Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson, vice chair of the U.S. Air Force Space Command, will visit Robert Morris University in Moon Township on Thursday, June 13, to learn about RMU’s veterans programs and collaborations with local military bases.

In particular, Thompson will hear about training exercises conducted by the 911th Airlift Wing and 171st Air Refueling Wing at RMU’s Research and Innovation in Simulation Education (RISE) Center, which provides hands-on education to nursing students and healthcare professionals using state-of-the-art computerized mannequins and trained actors. The RISE Center is part of the RMU School of Nursing, Education and Human Studies and is located in Scaife Hall. 

The general will visit campus from 1 to 2:30 p.m. June 13, which will include a tour of the RISE Center at 1:35 p.m. Members of the media are welcome to attend and should contact Jonathan Potts at 412-397-5291 for more details. 

While on campus, Thompson will also learn about the RMU Center for Veterans and Military Families, which serves veterans and active military personnel enrolled as students at RMU. Approximately 203 veterans and 23 ROTC students are currently enrolled at Robert Morris, which offers free or steeply discounted tuition to veterans through the federal Yellow Ribbon Program and other financial aid programs.

Thompson was commissioned in 1985 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and is a career space officer with assignments in operations, acquisition, and research and development. Air Force Space Command organizes, trains, equips and maintains mission-ready space forces and provides missile warning, positioning, navigation and timing, and communications for North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Strategic Command, and other functional and geographical combatant commands.