Under the provisions of Department of Defense 1348.33-M, the Secretary of Defense has awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal to Lieutenant General James Mason Thompson, United States Army, for exceptionally superior service to the Department of Defense as Director, National Security Council Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense/International Security Affairs, from 1976 to 1979. The distinctive accomplishments of Lieutenant General Thompson reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.