Major General Thomas L. Wilkerson, USMC ret

General Thomas L. Wilkerson was born on February 11, 1946, in Pocatello, Idaho. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1967 (B.S. International Relations) and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. After completing Naval flight training, he was designated a Naval Aviator in June 1969.

General Wilkerson's formal military education included The Basic School, Amphibious Warfare School, the NATO Senior Officers' Course, Armed Forces Staff College, and the National War College. He served two tours of Joint staff duty, first as the action officer on national military strategy in the Plans Division of Marine Headquarters and, second as the Marine Member on the personal Staff Group of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

General Wilkerson spent most of his Fleet Marine Force career in fighter/attack aviation. He attained over 3,000 hours accident free flight time in the F4 Phantom and the F/A-18 Hornet. His squadron duty included department head tours as Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Operations Officer, and Executive Officer. He was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) and a Marine Fighter Tactics Instructor.

From 1975 to 1977, then Captain Wilkerson served as Marine Exchange pilot with the Royal Air Force. From 1985 to 1987, then Lieutenant Colonel Wilkerson commanded VMFA-251, the Marine Corps' sixth F/A-18 Hornet squadron.In 1990, then Colonel Wilkerson served as the Special Assistant to the Commanding General, Marine Forces Central Command, in Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Storm.

In April 1992, Wilkerson was advanced to brigadier general and assigned to be the Deputy Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Later that year he was ordered to Headquarters Marine Corps for duty as the Chief Marine Corps Planner. He was advanced to major general in June of 1994. From July of 1995 to July of 1998, he was Commander, Marine Forces Reserve, the Corps largest command with over 100,000 Marines at 200 sites around the country. General Wilkerson was retired from the Marine Corps on 1 September 1998 after 31 years of service.The general is a member of The Society of the Cincinnati, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Revised Sep. 12, 1995 HQMC
Updated: 02/04/02 08:50 AM

Photo Credit: USMC Photo