He is also a graduate of the Senior Acquisition Course, a Level III-Certified Program Manager, and have attended the Defense Systems Management College, Air War College, and National Defense University as part of his professional military education.

[6] From 1985 to 1988, Thompson was assigned at the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory at Edwards Air Force Base, California, as an experimental rocket propulsion engineer and chief of motor/component operations section.

After receiving his graduate from Purdue, he went back to USAFA, now as an instructor of astronautics, assistant professor, and executive officer, for three years from 1989 to 1992.

He continued his studies from 1992 to 1995 at the Presidio of Monterey, California and Johannes Kepler University Linz.

From 2002 to 2004, he was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, as operations officer and commander of the 2nd Space Launch Squadron.

[5] In June 2005, Thompson took command of the 45th Operations Group (45 OG) at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida.

[7] On April 4, 2018, he then resumed his previous position as AFSPC vice commander, promoted to lieutenant general.

In August 2020, he was nominated for transfer to the Space Force at his current rank of lieutenant general.

[9] He was also nominated for appointment to the rank of general[10] and assignment as the first vice chief of space operations.

"I was drawn to HawkEye 360 by the vision and passion of the company leadership to serve the security needs of the nation and its Armed Forces," Thompson wrote.