First Lieutenant Thomas D. Arthur was commissioned as an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class #35-67, 19 June 1967. His first duty assignment was as Executive Officer for a Basic Training Company at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He was then assigned as a Senior Advisor to a Vietnamese Infantry Battalion. | He is a graduate of the Military Assistance Training Advisor Course and the Vietnamese Language School. His civilian education includes a Bachelors Degree from the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill and a Masters of Business Administration from East Carolina University. | First Lieutenant Arthur's military awards and decorations include: the Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, two Overseas Service Bars, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star Device, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. | First Lieutenant Arthur has served as Vice President of a Florida-based investment banking firm; Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Havatampa Corporation; and President, Chief Executive Officer, and majority shareholder of Havatampa Incorporated, the second largest cigar manufacturing company in the U.S. He has also served on boards and community organizations, including the BB&T Center for Leadership Development at East Carolina University, First Florida Bank, Metropolitan Ministries, Berkeley Preparatory School and the YMCA of Tampa. He has also been active with the Veterans Airlift Command and has served as Director and Secretary of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation Board.