Lieutenant General Thomas G. Rhame retired from the United States Army on September 30, 1997. Following his retirement, he served as vice president and chief financial officer of the Association of the U.S. Army from 1998 until 2014. His last active duty assignment was as the director of the Defense Security Assistance Agency with the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
He was also the chief of the U.S. Military Training Mission to Saudi Arabia. During Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990 and 1991, General Rhame was the Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One). Under his command, the Division successfully conducted the initial attack to penetrate Iraqi defensive positions, conducted the rapid passage of lines for the British 1st Armored Division, conducted a night attack against elements of the Iraqi Republican Guard, and played a critical role in the liberation of Kuwait. He also served two tours of combat in Vietnam, his first in 1967 commanding B Company, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, and his second in 1971, serving as a District Senior Advisor with USAMACV.
General Rhame received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster), the Distinguished Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Silver Star (with oak leaf cluster), the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with V device (with two oak leaf clusters), the Meritorious Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal with V device.
He graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Infantry, through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1963. He holds a Master of Business Administration with a Comptroller specialty from Syracuse University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College, class of 1981.
General Rhame is married to his high school sweetheart, the former Linda Saunders of Lecompte, Louisiana. They reside in Woodbridge, Virginia, and have two children, Rebecca Isakower and Gregg Rhame, and three grandchildren, Taylor, Ashley and Emily.