Alex Thomson
One of the best leaders I have served under in the Air Force once told me: “If you can’t answer ‘yes’ to these two questions, maybe it’s time to do something else: do you feel like you’re making a difference, and are you having fun?” The realization that I could not answer a resounding “yes” to both of those questions a few years back is what led me on a path to leave Active Duty service and attend our PMBA program as part of my transition into the private sector.
Besides being a native of Los Angeles I’m a second-generation Air Force Officer, and proudly a first-generation graduate of the Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Academy was not your normal college experience and was fairly rigorous; I think I averaged 5.5 hours of sleep for 4 years and ended up taking 40 more credits than a normal undergrad, but I took part in some unique experiences, such as flying in the backseat of an F-16, surviving out in the woods for a week with no food, going on a language immersion trip to Spain, and getting my first black eye in our required boxing class. In 2014 I completed my undergrad in computer science and was commissioned as a cyberspace operations officer. From there I was sent to Travis Air Force Base (AFB) in Northern California, where, as a young officer, I was essentially handed the keys to the base network and was tasked with leading a team of over 120 individuals in supporting the day-to-day IT operations for 12K users. After three exciting years at Travis, we then came to St. Louis where I was assigned to Scott AFB over in IL. In 2020 I was selected for a short-notice deployment to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan in a completely foreign role to me as the “Director of Airfield Operations.” When I arrived, I did not understand the concept of an “active runway” or anything to fly operations but was put over a $3B NATO construction project and led others into harm’s way as we responded to mortar and rocket attacks on the airfield from the enemy. My deployment was truly a life-changing event and I’m grateful I had the chance to serve our nation in a combat zone. I had experiences there that I’ll likely never go through again, but I know will have a lasting impact on me. After I returned from my deployment I knew the time was right to move on from Active Duty into the Air Force Reserve, and it was then I became interested in our PMBA program as we planned to stay in St. Louis. This is how I got to where I am today, but I am most excited about what the next chapter of my life holds.
Since arriving in 2018, my wife, Emily, and I have felt a connection to this city unlike any other. St. Louis is on the cusp of transformational change, and we strive to be a part of its development as we lay down familial roots here, starting with our son, Arthur, born last year, and his sibling coming in May of 2024. Our city has so much to offer (a rich cultural heritage, a thriving arts scene, and world-class dining experiences to name a few), but we will not reach our prime until we address the repercussions of historic “redlining” and systemic racism that has weakened our already-struggling neighborhoods. In pursuing the PMBA program, one of my biggest hopes was I would meet other leaders who similarly value the potential our city holds and will join me in a commitment to bring equity to where it is most needed in our community. Thankfully I believe I have met many of those leaders already, so I look forward to the opportunity for us to show St. Louis that Olin graduates can be the architects of an inclusive and prosperous future.