Maj. Gen. Curtis L. Williams currently serves as the Deputy Director for Political-Military Affairs Africa for Strategic Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. He provides strategic direction, policy guidance and planning focus to develop and execute the national military strategy. Through the Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, he enables the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to provide military advice to the President, the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council. The general enlisted under the delayed enlistment program at 17 and spent over seven years on active duty. He left active duty in 1984 and entered the ROTC program at Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas. Upon graduation, he was commissioned in 1986 and reentered active duty as a logistics plans officer where he subsequently held numerous squadron and wing-level plans officer positions.
General Williams transferred to the Air Force Reserve in 1992. He is an Air Reserve Technician and has held leadership and command positions at the squadron, wing, numbered Air Force, major command and joint staff levels. Prior to his current position, General Williams served as the Director of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.
EDUCATION
1983 Associate of Applied Science Degree in Paralegal, Community College of the Air Force
1984 Associate and Bachelor Degrees in Management/Criminology, Saint Leo College, Fla.
1986 Masters in Public Administration, Angelo State University (ROTC), San Angelo, Texas
1992 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1998 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2000 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2001 Air War College, by seminar
2001 Air Force Inspector General School, Leesburg, Va.
2010 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, The Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2011 Africa Strategic Studies Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Army/Navy Club, Washington, D.C.
2012 National Security Management Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship/Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2012 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
2013 Joint Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
2015 - CAPSTONE, General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2016 Executives in Logistics and Technology (LOGTECH), Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1977 - March 1980, Administrative Specialist, 3480th Air Base Group, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2. March 1980 - June 1981, Legal Service Specialist, 47th Air Base Group, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. June 1981 - August 1984, Area Defense Administrator, U.S. Air Force Trial Judiciary, 2nd Circuit, Homestead AFB, Fla.
4. August 1984 - September 1986, Graduate Student, ROTC Program, Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas
5. December 1986 - May 1989, Plans and Programs Officer, 317th Airlift Wing, Pope AFB, N.C.
6. May 1989 - November 1992, Chief, Resource Plans Division, 435th Airlift Wing, Rhein Main Air Base, Germany
7. November 1992 - October 1993, Deputy Chief, Plans Office, 94th Airlift Wing, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.
8. October 1993 - October 1995, Chief, Wing Plans, 910th Airlift Wing, Youngstown ARB, Ohio
9. October 1995 - May 1998, Chief Wing Plans, 919th Special Operations Wing, Eglin AFB, Auxiliary Field 3, Fla.
10. May 1998 - August 2000, Chief, Logistics Plans Branch, 22nd Air Force, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
11. August 2000 - May 2002, Commander, 914th Support Group, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y.
12. May 2002 - January 2005, Commander, 94th Mission Support Group, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
13. February 2005 - August 2010, Director, Installation and Mission Support (A7), and Commander, 610th Regional Support Group, 10th Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas
14. August 2010 – April 2013, Assistant Deputy Director, Politico-Military Affairs for Africa, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. April 2013 – April 2014, Vice Commander, 22nd Air Force, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga
16. April 2014 - June 2015, Director of Installation and Mission Support (A7), Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
17. June 2015 – August 2016, Director of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection (A4), Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
18. August 2016 – July 2017, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
19. July 2017 – present, Deputy Director, Politico-Military Affairs for Africa, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
August 2010 – April 2013, Assistant Deputy Director, Politico-Military Affairs for Africa, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel and brigadier general
July 2017 – present, Deputy Director, Politico-Military Affairs for Africa, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a major general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Good Conduct Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon, Long
Air Force Longevity Service with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass
Air Force Training Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Aug. 10, 1986
First Lieutenant Aug. 10, 1988
Captain Aug. 10, 1990
Major March 10, 1995
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1999
Colonel Jan. 30, 2003
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2013
Major General July 1, 2016
(Current as of October 2017)