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MG Thomas Suelzer

 

 

Major General Thomas M. Suelzer serves as the Adjutant General for the State of Texas. As the Adjutant General, he is the senior uniformed Texas National Guard officer and head of the Texas Military Department responsible for formulating, developing, and coordinating all policies, programs and plans affecting more than 22,500 military personnel in over 100 locations throughout Texas. Appointed by the Governor of Texas, General Suelzer functions as the Governor’s principal adviser on military matters and is responsible for the strategic leadership, training, readiness, operational employment and performance of the Army and Air Force components of the Texas National Guard.
General Suelzer graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. He completed Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona and went on to serve in various operational and staff assignments during his ten years of Active-Duty service and seven years in the Air Force Reserve. General Suelzer joined the Texas Air National Guard in 2007 where he served as Deputy Director of Operations for Domestic Operations. He also became a leader in the Homeland Response Force enterprise as Chief of Staff for the 71st Troop Command (JTF-71) and later the 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (JTF-136). He went on to serve as the Texas Air National Guard Director of Operations, the Commander of the 136th Airlift Wing, and Director, Joint Staff for the Texas National Guard. He has served on two Texas Southwest Border missions and as the military Dual Status Commander for the COVID-19 response in Texas. Prior to his current position, General Suelzer was the Assistant Adjutant General – Air for the Texas Military Department.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer Deputy Adjutant General-Air for the Texas Military Department

EDUCATION

  • 1990 Bachelor of Science degree in political science, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
  • 1997 Master's degree in aeronautical science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
  • 1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
  • 2004 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
  • 2012 Air War College, by correspondence
  • 2012 Joint Task Force Commanders Training Course, United States Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
  • 2014 Dual Status Commander Course, United States Northern Command, Peterson AFB,Colo.
  • 2019 Governor’s Executive Development Program, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
  • 2020 National Security Studies Management Course (NSSMC), Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
  • 2022 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
  • 2023 Senior Executive Seminar, George C. Marshall Center, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
    2023 CAPSTONE General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
  • 2023 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Arlie Center, Warrenton, Va.

ASSIGNMENTS

  1. 1. September 1990 - November 1991, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
  2. 2. November 1991 - May 1992, Student, C-5 Initial Qualification Training, Altus AFB, Okla.
  3. 3. May 1992 - January 1994, C-5 Pilot, 31st Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
  4. 4. January 1994 - August 1995, C-5 Aircraft Commander, 3rd Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
  5. 5. August 1995 - January 1996, Student, T-37 Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
  6. 6. January 1996 - May 1998, T-37 Instructor Pilot, 8th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
  7. 7. May 1998 - February 1999, Flight Commander, 8th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
  8. 8. February 1999 - November 1999, Chief, T-37 Standardization/Evaluation, 71st Operations Group, Vance AFB, Okla.
  9. 9. November 1999 - July 2002, T-37 Instructor Pilot, 5th Flying Training Squadron (AFRC), Vance AFB, Okla.
  10. 10. July 2002 - August 2005, Admissions Liaison Officer-Area 431, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
  11. 11. August 2005 - February 2007, Deputy Liaison Director-Area 431, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
  12. 12. February 2007 - March 2012, Homeland Defense Officer, Headquarters Texas Air National Guard, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas (May 2007 - July 2008, Director of LogisticsJ4, Task Force Aviation, Operation Jump Start, Austin, Texas); (July 2011 - October 2012, Chief of Staff, 71st Troop Command (JTF- 71), Austin, Texas)
  13. 13. March 2012 - December 2013, Deputy Director of Operations for Domestic OperationsA3D, Headquarters Texas Air National Guard, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas (October 2012 - September 2013, Chief of Staff, 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (JTF-136), Round Rock, Texas)
  14. 14. December 2013 - March 2017, Director of Operations-A3, Headquarters Texas Air National Guard, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas
  15. 15. March 2017 - December 2017, Vice Commander, 136th Airlift Wing, Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas
  16. 16. December 2017 - January 2019, Wing Commander, 136th Airlift Wing, Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas
  17. 17. January 2019 - January 2021, Director, Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters-Texas, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas
  18. 18. January 2021 - March 2022, Assistant Adjutant General-Air, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas
  19. 19. March 2022 – Present, Adjutant General, Texas Military Department, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas 

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

  • 1. January 2019 - January 2021, Director, Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters-Texas, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas as a brigadier general
  • 2. January 2021 - March 2022, Assistant Adjutant General-Air, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas as a major general

FLIGHT INFORMATION

  • Rating: Command Pilot
  • Flight hours: More than 2,500
  • Aircraft flown: C-5, C-130H, T-37, T-38

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • Defense Superior Service Medal
    Legion of Merit
    Defense Meritorious Service Medal
    Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
    Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
    Air Force Commendation Medal
    Army Commendation Medal
    Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
    Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters
    National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
    Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
    Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
    Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
    Armed Forces Service Medal with bronze star
    Humanitarian Service Medal
    Air Force Longevity Service Award with three oak leaf clusters
    Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass
    Air Force Training Ribbon
    Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
    Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal
    Texas Outstanding Service Medal
    Texas Medal of Merit
    Adjutant General’s Individual Award with three stars
    Texas Federal Service Medal
    Texas Humanitarian Service Medal
    Texas Homeland Defense Service Medal
    Texas Faithful Service Medal with cactus leaf cluster

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

  • Second Lieutenant May 30, 1990
  • First Lieutenant May 30, 1992
  • Captain May 30, 1994
  • Major Oct. 1, 2001
  • Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 31, 2007
  • Colonel Dec. 6, 2013
  • Brigadier General Jan. 26, 2019
  • Major General Jan. 5, 2021

(Current as of November 2023)

The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing