{{short description|US Army general}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}{{Use American English|date=December 2024}} {{About|the U.S. Army general|others of the same name|Thomas James (disambiguation){{!}}Thomas James}} {{Infobox military person | name = Thomas L. James | image = LTG Thomas L. James.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Official portrait, 2024 | nickname = | birth_date = {{circa|{{birth year and age|1968}}}} | birth_place = Petal, Mississippi, U.S.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8176371/promotion-ceremony-thomas-l-james-lieutenant-general | title=Promotion Ceremony of Thomas L. James to Lieutenant General | access-date=6 November 2025 | archive-date=4 March 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250304111601/https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8176371/promotion-ceremony-thomas-l-james-lieutenant-general | url-status=live }}</ref> | death_date = | death_place = | burial_place = | allegiance = United States | branch = United States Army | branch_label = Branch | service_years = 1983–2025 | rank = Lieutenant General | service_number = | unit = | commands = Combined Joint Task Force–Space Operations (acting)<br />Joint Task Force–Space Defense<br />1st Space Brigade<br />1st Space Battalion<br />B Company, 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 4th Aviation Brigade | battles = Gulf War<br />War in Afghanistan<br />Iraq War | awards = Defense Superior Service Medal<br />Legion of Merit (2)<br />Bronze Star Medal (2) | relations = | other_work = }} '''Thomas L. James''' ({{circa|1968}}) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who served as the deputy commander of the United States Space Command. He previously served as the acting commander of Combined Joint Task Force–Space Operations. He is the first Army space operations officer to reach the rank of major general.
== Military career == James first enlisted in the Mississippi National Guard in 1983, where he was assigned in medical and special forces units. After obtaining a degree, he was commissioned into the United States Army in 1990 as an army aviator.<ref name=bio>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2501707/brigadier-general-thomas-l-james/|title=Brigadier General Thomas L. James|website=www.schriever.spaceforce.mil|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507100615/https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2501707/brigadier-general-thomas-l-james/|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 15 July 2014, James took command of the 1st Space Brigade.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/article/129959/1st_space_brigade_welcomes_new_commander|title=1st Space Brigade welcomes new commander|website=www.army.mil|date=15 July 2014|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507100617/https://www.army.mil/article/129959/1st_space_brigade_welcomes_new_commander|url-status=live}}</ref> After this command tour, he was assigned as the director of space policy implementation of Office of the Under Secretary for Policy.<ref name=bio/>
James served as deputy commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Space. While in this position, he was promoted to brigadier general on 14 November 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/article/197311/a_star_more_than_30_years_in_the_making|title=A star, more than 30 years in the making|date=24 November 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/image/3987585/brig-gen-thomas-james-promotion|title=Brig. Gen. Thomas James Promotion|website=DVIDS|access-date=11 June 2021|archive-date=11 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611123631/https://www.dvidshub.net/image/3987585/brig-gen-thomas-james-promotion|url-status=live}}</ref> After a 2017 reorganization, he then served as the director of operations, plans, and exercises of the Joint Force Space Component Command.<ref name=GOMO>{{cite web|url=https://www.gomo.army.mil/public/Biography/usa-10359/thomasl-james|title=Major General Thomas L. James (USA)|access-date=2021-07-31|website=GOMO|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507100615/https://www.gomo.army.mil/public/Biography/usa-10359/thomasl-james|url-status=live}}</ref>
With the creation of the United States Space Command in August 2019, James became the director of operations while dual-hatted as the first commander of the newly established Joint Task Force–Space Defense (JTF-SD).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1995302/formal-recognition-of-joint-task-force-space-defense-expands-us-space-commands/|title=Formal Recognition of Joint Task Force-Space Defense Expands US Space Command's Protect and Defend Mission|website=Schriever Air Force Base|access-date=11 June 2021|archive-date=11 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611123636/https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1995302/formal-recognition-of-joint-task-force-space-defense-expands-us-space-commands/|url-status=live}}</ref> After almost two years, he was nominated for promotion to major general.<ref name="PN815 — Army">{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/815?s=5&r=53|title=PN815 — Army, 117th Congress (2021-2022)|access-date=2021-07-14|website=U.S. Congress|archive-date=16 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716105643/https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/815?r=53&s=5|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, he released his vision for the unit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2721495/commander-releases-jtf-sd-vision/|title=Commander Releases JTF-SD Vision|access-date=10 April 2022|archive-date=25 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925074640/https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2721495/commander-releases-jtf-sd-vision/|url-status=live}}</ref> He got promoted on 29 July 2021, making him the first Army space operations officer to achieve the rank of major general.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2807156/jtf-sd-commander-named-armys-first-space-operations-2-star/ |title=JTF-SD commander named Army's first Space Operations 2-star |access-date=14 October 2021 |archive-date=12 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012180240/https://www.schriever.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2807156/jtf-sd-commander-named-armys-first-space-operations-2-star/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
James relinquished command of JTF-SD on 4 November 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jtf-spacedefense.mil/News/Article/3211115/jtf-sd-welcomes-its-second-commander/ | title=JTF-SD welcomes its second commander | access-date=5 November 2022 | archive-date=5 November 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221105045625/https://www.jtf-spacedefense.mil/News/Article/3211115/jtf-sd-welcomes-its-second-commander/ | url-status=live }}</ref> He thereafter was assigned as deputy commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Space Operations, a planned subordinate command of U.S. Space Command.<ref name=bio/>
In July 2023, James was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general with assignment as the deputy commander of United States Space Command.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/118th-congress/820|title=PN820 — Maj. Gen. Thomas L. James — Army, 118th Congress (2023-2024)|date=2023-07-11|access-date=2023-07-12|website=U.S. Congress|archive-date=4 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004232401/https://www.congress.gov/nomination/118th-congress/820|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="cspan">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?529553-3/senate-session-part-3|title=Senate Session, Part 3|type=video|date=2023-07-26|access-date=2023-07-27|website=C-SPAN|archive-date=23 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241123232142/https://www.c-span.org/video/?529553-3/senate-session-part-3|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Dates of promotion== {| class="wikitable" |+ ! Rank !! Date<ref name=GOMO/> |- |- ||{{Dodseal|USAO7|75}} Brigadier general||2 November 2017 |- ||{{Dodseal|USAO8|75}} Major general||29 July 2021 |- ||{{Dodseal|USAO9|75}} Lieutenant general||5 December 2023 |}
==References== {{commons category}} {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-military}} {{s-bef|before=James R. Meisinge}} {{s-ttl|title=Commander of the 1st Space Brigade|years=2014–2016}} {{s-aft|after=Richard Zellman}} {{s-bef|before=Brian B. Brown}} {{s-ttl|title=Deputy Commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Space|years=2017}} {{s-aft|after=Stephen Whiting}} {{s-new|office|rows=2}} {{s-ttl|title=Director of Operations of the United States Space Command|years=2019–2020}} {{s-aft|after=William G. Holt}} {{s-ttl|title=Commander of Joint Task Force–Space Defense|years=2019–2022}} {{s-aft|after=Dennis Bythewood}} {{s-bef|before=Tim C. Lawson}} {{s-ttl|title=Deputy Commander of Combined Joint Task Force–Space Operations|years=2022}} {{s-aft|after=Brook J. Leonard}} {{s-new|office}} {{s-ttl|title=Commander of Combined Joint Task Force–Space Operations<br>{{small|Acting}}|years=2022–2023}} {{s-non|reason=Unit inactivated}} {{s-bef|before=John E. Shaw}} {{s-ttl|title=Deputy Commander of the United States Space Command|years=2023–2025}} {{s-aft|after=Richard Zellman}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Thomas L.}} Category:Living people Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:United States Army generals Category:United States Army personnel of the Gulf War Category:United States Army personnel of the Iraq War Category:United States Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
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