[2] He was the former commanding general of United States V Corps in Heidelberg, Germany from 19 January 2007 to 8 August 2007.

[3] He was raised in Marietta and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from East Central University.

Thurman's previous assignments also include Commander of 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment; 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany; Commander, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart, Georgia; Commander, Operations Group, United States Army National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California; Assistant to the Chief of Staff for Plans and Policy, Allied Forces Southern Europe, Regional Command South, Italy; Commanding General, Fort Irwin National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California; Director of Training, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3, United States Army; and Chief, Operations, Coalition Forces Land Component Command, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Camp Doha, Kuwait.

Thurman left Kuwait to become the director, Army Aviation Task Force, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3, United States Army in Washington, D.C., where he remained until his arrival at Fort Hood as the 4th Infantry commanding general.

On 2 October 2006, Thurman was nominated for promotion by President George W. Bush for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general.