Captain Thomas Francis Burke was commissioned as an Adjutant General Officer upon graduation from 51st Company, Infantry Officer Candidate School Class 01-73 on January 16, 1973. His first duty assignment was to Fort Bliss, Texas.

His last duty assignments were served in: 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina and United States Central Command, Office of Military Cooperation, American Embassy, Somalia.

His military education includes the Infantry Officer Advance Course and Special Forces Officer Course.

His highest military awards include: Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Special Forces Tab, Expert Infantry Badge, and Marine Corps Combat Action Medal. He is also the recipient of the Army's Meritorious Civilian Service Award and numerous Department of State Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards.

After military service, Captain Burke went on to a distinguished career with the Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer. He was selected for Flag Officer Equivalent, and served at American Embassies in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Venezuela, India, Belarus, Iraq and Afghanistan. His notable assignments include: Supervisory Post Management Officer for the Near East and South Central Asian Executive Bureau; Senior Foreign Service Officer, Provisional Reconstruction Team, Taji, Iraq; Senior Liaison Officer, American Embassy Office of lnteragency Provisional Affairs to International Security Assistance Force; and Deputy Chief of Staff for the Stability Operations Headquarters. He retired from the Foreign Service in 2012 but continues to serve as an lnteragency Consultant to the Department of Defense and is a certified Motorcycle Rider Coach in Florida and the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy.