What is gen raymond thomas?

General Raymond Anthony Thomas III was a retired four-star general in the United States Army who served as the commander of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) from March 2016 to March 2019. He was the first black officer to hold that position.

Born in 1958 in Jacksonville, Florida, Thomas attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and later earned a Master's degree in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. He served in various positions during his over 30-year career in the military, including as a commander in Afghanistan and Iraq.

During his tenure as the commander of USSOCOM, Thomas oversaw a range of special operations forces, including the Army’s Special Forces, the Navy’s SEALs, and the Air Force’s special operations units. He was instrumental in the development of new technologies and tactics to support special operations, including the use of drones and cyber capabilities.

After retiring from the military in 2019, Thomas served as a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a think tank focused on defense and security issues. He has also been a frequent commentator on national security and military affairs.