Thompson responsible for clearing air space for missiles, shuttles
Cedar Point native son responsible for clearing air space for missiles, shuttles
Staff reporter
He was an average boy growing up in Chase County. He attended grade school at Cedar Point through the eighth grade, and graduated from Chase County High School.
His mother said she had no idea her only child was interested in missiles and shuttles.
Colonel Wayne Thompson retired Friday after serving 25 years in the U.S. Air Force.
The son of Joan Thompson and the late Dean Thompson of Cedar Point, his mother said she didn't know much about her son's job because of security issues.
"I didn't ask questions," Thompson said. "I knew he would tell me what he could."
Wayne was Chief Wing Safety of the 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base in Melbourne, Fla.
"He was responsible for clearing air space for missiles and shuttles," Thompson explained.
Thompson said as a boy her son didn't show any particular interest in the military or space travel.
"I don't know how he got involved," Thompson said. "He became active in the ROTC (Army Reserve Officer Training Corps) in college. He had a full scholarship with the ROTC his last two years."
She does remember a cousin of Wayne's who was a fighter pilot.
"Maybe the cousin influenced him," Thompson said.
A 1975 graduate of Chase County High School and a 1979 graduate of Kansas State University, Wayne Thompson continued his education — earning a master of business administration degree at the University of Montana.
His mother recalled when Wayne was stationed in the 341st Strategic Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.
"He started out sitting in a missile silo for 24 hours at a time," Joan Thompson said. "There would be two of them together in the silo. If they got the word to launch a missile, they would be the ones to do it."
Part of their responsibility, she said, was to determine if it was an authentic message and decide whether to launch a missile.
"They did have a close call one time," Thompson said. "Luckily, they didn't have to fire it."
From 1980 to 1984 at the Montana base, he was an evaluator, instructor, deputy crew commander, and crew commander.
He then was stationed for three years in the test and evaluation division of the 1st Strategic AeroSpace Division, at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Wayne was stationed at Offutt AFB in Nebraska from 1987 to 1994 with duties that included program manager for a missile program, staff officer, chief of a missiles operations branch, and director of strategic plans division.
He then went to the Pentagon from 1994 to 1997 and worked in the joint chief's office.
"Wayne was involved in the programming of missiles," Thompson said.
Following his stint at the Pentagon, Wayne was the operations officer of the 400th Missile Squadron at FE Warren AFB, Wyo., commander of the 45 Range Squadron, Cape Canaveral AFB, Fla., and chief wing safety, 45th Space Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla.
Throughout his military career, Wayne worked directly with NASA.
Del Leeds of Florence has known Col. Thompson and the Thompson family for more than 10 years.
Leeds remembers when Col. Thompson's mother and father would visit a local Florence café daily and he would meet them for coffee.
"Col. Thompson's father had a stroke and also was wheelchair-bound, as I am," Leeds said. Because of this commonality, Leeds became friends with the couple and their son.
"It was through him I became interested in the space program," Leeds said.
When Col. Thompson was transferred to Florida, it became more interesting for Leeds to follow Wayne's career.
"It was more exciting for me to watch the shuttle or a rocket launch knowing someone I knew was sitting in launch control and had a vested interest in its success," Leeds said.
Leeds sees Col. Thompson occasionally when he came back to the area to visit his parents. They also correspond through e-mail.
Upon his retirement, Wayne was the director of staff for the 45th Space Wing Division.
About AFSC
The mission of the Air Force Space Command (AFSC) is to defend the U.S. through the control and exploitation of space.
In 1982, missile warning and space operations were combined to form a new command with space operations as its primary mission.
During the Cold War, space operations focused on missile warning, space surveillance, and command and control for national leadership. In 1991, Operation Desert Storm provided emphasis on the command's new focus on support to the warfighter.
In 2002, following a recommendation from the Space Commission, AFSC was assigned its own four-star commander after previously sharing a commander with two other commands.
Approximately 38,000 people, including 25,000 active duty military and civilians, and 13,000 contractor employees, continue to perform AFSC missions.
AFSC operates and supports the Global Positioning System, Defense Satellite Communications Systems, Defense Meterological Support Program, Defense Support Program, and serves as backup command and control support for NATO IV and Skynet IV.
It also operates a worldwide network of satellite tracking stations to provide communications links to satellites — a system called the Air Force Satellite Control Network.
AFSC is the Air Force's lead command and largest operator of UH-1N Huey helicopters.
Achievements, future plans
During his career, Wayne was awarded Air Force commendation medals with two oak leaf clusters, a meritorious service medal with oak leaf cluster, joint service achievement medal, and a combat readiness medal. He also earned a master missile operations badge and master space operations badge.
He was promoted to colonel in January 2002.
Wayne retired Friday from the military and began a new job Monday at Booz Allen & Hamilton, a leading management consulting firm in Melbourne.
"He'll continue to work in the safety field," his mother said.
Wayne has four children — Dustin 24, Chad 22, William 19, and Lina 16, and one stepson, Jason 25.
"Dustin is married and expecting a baby soon," Thompson said. "Chad will graduate from college soon."
The two sons reside in Topeka.
The two younger children live in Florida and Jason is in the U.S. Air Force, Thompson said.
"Wayne was back last summer to Cedar Point," Thompson said. She expects him to return after the baby is born and when Chad graduates from college.
