Lt. Gen. John Thompson, commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center under the Air Force Materiel Command, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as chief of the Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center.
President Obama also nominated Maj. Gen. Robert McMurry, commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, to succeed Thompson as AFLCMC chief, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Friday.
AFSPC’s Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB in California oversees the development, acquisition, sustainment and deployment of military satellite constellations and other space systems of the Defense Department.
Thompson served as program executive officer for tankers at AFLCMC’s tanker directorate before he took the AFLCMC commander position in October 2014.
The 32-year Air Force veteran has held the roles of deputy PEO for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, commander of the 303rd aeronautical systems wing and PEO for strategic systems at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.
His previous positions at the office of the assistant Air Force secretary for acquisition include chief of the acquisition management and policy branch and executive officer within the directorate of global power programs.
Thompson is a recipient of Defense Superior Service Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal and Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters.
