Air Force CIO office undergoes more changes

Rob Thomas, the Air Force’s chief civilian information technology official, is leaving to become executive director of the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. David Tillotson III, a top civilian in the Air Force’s IT office, will replace Thomas, said Nicole VanNatter, an Air Force spokeswoman.

Thomas currently serves as the deputy chief in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer. Tillotson works as director of architecture and operational support modernization, one of the office’s three directorates.

Former F-15 fighter pilot Lt. Gen. William “Tom” Hobbins now heads the office, but he leaves later this week to become commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe. He will receive the title general and his fourth-star. Maj. Gen. Michael Peterson, director of information, services and integration in the office, will replace Hobbins and receive his third star.

Thomas replaces Gregory Den Herder, who retires in February 2006. Maj. Gen. Tony Przybyslawski serves as commander of the Air Force Personnel Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Thomas is known for his acumen in modernizing the Air Force’s and the military’s business processes and systems. He comes to the Air Force Personnel Center about six months after a hacker gained access into an Air Force personnel system and accessed individual information on about half of its officers and “a handful” of its noncommissioned officers.