Major General Robert M. Williams

Major General Robert M. Williams was commissioned in Armor from the Citadel in 1974.  Following the Armor Officer Basic Course, he served as a Tank Platoon Leader, Mortar Platoon Leader, CSC Executive Officer, and Tank Company Commander in the 4th Battalion, 63d Armor at Fort Riley, Kansas, from 1975 to 1979. After graduating from the Field Artillery Advanced Course, he served in the 8th Infantry Division as an Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General and the Battalion S3 of the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor from 1980 to 1983. Following graduation from the Command and General Staff College, he served as the Brigade S3 of the 2d (St. Lo) Brigade, 2d Armored Division and the Executive Officer of the 3d Battalion, 67th Armor at Fort Hood, Texas, and Southwest Asia from 1989 to 1991.  From 1992 to 1994, he commanded the 1st Battalion, 34th Armor at Fort Riley, Kansas, which was followed by an assignment with the Joint Staff, J7, Conventional War Plans Division in Washington, DC. From 1997 to 1999, Major General Williams commanded the 2d (SPARTAN) Brigade of the 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized).  Following brigade command, he served as the Commander, Battle Command Training Program (BCTP) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, from 1999 to 2000.

From July 2000 until September 2001, he served as the Assistant Division Commander (Support) for the 1st Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany.  This assignment was followed by a fifteen month tour of duty as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G3/Operations, HQ Allied Command Europe, Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), Moenchengladbach, Germany.

From November 2002 through June 2004, Major General Williams served as the Commanding General, 7th Army Training Command and the Expeditionary Training Center, headquartered at Grafenwoehr, Germany.  During this period, he also deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as the C3 for CJTF-7.  Additionally, he served as the G3 (Operations) for US Army Europe and Seventh Army from June 2004 until August 2005.  His most recent assignment was as the Commanding General of the United States Armor Center and Fort Knox Kentucky from October 2005 until January 2008.

In January 2008, Major General Williams was assigned as the 47th Commandant, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

His civilian education includes a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from the Citadel, a Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Emory University, and a Master of Arts Degree in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University.

General Williams’ decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Soldier’s Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Meritorious Service Medal (with four Oak Leaf Clusters), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.