Colonel Stephen C. Williams is the Commander of the 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa Air Base, Japan. He commands a combat-ready F-16CJ fighter wing composed of nearly 3,100 personnel and sustains forces and facilities worth over $2 billion. Colonel Williams oversees a 13,000-person installation which supports eight associate units representing three U.S. military services (Air Force, Army, and Navy) and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Colonel Williams received 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. During his career, Colonel Williams held various Squadron, Wing and Major Command Level positions to include F-16 Fighting Falcon Weapons Instructor and Flight Examiner as well as Commander, 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan, where he earned the 2007 McKay Trophy for the most meritorious sortie of the year. Colonel Williams was also the Pacific Air Forces Commander's Executive Officer and served as Assistant Director of Cyber Planning in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Prior to assuming his current position, Colonel Williams was the 8th Fighter Wing Vice Commander at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
Colonel Williams is a command pilot with more than 2,800 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, in correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2003 Master of Science in Aerospace Technology, Embry Riddle University, Daytona Beach, Florida
2003 Air Command and Staff College, in correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2004 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
2008 Air War College, in 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, Assistant Director for Cyber Planning, 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 - Present, Commander, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 2,800
Aircraft flown: F-16 C/D, AT-38, T-38, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
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
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness 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
(Current as of September 2012)