David M. Thomas Jr.

David M. Thomas (born 1958) is a former senior officer in the United States Navy.

Early life Thomas's father was a career Navy officer. Thomas, and three of his brothers, are graduates of the United States Naval Academy. All are retired, including one who was in the Marine Corps. Another brother served in the Peace Corps. His two uncles also were Navy officers via Officers' Candidate School programs. Thomas graduated in 1981.

Thomas was a 1976 graduate of Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland.

Navy career In 1999, Thomas commanded the destroyer USS Ross. Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza and Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart had both been invited to visit Guantanamo on a USO tour, where they signed autographs. Both women stirred controversy after they published accounts of their visits. Thomas had authorized the women to view captives. Carol Rosenberg, reporting in the Miami Herald, wrote that Thomas "brushed aside" concerns that by allowing civilians to view the captives he was violating the clause in the Geneva Conventions that protect captives from the humiliation of public display.

Thomas asserted that the beauty queens had been allowed to view the detainees in Guantanamo just as if they were reporters.