Thomas Mays Email and Phone Number

Commanding Officer of Pre-Commissioning Unit/USNS and USS JOHN L. CANLEY (ESB 6), an Expeditionary Sea Staging Base constructed at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in San Diego, CA. ESB-6 is a hybrid vessel with both a MSC civilian mariner crew (49 persons) and two rotational (Blue/Gold) military Crews (136 persons each, 272 total) supporting USMC and USN rotary-wing aviation operations, mine hunting, and special warfare needs, forward deployed to overseas areas of responsibility. ESB-6 was delivered to the US Navy and Military Sealift Command in March of 2023 and commissioned as an operational warship on 17 February 2024. Following delivery and commissioning, oversaw both military crews and CIVMAR crew through sea trials, outfitting, training, certification, and the initial forward deployment to the Western Pacific Commander Seventh Fleet area of operations. Responsible for $3/4B in assets and budgets exceeding $1M annually. USS JOHN L. CANLEY is named after Medal Of Honor recipient Sgt Maj John L. Canley, in recognition of his leadership at Con Thien and Hue City, Vietnam in 1968.

N5 Branch Head (Tactics, Techniques, Procedures and Doctrine Development) at the Surface Mine and Warfighting Development Center - Integrated Air and Missile Defense Division (SMWDC-IAMD), overseeing military and civilian staff in preparation, update and review of tactical doctrine publications regarding ballistic missile, cruise missile, anti-air, UAS/drone, and hypersonic defense of US Navy warships, including the Aegis Combat System, the Ship Self Defense System, the Integrated Combat System, and legacy systems. Also led fleet testing and training events, coordinating Warfare Tactics Instructors with range operations ashore, and handled COVID-19 impacts.

Officer In Charge (OIC) of Coastal Riverine Group TWO Detachment Bahrain (CRG-2 Det Bahrain), a permanently forward deployed and independent element of CRG-2, providing armed Expeditionary Security and Intelligence Teams to Military Sealift Command support vessels and other US flagged merchant vessels in the Commander Fifth Fleet (C5F) area of operations, including the Suez Canal, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, and Arabian/Persian Gulf.

Commanding Officer of Assault Craft Unit TWO (ACU-2), overseeing mixed units of Landing Craft Utility, Landing Craft Mechanized, and Utility Boats in service to Expeditionary Strike Group operations aboard Amphibious assault vessels, ship to shore connector movement, Marine Corps logistic support, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and Maritime Pre-positioning Force offload and onload alongside US Army TRANSCOM seagoing logistics vessels.

Assault Craft Unit TWO, assisting Commanding Officer, see CO entry.

Oversight and management of fleet operations, analysis of situation reports, preparing briefs for higher authority, strategic communications, emergency management, leadership of skilled watchstanders.

Assistant Range Safety Officer and Range Operations Officer at Naval Station Barking Sands, Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), conducting missile and target flyout analysis, safety calculations, flight termination system approval, laser safety evaluation, air and seaborne target management, watchbill approval, and contracting officer representation for land management in support of anti-ballistic missile testing, defensive and offensive directed energy research, antiship cruise missile defense, naval live-fire tactical exercises, and submarine commander training.

Served as Navigator aboard USS BONHOMME RICHARD (LHD 6) and as Staff Navigator for Commander Amphibious Squadron 3, leading one Chief Petty Officer and eight Signalmen and Quartermasters in the development of sailing plans, least time routes, great circle routes, weather avoidance routes, search patterns, and amhibious assault approaches, as well as overseeing USMC on loads and off loads as the Debarkation Control Officer, plus monitoring and leadership of bridge watch teams for precision navigation tracking and logging. As Staff Navigator, performed same planning and coordination role over every squadron ship navigator.

Providing instruction and mentoring regarding basic science, physics, and engineering, gas turbine engineering, DDG engineering, and tactical fleet operations, preparing courses of instruction, evaluating students, preparing qualification standards and guidelines for watchstanders within the fleet, and providing analysis and oversight to the Program Executive Office for Navy student instruction.

Writer's critique and evaluation circle for creative writing.

N4 Materiel Officer at Commander Destroyer Squadron TWO SIX, leading and managing Engineering, Supply, and Logistics concerns for a squadron of one frigate and six DDGs, through all aspects of pre- and post-deployment training and maintenance, as well as remote support of squadron vessels on deployment. While attached to CDS-26, deployed as Staff Tactical Action Officer aboard the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73), serving as the Zulu watch port and starboard for 6 months.

Managing and leading an Engineering Department of approximately 100 subordinates, including 10 Chief Petty Officers and 5 junior officers, overseeing all electrical, auxiliary, and gas turbine propulsion engineering systems aboard a Flight II-A Arleigh Burke destroyer, planning and implementing preventive and corrective maintenance and upgrades per USN standards, training junior officers and enlisted personnel, directing ship's self-defense and offensive operations as a Tactical Action Officer, running the engineering plant as Engineering Officer of the Watch, safely running the ship as Officer of the Deck and Command Duty Officer. Achieved position as Engineer Officer / Chief Engineer at the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. During pre-commissioning time, personally approved and developed all engineering programs and created the department, as well as operating it in service prior to the first deployment overseas.

Managing and leading the Auxiliaries Division within the Engineering Department of the Arleigh Burke class Guided Missile Destroyer USS STETHEM (DDG 63), responsible for one Chief Petty Officer and 10-15 enlisted Enginemen. Tasks included maintenance, repair, and operation of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats, steering gear, air compressors, vapor compression distillers, reverse osmosis desalinators, anchor and line handling equipment, refrigeration and air conditioning systems, and diesel engine repair. In addition, completed tactical and professional training, earning both an Engineering Officer Of The Watch (Gas Turbine) letter and a Surface Warfare Officer pin.

Professional mariner and tactical training as a Surface Warfare Ensign at Surface Warfare Officer's School (SWOS).

Initial accession naval officer training at Officer Candidate School, selected as a Surface Warfare Officer.

A-School and Nuclear Power School training as an Electrician's Mate (Nuclear), in the ranks of FN, EMFN, & EM3, with focus on submarine service after prototype training. Focused upon science, engineering, management, controls, and safety of naval nuclear reactors, power generation and distribution, breakers, bus transfer switches, motors, lighting, troubleshooting, and maintenance aboard ships and submarines. Honor graduate at A-School and Nuclear Power School. Selected at conclusion of training to attend Officer Candidate School and commission as a US Navy Surface Warfare Officer.

Initial accession enlisted recruit training in the US Navy.