Thomas H. Henning

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

PSU Connection: Staff

School: University Park

Department: Dean of Students

Position: Counselor/Area Coordinator North Halls

Memorable moment in your Penn State career: Too many memorable moments to list here. I was the first member of my family to graduate from college. My Mother and Grandmother attended my graduation. Working with students and faculty from 1963 (Nittany Halls) to 1968 (West and North Halls), Meeting Joe Paterno and Penn State football players. I could go on and on. Many good memories leading to Penn State Pioneer.

Active Duty or Veteran: Veteran

Branch: Air Force

Rank: Sergeant

Rate/MOS: Non Morse Radio Intercept Operator

Where/when did you serve: After High School joined the U.S. Air Force in 1959. Basic Training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. 1960 USAF Security Service tech school, San Angelo, TX, then 3 year deployment to RAF Station, Kirknewton, Scotland.

Awards: Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Airman of the Month, USAF Europe Education Award

What was your favorite military assignment/duty station and why? USAF Security Service, (Silent Warriors), RAF Kirknewton, Scotland. I held a top secret clearance and conducted very important signal intelligence operations. I also enjoyed my Madingley College Cambridge assignment, and European travel, (England, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and France)

Thomas H. Henning​, Air Force, joined the U.S. Air Force in 1959. His duties took him to Europe where he earned a Certificate of Attendance at Cambridge University and after one year of Russian language training earned one year of college credit at the University of Maryland University College. Thomas transferred these credits to Penn State after his military service from 1959 to 1963 where he earned a BA in Political Science and a Certificate in Russian Area Studies. Thomas continued his studied and earned a masters degree in higher education. After graduation he joined IBM and retired in 1996. Later he joined Lockheed Martin and retired from there as well. Thomas founded the TASC Institute and later the Veridian Institute. He witnessed the September 11th attack on the Pentagon in 2001 before retiring as a defense contractor in 2003. Thomas has authored and published ten books from 2005 to 2024. He has been married 45 years and togehter raised 4 children, all college grads.​