Thomas E. Drew

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Thomas E. Drew
Major General Thomas E. Drew
Born (1950-08-08) August 8, 1950 (age 74)
Proctor, Vermont
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Army
Years of service1973–2001
2006–2013
Rank Major General (Vermont)
UnitVermont National Guard
CommandsCompany 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 / warsOperation Enduring Freedom
AwardsLegion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (5)
Army Commendation Medal (2)
Army Achievement Medal
Other workExecutive Director, Old Homestead Community Center
Executive Director, Addison County branch, Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
Websitehttp://www.vtguard.com

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.

Biography

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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

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Drew received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army through UVM's Reserve Officers' 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

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Upon retirement, Drew served as executive director of Old Homestead Community Center, a Castleton, Vermont nonprofit that provides essential services to seniors and children.[4] After four years in this role, he became executive director of the Addison County branch of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).[5]

Subsequent military career

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In 2006, Drew returned to military service as deputy adjutant general with a state commission as a brigadier general.[6] Drew served as deputy adjutant general until 2009, when he was voluntarily recalled to active duty as a colonel.[7][8] He deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom as deputy commander of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain).[9][10] During the deployment Drew reached age 60, the mandatory age for retirement from the military, but remained in Afghanistan and continued to serve.[11] Upon redeploying from Afghanistan Drew returned to the military's Retired Reserve and resumed his state duties as deputy adjutant general.[12]

In 2012 Michael Dubie was appointed as deputy commander of United States Northern Command.[13] Upon Dubie's August 3, 2012, resignation as Vermont's adjutant general to assume his new duties, Drew succeeded him as adjutant general.[14] Drew was subsequently promoted to major general (Vermont), and served out the remainder of Dubie's term.[15]

Drew was not a candidate for a full term in 2013.[16] On February 21, 2013, the Vermont General Assembly elected Steven A. Cray as Drew's successor.[17] (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. At the time, elections took place in February of each odd-numbered year.)[18] Cray took over from Drew in a ceremony on March 1, 2013, and Drew retired.[19]

Education

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Awards and decorations

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Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle and Pistol bars
86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Combat Service Identification Badge
172nd Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit
Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges. Bronze Star Medal
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges. Meritorious Service Medal (5)
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 myrtle green ribbon with width-3 white stripes at the edges and five width-1 stripes down the center; the central white stripes are width-2 apart
 Army Commendation Medal (2)
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (5)
Bronze star
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
 National Defense Service Medal (3)
Bronze star
 Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one campaign star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device for Mobilization
Width-44 ribbon with width-6 central ultramarine blue stripe, flanked by pairs of stripes that are respectively width-4 emerald, width-3 golden yellow, width-5 orange, and width-7 scarlet Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (2)
NATO Medal
Vermont Distinguished Service Medal
Vermont Medal of Merit
Vermont Commendation Medal
Vermont Outstanding Unit Award
Bronze star
Bronze star
 Vermont Service Ribbon (3)
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
 Vermont Duty Ribbon (5)
Vermont State Special Duty Ribbon[21]

Effective Dates of Promotions

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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[22]

Other achievements

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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

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  1. ^ Vermont Birth Records, 1909-2008, entry for Thomas Edwin Drew, accessed August 3, 2012
  2. ^ Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont Legislative Directory Archived 2010-12-26 at the Wayback Machine, 2009, page 364
  3. ^ Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch, Thomas E. Drew, accessed August 3, 2012
  4. ^ Dritschilo, Gordon (November 24, 2000). "Old Homestead is ready to open". Rutland herald. Rutland, VT. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory Archived 2012-08-22 at the Wayback Machine, 2011, page 338
  6. ^ Vermont National Guard Public Affairs, From the Deputy Adjutant General, Green Mountain Guard magazine, August, 2006, page 2
  7. ^ Vermont National Guard Public Affairs, From the Deputy Adjutant General, Green Mountain Guard magazine, October, 2009, page 2
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ Joanna Fox, Daily Afghan-Iraq Update/11-27, Troop Scoop blog, November 27, 2010
  10. ^ C. MacGibbon, New Zealand Defence Force, Tribute to Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell, DSD, The Bugle deployment newsletter, October, 2010, page 10
  11. ^ Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
  12. ^ Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
  13. ^ Matt Sutkoski, A Day of Change at the Vermont Guard, Burlington Free Press, August 3, 2012
  14. ^ Chittenden Community Television, New Vermont Adjutant General, Thomas E. Drew, August 3, 2012
  15. ^ "New Head of Vermont National Guard Sworn In". WAMC Radio. Albany, NY. Associated Press. March 2, 2013.
  16. ^ Wing, Wilson (December 10, 2012). "2 Guard vets seek adjutant general job". Rutland Herald. Rutland, VT. Associated Press. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Kirk Carapezza, Vermont Public Radio, Longtime General Elected to Lead Vermont National Guard, February 21, 2013
  18. ^ Vermont Emergency Management Agency, Annex O, Vermont Emergency Management Plan[permanent dead link], 2011, page 1
  19. ^ Sam Hemingway, Burlington Free Press, Cray takes helm of Vermont Guard in ceremony at Camp Johnson, March 1, 2013
  20. ^ Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
  21. ^ Author's review of Drew's uniform in photos and video of Transfer of Authority ceremony, August 3, 2012
  22. ^ Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
  23. ^ Vermont National Guard, Biographical sketch
Military offices
Preceded by Vermont Adjutant General
2012–2013 		Succeeded by
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