Announcement of the Confirmation
of Colonel Jackie (J.J.) L. Thompson, Jr. to Brigadier General and Assignment as
Chief Defense Counsel, Office of Military Commissions
I am pleased to announce that the President has nominated and the United States Senate has confirmed Colonel Jackie (J.J.) L. Thompson, Jr. for appointment to the grade of Brigadier General and assignment as Chief Defense Counsel, Office of Military Commissions (OMC).
Colonel Thompson’s extraordinary career, spanning over 31 years, evidences his superb skills as a Judge Advocate, Army officer, and leader. Currently, COL Thompson serves as the Chief of the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service (USATDS). Prior to assuming those duties, he served as the Staff Judge Advocate for Fort Benning, Georgia; the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for U.S. Army Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany; the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for U.S. Army Central Command, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; the Southeast Regional Defense Counsel, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; the Officer-in-Charge of Operational Law, Mission Command Training Program, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and as a Brigade Judge Advocate, Fort Carson, Colorado. COL Thompson’s earlier military assignments include service as the Chief of Administrative Law and Chief of Justice at Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Senior Defense Counsel for U.S. Forces in Northern Iraq; Training Officer for the USATDS in Arlington, Virginia; and as a Trial Counsel, Legal Assistance, and Tax Attorney at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
Colonel Thompson’s military awards include the Bronze Star Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters), and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. COL Thompson graduated from Illinois State University in 1993 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. In 1996, while a member of the Army National Guard, he commissioned from Illinois Military Academy Officer Candidate School (OCS). In 1997, he received his Juris Doctor Degree from Northern Illinois University School of Law. COL Thompson also holds an LL.M. in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School U.S. Army. He is a 2010 graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and he has also earned a Master’s Degree in National Security Studies from the U.S. Army War College. COL Thompson is a member of the Bars of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Texas and is admitted to practice before the Army Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the United States Supreme Court.
Please take the opportunity to congratulate Colonel Thompson, his wife, Kenya, and their two children, Addisyn and Micaiah as they continue to serve the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, the United States Army, and the Nation.
STUART W. RISCH
Lieutenant General, USA
The Judge Advocate General