Jim Thomas is a Principal in the Telemus Group, a strategic advisory firm specializing in defense forecasting and analysis. He served for thirteen years in the U.S. Department of Defense, culminating in his dual appointment as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Resources and Plans, and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy. During his tenure in the Pentagon, he was responsible for the development of U.S. defense strategy, guidance for conventional force planning, resource assessment, and the oversight of war plans.

 

Mr. Thomas currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), as an Adjunct with the RAND Corporation, and as a Consultant to National Defense University’s Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction. He frequently testifies before Congress and has published numerous analytic studies with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA), the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and CNAS. His articles have appeared in Foreign Affairs, The American Interest, The National Interest, and the Wall Street Journal. 

Prior to co-founding the Telemus Group, Mr. Thomas was Vice President and Director of Studies at CSBA. Earlier in his career, Mr. Thomas was Vice President of Applied Minds, Inc., a private research and development company specializing in rapid, interdisciplinary technology prototyping. Mr. Thomas is a former US Naval Reserve officer. He is a recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds an MA in Strategic Studies and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, an MA in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia, and a BA degree with high honors in International Relations from the College of William and Mary.