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Thomas E. Ayres
General Counsel of the United States Air Force
In office
February 15, 2018 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
SecretaryHeather Wilson
Matthew Donovan (acting)
Barbara Barrett
Preceded byJoseph M. McDade, Jr. (acting)[1]
Succeeded byCraig A. Smith (acting)
Personal details
Born
Thomas Everett Ayres[2]

(1962-10-23) October 23, 1962 (age 61)
Kentucky, U.S.
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1984 –
RankMajor General
Commands
Battles/warsWar on Terror
Iraq War
Afghanistan War
Awards

Major General Thomas E. Ayres (born October 23, 1962)[3] is a retired American military lawyer who served as the 20th Deputy Judge Advocate General of the United States Army.[4]

On January 18, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated him to become General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force.[5] This nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 15, 2018.[6]

Education[edit]

Born in Kentucky and raised in Pennsylvania,[3] Major General Ayres graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1984, receiving a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry. He was selected for the Funded Legal Education Program and earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law in 1991. He attended the Judge Advocate Basic and Graduate Courses, the Army Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.

Military career[edit]

Ayres Army portrait

Prior to assuming duty as the Deputy Judge Advocate General on October 1, 2013, Major General Ayres most recently served as the Commander, U.S. Army Legal Services Agency and Chief Judge, U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals. His former key duty positions include: Commander and Commandant of The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School; Assistant Judge Advocate General for Military Law and Operations; Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; SJA, Multi-National Corps-Iraq; SJA, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg; SJA, 82d Airborne Division, including tours as the SJA for Coalition Task Force 82, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, SJA for Task Force 82, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Task Force All-American, Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Other assignments include: Trial Counsel, Senior Prosecutor and Chief of Criminal Law, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized); Environmental Law and Litigation Attorney, United States Army Legal Services Agency; Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, 82d Airborne Division; and Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, XVIII Airborne Corps.

Major General Ayres's decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two Bronze Oak Leaf, and Army Achievement Medal. He is also entitled to wear the U.S. Army Master Parachutist Badge, U.S. Army Pathfinder Badge, the Army Staff Identification Badge, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge. [7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Joseph M. McDade, Jr. profile, af.mil. Accessed April 16, 2024.
  2. ^ "Thomas Everett Ayres". West Point Association of Graduates. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  3. ^ a b Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy. West Point, New York: Association of Graduates U.S.M.A. 1989. p. 917. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  4. ^ Profile, jagcnet.army.mil. Accessed April 16, 2024.
  5. ^ "PN1441 — Thomas E. Ayres — Department of Defense". U.S. Congress. January 18, 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  6. ^ "PN1441 — Thomas E. Ayres — Department of Defense". U.S. Congress. February 15, 2018. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2015-02-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)