Thomas R. Wilson is a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral born in 1946 who rose through intelligence roles to serve as the 13th Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from 1999 to 2002.
Unverified notes from a 2002 meeting attribute to him a claim that he was denied access in 1997 to a special access program involving recovered non-human craft held by a defense contractor.
- Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy, 1969–2002; Director, DIA, July 1999–July 2002.
- Earlier flag assignments included J2, Joint Staff (1997–1999) and Vice J2, Joint Staff.
- Named in 15-page unverified notes (Wilson-Davis memo, surfaced 2019) describing 1997 denial of access to contractor UFO program.
- Wilson has stated in interviews that he met with UFO advocates in 1997 but did not pursue the matter and called the memo fiction.
- The notes were entered into the congressional record in 2022 but remain unverified; Wilson denies the conversation occurred.
- United StatesBorn and served
- United States NavyVice Admiral, 1969–2002
- Defense Intelligence AgencyDirector, 1999–2002
- Joint StaffJ2, 1997–1999
- Central Intelligence AgencyAssociate Director for Military Support, 1998–1999
- Alliant TechsystemsSenior executive, 2002–2009
Background
Thomas Ray Wilson was born on March 4, 1946, in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Ohio State University in 1968 with a degree in agriculture and earned a master’s degree in management and human relations from Webster University. He entered Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, and was commissioned as an ensign in March 1969.
Wilson’s first assignment was in the intelligence division of the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command in Taipei from 1969. He later served in intelligence billets including with Carrier Air Wing Three and as force intelligence officer for Commander, Patrol Wings Atlantic in Brunswick, Maine. He also held a tour as operational intelligence officer with the Iceland Anti-Submarine Warfare Group.
By the early 1990s Wilson had advanced to senior intelligence posts. He served as Director of Intelligence for U.S. Atlantic Command from 1992 to 1994. From 1994 to 1997 he was Vice Director for Intelligence on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon.
In 1997 Wilson attended a Pentagon briefing with Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell and others on UFO-related topics. According to the unverified Wilson-Davis notes, he later inquired about a reported special access program and was told by contractor officials that he lacked need-to-know.
Wilson served as Director of Intelligence (J2) for the Joint Staff from 1997 to 1999 and briefly as Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Military Support at the CIA. He assumed command of the Defense Intelligence Agency on July 27, 1999.
As DIA director through July 2002, Wilson oversaw intelligence support during the transition to the new millennium, Y2K preparations, and the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks. He retired from active duty on August 30, 2002, after 33 years of service.
Wilson received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (three awards), Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (three awards), National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, and CIA Director’s Award, among others.
Following retirement, Wilson joined Alliant Techsystems (ATK) as President of ATK Missile Systems Company and later held senior vice president roles until around 2009. He served on boards of several defense technology companies.
Where They Are Now
As of October 2026, Thomas R. Wilson, age 80, resides in the United States. He has continued limited involvement in defense industry advisory roles since leaving ATK.
Last updated 25 October 2026