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Scott F. Thompson

Director, Standards of Conduct

Scott Thompson was appointed as Director of the Department of Defense (DoD) Standards of Conduct Office (SOCO) in June 2019. As the Alternate Designated Agency Ethics Official, he is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the Department’s program to comply with Federal ethics laws and regulations. Mr. Thompson advises the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, and other senior officials on the full spectrum of ethics issues and manages the ethics vetting of over 60 Presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed civilian officials in DoD.  He provides leadership and guidance to ensure consistent policy across the Department’s 17 Designated Agency Ethics Officials, including the Military Departments, Defense Agencies, and DoD Field Activities, overseeing more than 3,000 ethics counselors worldwide.

Prior to joining SOCO as a senior attorney in 2016, Mr. Thompson served as the Executive Director of the Board for Correction of Naval Records.  Mr. Thompson also served in a variety of counsel positions as an active-duty Captain and Judge Advocate in the U.S. Navy and is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom.