Leon Neil Thurgood is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who last served as the director of Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space, and Rapid Acquisition of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology. He previously served as the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology.[1][2][3][4]

L. Neil Thurgood
Official portrait, 2021
Birth nameLeon Neil Thurgood
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Army
Years of service1983–2022
RankLieutenant General
Battles / warsGulf War
War in Afghanistan
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (4)
Bronze Star Medal

Thurgood is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His father, Leon Thurgood, was also an officer in the United States military. Most of the time he was growing up he lived in various countries in Europe. Thurgood began his education at Brigham Young University and served a mission for the Church in the England Birmingham Mission. He then entered the United States military as an enlisted man. He later studied at the University of Utah where he was part of the ROTC. He has a doctorate in strategic planning and organizational behavior from the University of Sarasota.[5]

Thurgood retired from active duty in 2022.[6]

References

edit

  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.

  1. ^ "Lieutenant General Leon N. Thurgood - General Officer Management Office". www.gomo.army.mil.
  2. ^ amy.tolson@theredstonerocket.com, AMY GUCKEEN TOLSON Staff writer (November 25, 2015). "Thurgood credits his second star to help from others". The Redstone Rocket.
  3. ^ "Leadership | The Army RCCTO". rapidcapabilitiesoffice.army.mil.
  4. ^ "Army's first hypersonics director receives his third star". www.army.mil. April 26, 2019.
  5. ^ Church News, May 31, 2021
  6. ^ "EC3667 — Executive Communication, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". U.S. Congress. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
edit
Military offices
Preceded by Program Executive Officer for Missiles and Space of the United States Army
2013–2016
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology
2016–2017
Succeeded by
Deputy Commander of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan
2017–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Director for Test of the Missile Defense Agency
2018–2019
Succeeded by
New office Director of Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space, and Rapid Acquisition of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology
2019–2022
Succeeded by