Brigadier General Stephen C. Williams is the Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He commands the 4,000-member cadet wing and more than 300 Air Force and civilian support personnel. His responsibilities include cadet military training and airmanship education, supervising cadet life activities, and providing support to facilities and logistics.
General Williams earned his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1989 where he was the top graduate in Engineering Mechanics. He attended pilot training and was a Distinguished Graduate at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. A career F-16 pilot, General Williams commanded operational units at the squadron and wing levels. While deployed in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM he earned the 2007 McKay Trophy for the most meritorious sortie of the year. General Williams also served as Director of Defense Cybersecurity in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Pentagon. Prior to assuming his current position, General Williams was the Commander, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa Air Base, Japan.
General Williams is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours, including more than 260 combat hours earned during Operations SOUTHERN WATCH and IRAQI FREEDOM.
EDUCATION:
1989 Bachelor of Science in Engineering Mechanics, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
1996 Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nevada
1997 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence
2003 Master of Science in Aerospace Technology, Embry Riddle University, Daytona Beach, Florida
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence
2004 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. July 1989 - July 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams AFB, Arizona
2. August 1990 - May 1991, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, MacDill AFB, Florida
3. June 1991 - October 1992, F-16 Flight Lead, 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
4. October 1992 - December 1995, Electronic Combat Officer, F-16 Instructor, 421st Fighter Squadron and 388th Operations Support Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
5. December 1995 - June 1998, Weapons Officer, F-16 Weapons Instructor and Flight Examiner, 522nd Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, New Mexico
6. June 1998 - June 2001, Flight Commander, F-16 Weapons Instructor and Flight Examiner, F-16 Division, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada
7. June 2001 - June 2003, Fighter/Weapons Program Analyst and Executive Officer for the Director of Plans and Programs, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Virginia
8. June 2003 - June 2004, Student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
9. July 2004 - September 2004, Student, F-16 Re-Qualification Training, 182nd Fighter Squadron, Air National Guard, Kelly AFB, Texas
10. September 2004 - May 2005, Chief of Advanced Programs, 35th Operations Group, Misawa AB, Japan
11. May 2005 - May 2006, Operations Officer, 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
12. May 2006 - May 2008, Commander, 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
13. June 2008 - June 2009, Executive Officer for the Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
14. June 2009 - June 2011, Director of Defense Cybersecurity, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Pentagon, Washington D.C
15. June 2011 - June 2012, Vice Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
16. September 2012 - June 2014, Commander, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
17. July 2014 - Present, Commandant of Cadets, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2009 - June 2011,Director of Defense Cybersecurity, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, F-16 Blks 30/40/50, T-53
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1989
First Lieutenant May 31, 1991
Captain May 31, 1993
Major August 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel September 1, 2005
Colonel October 1, 2009
Brigadier General December 19, 2014
(Current as of September 2016)