BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLIAM R. COATS

Operational Support Assistant to the Director, Army National Guard

Brigadier General William R. Coats serves as Operational Support Assistant to the Director, Army National Guard. As the Operational Support Assistant, he is the liaison between the Director and Headquarters Department of the Army leaders as well as National Guard Bureau Joint leadership. General Coats represents the Director at a number of forums including State level, the National Guard Bureau Joint Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense, public meetings, presentations and conferences. He provides policy recommendations to the Director on high priority programs such as mobilization coordination with Headquarters Department of the Army and Forces Command on mobilizing Army National Guard units. General Coats also serves as the senior representative on resourcing and management of Army National Guard aviation operations, training, standardization, logistics and safety to optimize readiness of Army National Guard Aviation.

General Coats received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Campbell University where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and was a distinguished military graduate. He has served 30 years in the North Carolina National Guard in ever-increasing positions of responsibility, which include Commander, Task Force Panther from 2003 to 2004 in Afghanistan and Commander, 449th Theater Aviation Brigade from 2004 to 2008. Prior to his current assignment, General Coats served as the Assistant Adjutant General for Maneuver, North Carolina Army National Guard.

EDUCATION:

1986 Campbell University, Bachelors of Science, Biology, Buies Creek, North Carolina
2008 United States Army War College, Master of Science, Strategic Studies, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
2008 United States Army War College, by correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. May 1984 - December 1987, Rifle Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, Company A, 1st Battalion, 119th Infantry, Nashville, North Carolina
2. December 1987 - January 1989, S-1, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 130th Aviation Attack Helicopter Battalion, Morrisville, North Carolina
3. February 1989 - February 1991, Platoon Leader, Company B, 1st Battalion, 130th Aviation Attack Helicopter Battalion, Morrisville, North Carolina
4. February 1991 - April 1991, Scout Platoon Leader, United States Forces Command, Fort Hood, Texas
5. April 1991 - June 1991, Platoon Leader, Company B, 1st Battalion, 130th Aviation Attack Helicopter Battalion, Morrisville, North Carolina
6. July 1991 - November 1991, Assistant S-4, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 449th Aviation Group, Kinston, North Carolina
7. December 1991 - September 1993, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 449th Aviation Group, Kinston, North Carolina
8. October 1993 - September 1995, Commander, Company B, 1st Battalion 130th Aviation Attack Helicopter Battalion, Morrisville, North Carolina
9. October 1995 - August 1996, S-2, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 130th Aviation Regiment, Morrisville, North Carolina
10. September 1996 - November 1997, S-4, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 130th Aviation Regiment, Morrisville, North Carolina
11. December 1997 - August 1999, S-3, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 130th Aviation Regiment, Morrisville, North Carolina
12. September 1999 - October 2001, S-2, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 449th Aviation Group, Kinston, North Carolina
13. November 2001 - June 2002, S-3, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 449th Aviation Group, Kinston, North Carolina
14. July 2002 - July 2003, Executive Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 449th Aviation Group, Kinston, North Carolina
15. July 2003 - May 2004, Commander, Task Force Panther, Bagram, Afghanistan
16. May 2004 - July 2005, Commander, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 130th Aviation Regiment, Morrisville, North Carolina
17. August 2005 - September 2005, State Aviation Officer, Joint Force Headquarters, Raleigh, North Carolina
18. October 2005 - March 2008, Commander, 449th Aviation Brigade, Kinston, North Carolina
19. April 2008 - October 2009, Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Joint Force Headquarters, Raleigh, North Carolina
20. November 2009 - November 2010, J3, Joint Force Headquarters, North Carolina Army National Guard, Raleigh, North Carolina
21. November 2010 - March 2012, Chief of Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, North Carolina National Guard, Raleigh, North Carolina
22. March 2012 - July 2012, Commander, Land Component Command, North Carolina Army National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Raleigh, North Carolina
23. July 2012 - Present, Operational Support Assistant to the Director, Army National Guard, Arlington, Virginia

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Medal
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with M Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Combat Action Badge
Master Army Aviator Badge
Parachutist Badge

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:

National Guard Association of the United States
Association of the United States Army

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 12 May 1984
First Lieutenant 29 May 1987
Captain 1 August 1991
Major 14 April 1998
Lieutenant Colonel 12 December 2002
Colonel 19 May 2006
Brigadier General 24 July 2012

(Current as of October 2012)