Brigadier General Tom Draude (Ret.) United States Marine Corps

Brigadier General Tom Draude is the Chief Executive Officer of the Marine Corps University Foundation and The Robert A. Lutz Distinguished Chair of Military Studies at the Marine Corps University. General Draude started at the Foundation in September 2004, and teaches an elective course at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Information Operations and will co-teach an elective on Innovation and Transformation.

General Draude retired in April 2003 as the Senior Vice President and General Manager of USAA’s Southeast Regional Office (SERO) located in Tampa, Florida. He oversaw operations and directed the activities of over 1,700 employees who provide insurance products and services to policyholders in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee. He joined USAA’s San Antonio, Texas, corporate headquarters in February 1993 as Vice President of Support Services. In August 1993, he was promoted to Senior Vice President, Administration and Marketing for USAA Federal Savings Bank, a USAA subsidiary also located in San Antonio. In April 1995, he was reassigned to USAA’s Property & Casualty Insurance Group, and after a brief period of orientation assumed the position of Senior Vice President and General Manager of USAA’s Western Regional Office (WESTRO) in Sacramento, California, in September 1995. He was reassigned to the Tampa office in April 1996. While in Tampa, Tom was an Adjunct Professor at Saint Leo University teaching courses on the Vietnam War and War and Peace.

Prior to his years at USAA, General Draude served in the United States Marine Corps for 30 ½ years, retiring on January 1, 1993, as a Brigadier General. His career included serving three times in Vietnam as an infantry platoon and company commander, and as an advisor to the Vietnamese Marines. He was the Assistant Division Commander of the First Marine Division during Desert Shield and Desert Storm; he was also responsible for the Marine deception operations in the combat theatre. He retired as the Director of Public Affairs for the Marine Corps and served on the Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces. He received ten personal awards for combat, including two Silver Star Medals and the Purple Heart Medal. His other medals and decorations include: the Defense Distinguished Service Medal: Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit with Combat "V"; Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V"; Meritorious Service Medal with gold star in lieu of a second award; Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V"; Army Commendation Medal; Combat Action Ribbon; two Presidential Unit Citations; four Navy Unit Commendations; Meritorious Unit Commendation; National Defense Service Medal with one bronze star; Vietnam Service Medal with one silver star and three bronze stars; Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one bronze star; Overseas Service Ribbon; Marine Security Guard Ribbon; Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm and Bronze Star; Vietnam Honor Medal, First Class; Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citations (Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm and Civil Action Medal, First Class with Palm); Vietnam Campaign Medal; the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia); and the Liberation Medal (Kuwait).

Born in Kankakee, Illinois, Tom graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy. He was awarded a Master’s degree in Military Arts and Sciences and was an honor graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He is also a graduate of the National War College.

Tom’s dedication and contributions to the Naval Academy have continued throughout his life. During the early 1970s he served a tour at the Naval Academy, first as a Company Officer for two years and then as the Performance Officer for the third year. In 1997 he was asked to serve on the Special Committee to the Board of Visitors, United States Naval Academy. His Committee investigated a number of issues adversely affecting the Academy at the time, including ethics and legal violations as well as substance abuse. The recommendations from his Committee resulted in significant changes at the Academy in roles, responsibilities, processes, training, ethics, and facilities. He later served on a Presidential Commission that reviewed issues relating to assignment of women in the Armed Forces; the Naval Academy was included in the scope of his effort. He is a Life Member of the USNA Alumni Association and serves as a Trustee of the USNA Foundation (Athletics & Scholarships). He is also a member of the President’s Circle of the USNA Alumni Association.

Tom and his wife, Sandi, the former Marysandra Campagna of Buffalo, New York, have three adult children: Loree, a former Navy Lieutenant Commander S-3 carrier pilot now working for Stanford University as a Case Producer/Writer at the Graduate School of Business -- Center for Leadership Development and Research; Patrick, a Naval Intelligence Lieutenant Commander; and, Ryan, a second-year MBA student at Georgetown University. They also have two grandchildren: Sam and Julia.