National Guard
Major General WILLIAM J. EDWARDS
  
Director, Strategic Plans and Policy, and International Affairs (NGB J-5)
National Guard Bureau
Washington, DC
Since: July 2024
 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
United States Army Command and General Staff College
United States Army War College

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
Jul 24 Present Director, Strategic Plans and Policy, and International Affairs (NGB J-5), National Guard Bureau, Washington, District of Columbia
Jan 21 Jun 24 Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, J-5, Joint Staff, Washington, District of Columbia
Dec 19 Jan 21 Commander and Senior Military Representative, NATO Headquarters-Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dec 18 Nov 19 Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations J-3, Camp Smith, Hawaii
Aug 18 Dec 18 Assistant Adjutant General, Joint Force Headquarters, 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 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, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
Aug 07 Jul 10 Commander, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Springfield, Oregon and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Talil, Iraq
Jul 06 Jul 07 Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Springfield, Oregon
Jul 05 Jun 06 Assistant Operations Officer, 41st Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, Portland, Oregon
Oct 01 Jun 05 Operations Officer, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Springfield, Oregon and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Baghdad, Iraq
Oct 00 Sep 01 Air Operations Officer, 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 Dec 19 - Jan 21 Brigadier General
Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations J-3, Camp Smith, Hawaii Dec 18 - Nov 19 Brigadier General
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 Dec 19 - Jan 21 Brigadier General
Commander, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Talil, Iraq May 09 - Jun 10 Lieutenant Colonel
Operations Officer, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, Oregon Army National Guard, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, 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 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.

 

 

As of: 9 Sep 25

 

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