Thomas P. Bostick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas P. Bostick
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Official portrait, 2012
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| Born | September 23, 1956 Fukuoka, Japan |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1978–2016 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
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Thomas Paul Bostick, born on September 23, 1956, is a respected leader who served as the 53rd Chief of Engineers for the United States Army. He was also the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He made history as the only African American graduate of West Point, the nation's first engineering school, to become the Chief of Engineers and lead the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. After his military career, Bostick worked as a top executive at Intrexon Bioengineering, now called Precigen. He also serves on the boards of several companies and non-profit groups. One non-profit, American Corporate Partners, helps U.S. Veterans move from military life to civilian jobs.
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Early Life and Education
Thomas Bostick was born on September 23, 1956, in Fukuoka, Japan. He grew up in an Army family and lived in many different places around the world. He was one of five children of Master Sergeant Sidney C. Bostick and Mrs. Fumiko M. Bostick.
In June 1978, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree. While at West Point, Bostick was the captain of the 150-pound football team. He continued his education, earning two Master of Science degrees in civil and mechanical engineering from Stanford University in 1985. He also taught as an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at West Point. Later, he earned an MBA from Oxford University and a PhD in systems engineering from George Washington University in 2016. Bostick is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia.
Military Career
After graduating from West Point, Bostick became a second lieutenant combat engineer officer. His first assignment was in Germany with the 54th Engineer Battalion. There, he led a platoon, managed battalion maintenance, and commanded a company. His company was recognized for having the best maintenance program in the Army. Bostick also represented the Army in powerlifting competitions.
He later served as an assistant professor at West Point. He was also a White House Fellow, working as a special assistant to the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. In 2015, Lieutenant General Bostick received the John W. Gardner Legacy of Leadership Award. This is the highest award from the White House Fellows Foundation. General Colin Powell presented him with this award at the 50th Anniversary of the White House Fellows program.
In 1990, Bostick worked at the U.S. Army Europe Headquarters in Germany. He helped plan the reduction of military forces in Europe. He then held leadership roles in engineer battalions and served as an executive officer for the Chief of Engineers. He later commanded the 1st Engineer Battalion in Kansas. His battalion helped fight fires in Idaho in 1994.
Bostick then commanded the Engineer Brigade in the 1st Armored Division. Parts of his brigade were sent to Bosnia and Kosovo. His brigade also took part in ceremonies for the 55th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. He always encouraged his teams to do their best. One of his companies won the Itschner Award for the Best Engineer Company in the Army.
He also served as the Executive Officer for the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Eric K. Shinseki. Later, he was a watch officer at the National Military Command Center. He was on duty during the September 11 attacks.
Leading the 1st Cavalry Division
Bostick served as an Assistant Division Commander for the 1st Cavalry Division. He helped train and send over 25,000 soldiers and their equipment to Iraq. This was a huge task that required careful planning.
Commander in Iraq
Next, he commanded the Gulf Region Division in Iraq. There, he and his teams started over $11 billion worth of construction projects in just one year. They worked to rebuild important infrastructure. He created successful teams where U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) engineers worked closely with combat units. This improved teamwork and led to greater success.
Leading Army Recruiting
In 2005, the Army needed help with recruiting new soldiers. Bostick was assigned as the Commanding General of U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC). He made big changes, like focusing on team recruiting instead of individual recruiting. He also made sure to support the well-being of soldiers and their families. He was part of the team that created the "Army Strong" slogan. Under his leadership, Army recruiting met its goals for almost ten years.
Army's Chief Human Resources Officer
As the Army's Chief Human Resources Officer, Bostick was responsible for policies affecting over 1 million soldiers and 330,000 civilians. He worked on important issues with Army leaders. These included creating more opportunities for women and improving medical care for returning troops. He also helped make recommendations to allow gay and lesbian individuals to serve openly in the military.
Chief of Engineers and Commanding General
As the Chief of Engineers, Bostick managed over 3,000 projects. These included maintaining over $225 billion worth of water infrastructure. He also oversaw large construction, environmental, and energy projects. He led over 34,000 employees in 43 Districts and seven Laboratories, working in over 110 countries.
After Superstorm Sandy, Bostick put together a skilled team. They completed projects as part of a $5 billion recovery program. All projects were finished on time, under budget, and with high quality.
During his time as Chief of Engineers, the Corps completed the $1.35 billion Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Borgne Surge Barrier in New Orleans. This was the largest design-build project in the Corps' history. It won a major engineering award in 2014. Bostick also worked with Congress and local communities to complete a unique flood risk management project in Fargo-Moorhead.
Bostick has appeared on news channels like CNN and Fox News. He has spoken about resilience at the United Nations and other important events. In 2014, he gave the commencement speech at Tuskegee University and received an honorary doctorate degree.
After His Military Career
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After his military career, Bostick joined Intrexon Corporation. He became the Senior Vice President of the Environment Sector. In this role, he worked on using biology to protect and clean up the environment. In 2017, he became the Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the company's operations. In 2019, he was named President of Intrexon Bioengineering. This part of the company works on biological solutions for global challenges in food, agriculture, and energy. Bostick left Intrexon in February 2020 after helping with a big reorganization.
In 2017, Lieutenant General Bostick was elected to the National Academy of Construction. He was also inducted into the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science Hall of Fame for his many contributions to engineering. He was also elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2017. This was for his new ideas in hurricane protection and his leadership of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
On February 12, 2021, Bostick was appointed to a special commission. This commission was tasked by Congress to review the naming of Department of Defense items that honor the Confederate States of America.
In 2023, Bostick gave the commencement remarks at the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Awards and Honors
Bostick has received many awards and decorations for his service:
- Distinguished Service Medal
- Defense Superior Service Medal
- Legion of Merit (with two Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Bronze Star Medal
- Defense Meritorious Service Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal (with four Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Joint Service Commendation Medal
- Army Commendation Medal
- Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Combat Action Badge
- United States Parachutist Badge
- Army Recruiter Badge
- Ranger Tab
- Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
- Army Staff Identification Badge
- Elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2017)
