he led ATK’s efforts at understanding and shaping near and long term military requirements emanating from the military commands in the Tidewater area, as well as the worldwide joint combatant commanders.
Vice Admiral Wilson is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Global Defense Technology and Systems, Inc. and serves on the Board of Directors of Global Integrated Security (U.S.), Meggitt Defense Systems, Inc, and Wilcoxon Research. Inc. He is past member of the National Defense Industrial Association Board of Trustees, The Ohio State University Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Defense Science Board
Defense Science Board
The Defense Science Board is a committee of civilian experts appointed to advise the U.S. Department of Defense on scientific and technical matters...
’s task force on intelligence, and a Director of National Intelligence task force on security.
Awards, decorations and badges
Admiral Wilson has received the Defense Distinguished Service MedalDefense Distinguished Service Medal
The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States...
(three awards), Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast...
, Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
, Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(two awards), Navy Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
(two awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal
Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device may...
(two awards), and Navy Commendation Medal
Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device may...
(two awards), the National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
, Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Sea Service Ribbon
A Sea Service Ribbon is an award of the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard and the United States Army which recognizes those service members who have performed military duty while stationed on a vessel at sea....
(four awards), and Navy Overseas Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
An Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,...
(four awards).
Unit awards include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
The Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
with Oak Leaf Cluster and Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
with two Bronze Stars.
Authorized badges include the Atlantic Command Badge, The Joint Staff Identification Badge, and the Defense Intelligence Agency Badge.
Vice Admiral Wilson has received the following awards from foreign countries: Republic of China (Taiwan) Service Ribbon, Czech Republic Order of the White Lion
Order of the White Lion
The Order of the White Lion is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners....
, and the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.
Vice Admiral Wilson is also the recipient of the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
The National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal is the highest decoration awarded for service to the United States Intelligence Community...
, the Central Intelligence Agency Director’s Award, and the Defense Intelligence Agency Director’s Award. In 2001 he received the NAACP’S Meritorious Service Award for his leadership of DIA’s nationally recognized Diversity and Equal Opportunity programs.
{| style="width:100%;"
|-
|valign="top" |
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |U.S. military decorations
|-
|
|Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States...
(with 2 oak leaf clusters)
|-
|
|Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Navy)
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast...
|-
|
|Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
|-
|
|Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(with gold star)
|-
|
|Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
(with gold star)
|-
|
|Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device may...
(with oak leaf cluster)
|-
|
|National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
(with bronze star)
|-
|
|Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
|-
|
|Navy-Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
An Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,...
(with 3 bronze stars)
|-
|
|Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (with 3 bronze stars)
|-
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |Unit awards
|-
|
|Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
The Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
(with oak leaf cluster)
|-
|
|Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (with 2 bronze stars)
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |Badges
|-
| align=center |
|Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
The Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge is a U.S. Military badge presented to the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff upon appointment to position as either a Service Head, Vice Chairman, or Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The decoration is also authorized to staff and...
|-
|
|Defense Intelligence Agency
Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency is a member of the Intelligence Community of the United States, and is the central producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense, employing over 16,500 U.S. military and civilian employees worldwide...
Badge
|-
|
|United States Atlantic Command
United States Atlantic Command
United States Atlantic Command was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. In 1999, U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as United States Joint Forces Command.-History:USLANTCOM was active from the 1947 to 1993 as a primarily U.S...
Badge
|-
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |National non-military awards
|-
|
|National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
The National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal is the highest decoration awarded for service to the United States Intelligence Community...
|-
|
|Director of Central Intelligence Director's Award
|- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |DIA award
|-
|
|Defense Intelligence Agency Directors Award
|-
|}