National Guard
Major General WILLIAM J. EDWARDS
  
Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, J-5, Joint Staff
Pentagon
Washington, DC
Since: January 2021
 Official Photo
SOURCE OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE  ROTC

EDUCATIONAL DEGREES
University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus - BS - Materials Science and Engineering
Cornell University - MS - Materials Science and Engineering
Cornell University - PhD - Materials Science and Engineering
United States Army War College - MSS - Strategic Studies

MILITARY SCHOOLS ATTENDED
Infantry Officer Basic Course
Infantry Captain's Career Course
Advanced Joint Professional Military Education (AJPME) II
United States Army War College
Dual Status Commanders Course (NORTHCOM)
Joint Task Force Commanders Course (NORTHCOM)
National Security Studies Management Course (NSSMC)
Army Strategic Education Program - Basic (ASEP-B)
Army Strategic Education Program - Advanced (ASEP-A)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE(S)  None Recorded

PROMOTIONS DATE OF APPOINTMENT
2LT 19 May 90
1LT 30 May 93
CPT 2 Jun 97
MAJ 7 Nov 01
LTC 25 Jul 07
COL 30 Jun 11
BG 2 Apr 16
MG 13 Jan 21

FROM TO ASSIGNMENT
Jan 21 Present Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, J-5, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
Dec 19 Jan 21 Commander and Senior Military Representative, NATO Headquarters-Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, AP
Dec 18 Nov 19 Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations J-3, Camp Smith, Hawaii
Aug 18 Dec 18 Assistant Adjutant General, Salem, Oregon; dual-hatted, October 2016 - December 2018, Deputy Commanding General, Training Support Division (West), First United States Army, Fort Hood, Texas
Apr 16 Aug 18 Commander, Land Component Command, Salem, Oregon
Sep 14 Apr 16 J-3, Director of Joint Operations, Oregon National Guard, Salem, Oregon
Oct 11 Aug 14 Commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, Portland, Oregon
Jul 10 Jun 11 Student, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
Aug 07 Jul 10 Commander, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Springfield, Oregon and Talil, Iraq
Jul 06 Jul 07 Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Springfield, Oregon
Jul 05 Jun 06 Assistant Brigade S-3, 41st Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, Portland, Oregon
Oct 01 Jun 05 S-3, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Springfield, Oregon and Baghdad, Iraq
Oct 00 Sep 01 S-3 Air, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Cottage Grove, Oregon
Sep 96 Sep 00 Commander, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Eugene, Oregon
Jan 96 Aug 96 Executive Officer, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Eugene, Oregon
Mar 95 Dec 95 Commander, Company E, 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry, New York Army National Guard, Ithaca, New York
Sep 93 Mar 95 Executive Officer, Company E, 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry, New York Army National Guard, Ithaca, New York
May 90 Aug 93 Platoon Leader, Company A, 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry, New York Army National Guard, Oneida, New York

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Commander and Senior Military Representative, NATO Headquarters-Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, AP Dec 19 - Jan 21 Brigadier General
Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations J-3, Camp Smith, Hawaii Dec 18 - Nov 19 Brigadier General
J-3, Director of Joint Operations, Oregon National Guard, Salem, Oregon Sep 14 - Apr 16 Colonel

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Commander and Senior Military Representative, NATO Headquarters-Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, AP Dec 19 - Jan 21 Brigadier General
Commander, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Talil, Iraq May 09 - Jun 10 Lieutenant Colonel
S-3, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Baghdad, Iraq Oct 03 - Mar 05 Major

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Defense Superior Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Legion of Merit (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Bronze Star Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Iraq Campaign Medal (with 3 Bronze Service Stars)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass and M Device)
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION
Recently retired after 25 years as Engineering R&D Project Manager. Led R&D product design team to conceive, design and bring to market new Ink-jet supplies, products and platforms to delight customers and fulfill business goals. Accountable for product design, prototyping, development and introduction of HP's next generation ink-jet products for use in HP printers. Partner with New Product Introduction, prototyping, manufacturing, marketing and printer product development teams to deliver design solutions that meet program cost, schedule, performance and reliability goals of future products. Establish intellectual property development plans concurrent to product design. Manage capital and operational expense budget for R&D design projects. Collaborate with a world-wide team including HP printer design organizations, HP and third party manufacturing organizations to provide timely processes and tools to meet product release requirements. Regularly communicate and coordinate with production organizations world-wide to develop product road map and vintage charts for future HP products.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
National Guard Association of the United States
Oregon National Guard Association
Association of the United States Army
Military Officers Association of America
The National Infantry Association
The U.S. Army War College Foundation
The First Cavalry Division Association

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Order of St. Maurice, National Infantry Association,
Honorable Order of St. Barbara, United States Field Artillery Association
Department of the Army General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award Winner

 

 

As of: 19 Apr 22

 

The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.