Brigadier General Bruce Thompson, Chief of Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Delaware Air National Guard, retires after 32-year career

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NEW CASTLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, DELAWARE --  Brigadier General Bruce Thompson, Chief of Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Delaware Air National Guard, will retire this Sunday September 16 from the ANG after 32 years of service, all with the Delaware ANG.

Major General Francis D. Vavala, Adjutant General, Delaware National Guard, will officiate at the retirement ceremony. Attending will be senior leaders of the Delaware National Guard, invited civilian officials, members of General Thompson's family and other invited guests.

News media invited: Ceremony begins 2:30 p.m. this Sunday September 16, 2012. Call ahead to make arrangements; arrive no later than 2:00 p.m. Address: 2600 Spruance Drive, New Castle, Del., 19720, Headquarters, Delaware ANG. An official Air Force portrait photograph of Gen. Thompson will be provided to news media upon request. Link to biography: http://www.ng.mil/ngbgomo/library/bio/2225.htm

As the Director of Joint Staff, General Thompson serves as the principle advisor to The Adjutant General for the Delaware National Guard. In this role he has direct oversight and advises senior leadership of all matters related to and impacting mission readiness of the 2500 assigned personnel. He also serves as the principle advisor to the Commander of the Delaware Air National Guard for all Air National Guard issues. He is responsible for assisting the planning, directing and administering programs for approximately 1,100 Air National Guard personnel within the state. He is further responsible for providing trained, equipped and mission ready forces in support of federal mobilization requirements and state emergency operations. He develops plans, programs and policies in support of the Delaware ANG C-130 wing and maintains liaison with major commands and the National Guard Bureau.

General Thompson has served as an Instructor and Standardization/Evaluation Pilot for the C-130 Aircraft with 32 combat sorties and 197 combat support sorties. He served as the 166th Airlift Wing Commander and is a veteran of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. General Thompson is a command pilot with over 4,500 hours in the C-130A, C-130H2, T-37 and T-38.

General Thompson was born and raised in West Chester, Pa. He graduated from Henderson Senior High School in West Chester and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from West Chester University. Additionally he has earned a Master of Science degree in Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

For his civilian employment General Thompson is an Airline Captain on the Airbus 319/320 with US Airways Inc., with over 20,000 hours of total flying time.

The Delaware Air National Guard is a reserve component of the U.S. Air Force with 1,100 positions under command of the Governor of Delaware, or the President of the United States when mobilized. The Delaware ANG has been serving Delaware and the United States of America since 1946.

This release is in the public domain, and any part may be used as written.

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