Thomas E. Drew
Major General (Vermont) Thomas E. Drew (born August 8, 1950) was the adjutant general of the State of Vermont. In this post he served as the senior uniformed military officer in the state, and was responsible for the organization, training and equipping of the 4,000 members of the Vermont Army and Air National Guard. As adjutant general, he also served as inspector general, quartermaster general and head of the State Military Department, including veterans affairs.
Thomas E. Drew | |
|---|---|
 Major General Thomas E. Drew | |
| Born | August 8, 1950 Proctor, Vermont |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1973–2001, 2006–2013 |
| Rank |  Major general |
| Unit | Vermont National Guard |
| Commands held | Company A, 2nd Battalion 172nd Armor (1983 to 1985) 1st Battalion 172nd Armor (1992 to 1995) 86th Armored Brigade (1997 to 2000) Vermont National Guard (August, 2012 to March, 2013) |
| Battles/wars | Operation Enduring Freedom |
| Awards | Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal (5) Army Commendation Medal (2) Army Achievement Medal |
| Other work | Executive Director, Addison County branch, Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) |
| Website | http://www.vtguard.com |
Biography
Thomas Edwin Drew was born in Proctor, Vermont, on August 8, 1950.[1] He was raised in Florence, attended school in Florence, Pittsford and Brandon and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1972.[2]
Military career
Drew received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army through UVM's Reserve Officer Training Corps. After serving on active duty with the 9th Infantry Division until 1977, he joined the Vermont National Guard and became a member of the Active Guard and Reserve Program. He retired as a colonel in 2001. Drew's service included command of: Company A, 2nd Battalion, 172nd Armor (1983 to 1985); 1st Battalion, 172nd Armor (1992 to 1995); and the 86th Armored Brigade (1997 to 2000).[3]
Civilian career
Upon retirement, General Drew served as the executive director of the Addison County branch of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a non-profit community service provider in Castleton.[4]
Subsequent military career
In 2006, Drew returned to military service as deputy adjutant general with a state commission as a brigadier general.[5]
Drew served as deputy adjutant general until 2009, when he was voluntarily recalled to active duty as a colonel.[6][7] He deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom as deputy commander of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain).[8][9] During the deployment Drew reached age 60, the mandatory age for retirement from the military, but remained in Afghanistan and continued to serve.[10]
Upon redeploying from Afghanistan Drew returned to the military's Retired Reserve and resumed his state duties as deputy adjutant general.[11]
In 2012 Michael Dubie was appointed as deputy commander of United States Northern Command.[12] Upon Dubie's August 3, 2012, resignation as Vermont's adjutant general to assume his new duties, Drew succeeded him as adjutant general.[13] Drew was subsequently promoted to major general (Vermont), and served out the remainder of Dubie's term.
On February 21, 2013, the Vermont General Assembly elected Steven A. Cray to serve as adjutant general.[14] (In Vermont, the adjutant general is elected for a two-year term in secret balloting by a combined meeting of the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont State Senate in February of each odd-numbered year.)[15]
Cray took over from Drew in a ceremony on March 1, 2013, and Drew retired.[16]
Education
- University of Vermont, Bachelor of Science in History, 1972, Burlington, Vermont
- U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School, Intelligence Officer Basic Course, 1973, Fort Huachuca, Arizona
- United States Army Armor School, Armor Officer Advanced Course, 1984, Fort Knox, Kentucky
- United States Army Command and General Staff College, Command and General Staff Officer Course, 1988, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas[17]
Awards and decorations
 Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle and Pistol bars |
 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Combat Service Identification Badge |
 172nd Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia |
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Effective Dates of Promotions
| Insignia | Rank | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Major General (Vermont) | August 13, 2012 |
 | Brigadier General (Vermont) | April 2, 2006 |
 | Colonel | September 14, 1998 |
 | Lieutenant Colonel | August 18, 1992 |
 | Major | October 23, 1985 |
 | Captain | May 28, 1977 |
 | First Lieutenant | May 28, 1975 |
 | Second Lieutenant | January 26, 1973[19] |
Other achievements
- Order of St. George Bronze Medallion, U.S. Cavalry & Armor Association, 1995
- Order of St. George Silver Medallion, 2000[20]
 Michael Dubie, Peter Shumlin, Drew, Command Sergeant Major Forest Glodgett prepare for Transfer of Authority where Drew succeeded Dubie as Adjutant General. Photo by James Greene, Vermont National Guard. |
 Drew salutes Scott Doyon of Clinton, Maine after presenting Bronze Star Medal, Oct. 21, 2010. |
References
- Vermont Birth Records, 1909-2008, entry for Thomas Edwin Drew, accessed August 3, 2012
- Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont Legislative Directory Archived 2010-12-26 at the Wayback Machine, 2009, page 364
- Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch, Thomas E. Drew, accessed August 3, 2012
- Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory Archived 2012-08-22 at the Wayback Machine, 2011, page 338
- Vermont National Guard Public Affairs, From the Deputy Adjutant General, Green Mountain Guard magazine, August, 2006, page 2
- Vermont National Guard Public Affairs, From the Deputy Adjutant General, Green Mountain Guard magazine, October, 2009, page 2
- Keith McGilvery, Meet the New Man in Charge of the Vt National Guard Archived 2012-08-06 at the Wayback Machine, WCAX-TV, August 3, 2012
- Joanna Fox, Daily Afghan-Iraq Update/11-27, Troop Scoop blog, November 27, 2010
- C. MacGibbon, New Zealand Defence Force, Tribute to Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell, DSD, The Bugle deployment newsletter, October, 2010, page 10
- Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
- Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
- Matt Sutkoski, A Day of Change at the Vermont Guard, Burlington Free Press, August 3, 2012
- Chittenden Community Television, New Vermont Adjutant General, Thomas E. Drew, August 3, 2012
- Kirk Carapezza, Vermont Public Radio, Longtime General Elected to Lead Vermont National Guard, February 21, 2013
- Vermont Emergency Management Agency, Annex O, Vermont Emergency Management Plan, 2011, page 1
- Sam Hemingway, Burlington Free Press, Cray takes helm of Vermont Guard in ceremony at Camp Johnson, March 1, 2013
- Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
- Author's review of Drew's uniform in photos and video of Transfer of Authority ceremony, August 3, 2012
- Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
- Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Michael Dubie |
Vermont Adjutant General 2012–2013 |
Succeeded by Steven A. Cray |