Early Life:
Thomas F. Drayton Jr. was born on February 23, 1949, in Sumter, South Carolina to Thomas F. and Lillian P. Drayton. His father was a pharmacist and his mother was a school teacher. Drayton grew up in Sumter, where he attended local public schools.
Education:
Drayton attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. He also holds a Master of Science degree in civil engineering from Stanford University.
Military Career:
After graduating from West Point, Drayton was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Over the course of his distinguished 40-year military career, he served in a variety of command and staff positions.
Command Assignments:
- He commanded the 32nd Engineer Group in Germany.
- He served as the Commander of the 20th Engineer Brigade in Korea.
- He was the Commandant of the United States Army Engineer School.
- He commanded the United States Army Engineer Center and Fort Leonard Wood.
- He served as the Commanding General of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), headquartered at Fort Monroe, Virginia.
Staff Assignments:
- He served as a project officer in the Office of the Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C.
- He served as the Special Assistant to the Commanding General of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).
- He was a member of the Defense Science Board, a federal advisory committee.
- He served on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, where he was responsible for overseeing military construction and facilities management issues.
Afghanistan and Iraq:
Drayton was appointed as the Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Joint Command in Afghanistan from March 2006 to March 2007. He was responsible for overseeing international forces as they worked to establish security and stability in the country.
He also played a key role in Iraq as the Commanding General of the Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) and as the Commander of the United States Forces-Iraq (USF-I) from June 2009 to June 2010.
Adviser to L-3 Communications:
After retiring from active military service, Drayton became a senior advisor for L-3 Communications, a global aerospace, defense, and security company. He provided advice and guidance to the company's executives and managers.
Board Member:
Drayton currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization that provides support to military families. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Association of the United States Army (AUSA).
Personal
Drayton married his wife Anne in 1971, and they have two children, Thomas III and Allison.