Lieutenant General Thomas M. Montgomery retired from active duty on 1 December 1997 after over 34 years of service. Prior to retirement he was the 20th officer to serve as United States Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee, Brussels, Belgium. As the USMILREP for three years he was the permanent representative of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on NATO’s highest military body during a defining period of change and challenge for the North Atlantic Alliance in the wake of the Cold War. General Montgomery was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on 23 January 1941. He was commissioned a second lieutenant of Armor and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Slavic Languages and Literature ( Russian ) from Indiana University in 1963. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Management from Central Michigan University. He is a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Seminar 21, attended the Center for Creative Leadership Program, and Harvard’s Program for Senior Managers in Government. His military education includes completion of the Armor School, United States Armed Forces Staff College, the Army War College, and the Capstone Course (for joint flag officers). In addition to his last assignment as USMILREP, NATO General Montgomery held a wide variety of important command, staff and management positions during his military career. Key positions included Commander of US Forces in Somalia and (concurrently) Deputy Commander, United Nations Forces, Somalia ( UNOSOM II ) from 9 March 1993 to 28 March 1994. He was also Commander, Joint Task Force, Somalia during the final four months in Somalia. Other key previous positions included Director of Management, Office of the Chief of Staff, US Army; Deputy Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, US Army; Assistant Division Commander (Support), 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized), and Mainz Community Commander, US Army, Europe; Deputy Defense Advisor and Military Advisor to the US Ambassador (Permanent Representative) to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Commander, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, US Army Europe; Inspector General, 21st Support Command, US Army Europe; Commander, 2d Battalion, 34th Armor, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Carson, Colorado. He served two tours in Vietnam, first as a Troop Commander in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and during his second tour as a staff officer in the 23d Infantry Division (Americal), and at Headquarters, US Army, Vietnam. Among the awards and decorations which General Montgomery received are the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Silver Star, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star (with Combat "V" device and three Oak Leaf Clusters for Achievement), the Air Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal, the United Nations Medal, the Knight Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Honor Cross in Silver of the German Armed Forces.
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