Thomas F. Metz (b.
Elkin
, North
Carolina
1948) is a Lieutenant General in the
United States Army. He is
currently the director of the
Joint
Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. He has been in
this position since November 2007 and reports directly to the
Deputy Secretary of Defense. Previously he was the Deputy
Commanding General and Chief of Staff,
U.S. Army Training and
Doctrine Command. Previous to that assignment he was Commanding
General of the
U.S. III Corps and Fort Hood
. He assumed command of III Corps on 7
February 2003.
Metz lived in North Carolina until enlisting in the Army in June
1966. In August, after basic training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, he
entered the United States Military Academy Preparatory School.
He
received a Regular Army Appointment to the United States
Military Academy
, and he entered in July 1967. Upon
graduation from West Point in June 1971, he was commissioned a
Second Lieutenant in the Infantry.
From March 1972 until January 1975, Metz served as Platoon Leader,
Assistant S-3, Scout Platoon Leader, and Combat Support Company
Executive Officer with 1st Battalion, 509th Airborne Infantry, in
Germany and Italy.
Metz took
command of Company C, 10th BCT Battalion, Fort Jackson,
South Carolina
, in January 1976. He relinquished
command in June 1976 to become the Aide-de-Camp for the Commander,
Readiness Region VI, at Fort
Knox
, Kentucky. While at Fort Knox, he commanded
C Company, 4th Battalion, 54th Infantry (Mechanized),
194th Armored Brigade,
from June 1977 until June 1978.
Metz returned to West Point in June 1981 and was an Assistant
Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department until May 1984.
He moved
to Fort
Benning
, Georgia, where he was the S-3 and XO of the 3d
Battalion, 7th Infantry (Mechanized); and the S-3, 197th Separate
Infantry Brigade (Mechanized). While at Fort Benning, he
also served as a Division Chief in the
Infantry School's Combat
Developments Directorate from May 1986 until June 1987.
Returning to Fort Knox in June 1987, Metz commanded the 4th
Battalion, 15th Infantry (Mechanized), 194th Armored Brigade, until
July 1989. From June 1990 until June 1992, he served as the G-3, 2d
Infantry Division, Republic of Korea.
Metz commanded the 2d Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized),
from July 1992 to July 1994.
He then served as the Division and Fort Riley
Chief of Staff until May 1995. After his
tour in the 1st Infantry Division, LTG Metz joined the Training and
Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and served as Director of the Army's
Experimental Force Coordination Cell for the 4th Infantry Division
(Mechanized) at Fort Hood, Texas, and the Assistant Division
Commander for Support for the 4th Infantry Division
(Mechanized).
In February 1998, Metz was assigned as the Deputy Director for
Joint Warfighting Capabilities Assessment, J-8, until June 2000.
Metz served as Vice Director for Force Structure, Resources, and
Assessment, J-8, The Joint Staff, until November 2001.
On 7 November 2001, Metz assumed command of the
24th Infantry
Division (Mechanized) and Fort Riley. During this time period,
Metz was chosen to serve for 4 months as the Chief of Staff,
CENTCOM, during
Operation Enduring Freedom from
October 2002 to January 2003.
Metz holds
a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina
State University
. He also holds a professional engineer's
license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. His military schools
include the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the
Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.
Metz's awards and decorations include the
Defense Distinguished
Service Medal,
Army
Distinguished Service Medal,
Legion
of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters,
Meritorious Service
Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with 2
Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service
Medal with 2 Service Stars, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service
Ribbon with Numeral 3,
Expert
Infantryman Badge,
Senior
Parachutist Badge,
Ranger Tab, and
Belgium Brevet "A" Commando.
References
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