He was born on September 29, 1960, in Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, and is the son of Clibas Ribeiro Paiva and Maria da Conceição MinéRibeiro Paiva.

    He joined the Army on March 3, 1975, at the Army Preparatory School (EsPCEx, acronym in Portuguese) in Campinas, Sao Paulo, and was commissioned an Infantry officer-to-be on December 12,1981. He was promoted to his current rank on July 31, 2019.

    In addition to the four-year undergraduate program at the Agulhas Negras Military Academy (AMAN, acronym in Portuguese),the Army Maneuver Captain´s Career Course and the Army Command and General Staff Course, General Tomás completed the following courses: Basic Airborne, Jumpmaster, Pathfinder, Military Free fall Parachutist Badge, Master Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, and Social Communication. He also specialized in Project Management at Fundação Getulio Vargas.

    He was named professor honoris causa at the War Academy of the Army of Ecuador and was granted the Command and General Staff Badge. He was a lecturer at several civil and military educational establishments, including the Rio Branco Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Inter-American Defense College.

    Throughout his military career, he served as a junior officer and Commander of the Rifle Company at the 7th Armored Infantry Battalion in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, at the 26th Airborne Infantry Battalion in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, and at the 33rdMotorized Infantry Battalion in Cascavel, Parana. He was an instructor of the Infantry Branch course at AMAN in Resende, Rio de Janeiro, Deputy Commander of the Pathfinder Company in Rio de Janeiro, aide-de-camp of the Brazilian President in Brasilia, Federal District, and Military Advisor of Brazil at the Army of Ecuador.

    His numerous operational missions include deputy command of the Peace Force Infantry Battalion of the 7th Brazilian Contingent in Haiti and command of the Operation Arcanjo VI Pacification Force in the Penha and Alemao complex in Rio de Janeiro, which he carried out as a general officer.

    General Tomás’ command assignments include Commander of the Presidential Guard Battalion in Brasilia, Commander of the Corps of Cadets at AMAN, Commander of EsPCEx, 2nd Deputy Chief of the Land Operations Command in Brasilia, Commander of the 11th Light Infantry Brigade in Campinas, Commander of AMAN, Commander of the Office of the Brazilian Army Commander in Brasilia, and Commander of the 5th Army Division in Curitiba, Parana. He also served as head of the Department of Education and Culture of the Army in Rio de Janeiro.

    He served as the Commander of the Army Southeast Command from April 15, 2021, to January 21, 2023.

    He assumed duties as the Commander of the Brazilian Army on January 21, 2023.

    General Tomás has been awarded several national and international decorations.

    He is married to Mrs. Márcia Cristina Schoeller Borges Ribeiro Paiva and they have four children: Marcela Helena, Tomás Filipe, Anna Gabriela, and Tomás André.