Brig. Gen. William D. Murphy serves as the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, United States Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He is the principal advisor to the Commander on Reserve Component matters related to the Command’s diverse missions, including strategic deterrence; cyberspace operations; integrated missile defense; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and global strike. Brig. Gen. Murphy also flies as an Airborne Emergency Action Officer conducting strategic deterrence and operations missions aboard the Looking Glass Airborne Nuclear Command Post, supporting the president and National Command Authorities.
Brig. Gen. Murphy was commissioned in 1990 as a graduate of the Air Force ROTC program at University of Nebraska, Omaha. He was a Distinguished Graduate in the MMII and MMIII weapon systems and has served in numerous wing, Numbered Air Force, Air Staff, Combatant Command and Joint Staff assignments. He has served on faculty for the Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University and as guest lecturer for the Air Force Nuclear Fundamentals Course and Nuclear Concepts Course. He was awarded Joint Qualified Officer (Level III) in 2012.
In his civilian capacity, Brig. Gen. Murphy serves as Vice President of an Independent Consulting Firm based in Omaha Neb. Prior to his current position, he served as Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations and Communications, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of General Studies, Communication, University of Nebraska at Omaha
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1997 Master of Aeronautical Science, Management, Embry Riddle University, Great Falls, Mont.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Leadership Today and Tomorrow, Washington, D.C.
2009 Space 300, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2009 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2010 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2011 Air War College, Air Reserve Component Seminar (blended course)
2012 Advanced Nuclear Concepts Course, Nuclear 300, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2014 Wing and Group Commanders Orientation, Robins AFB, Ga.
2014 U.S. Air Force Senior Leaders’ Mission Generation Course, Air University
2015 Nuclear Commanders Course, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb.
2015 Continuous Process Improvement – Senior Leaders Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2018 Senior Leader Nuclear Management Course, U.S. Air Force Nuclear College, Kirtland AFB N.M.
2018 Emergency Actions Course, White House Military Office, Washington, D.C.
2019 Air Force Forces Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2020 Leading Strategically Course, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2021 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1991–July 1991, Student (Distinguished Graduate), Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
2. July 1991–March 1994, Various missile combat crew positions to include Standardization/Evaluation Deputy & Flight Commander, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
3. March 1994–July 1994, Student (DG), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
4. July 1994–February 1998, Various crew/staff positions to include Mission Operation Support Flight Commander, Director of Operations, Chief Emergency War Orders Training, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
5. February 1998–February 1999, Chief Operations Training, 12th Space Warning Squadron, Thule Air Base, Greenland
6. February 1999–August 2001, Chief, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Targeting Operations and Readiness; ICBM Employment/ICBM Test Programs/Target Programs Officer, Twentieth Air Force, Offutt AFB, Neb.
7. August 2001–August 2002, Strategy/Concepts Officer, Strategy/Policy Division, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb.
8. August 2002–June 2004, Operations Officer, Combat Plans Division, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb.
9. June 2004–June 2007, Operations Officer, Plans Division, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb.
10. June 2007–April 2008, Chief, Guidance Section, Nuclear Plans Division, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb.
11. April 2008–April 2010, Chief, Quality Assurance Branch (Strike Advisor/Operations Officer), Nuclear Plans Division, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb.
12. April 2010–October 2011, Associate Chief, Nuclear Plans Division; Nuclear Plans Division, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb.
13. October 2011–June 2013, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to Chief, Nuclear Planning, Policy and Strategy Division, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. June 2013–December 2016, Commander, 610th Command & Control Squadron, Tenth Air Force, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
15. December 2016–February 2019, Chief, Operations Training and Standardization Division, Joint Staff J-33, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. February 2019–September 2022, Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Operations and Communications, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
17. October 2022-present, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2001–August 2002, Strategy/Concepts Officer, Strategy/Policy Division, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb.as a major
2. August 2002–June 2004, Operations Officer, Combat Plans Division, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb. as a major
3. June 2004–June 2007, Operations Officer, Plans Division, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb. as a major
4. June 2007–April 2008, Chief, Guidance Section, Nuclear Plans Division, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb. as a major and lieutenant colonel
5. April 2008–April 2010, Chief, Quality Assurance Branch, Nuclear Plans Division, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb. as a lieutenant colonel
6. April 2010–October 2011, Associate Chief, Nuclear Plans Division; Nuclear Plans Division, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, USSTRATCOM, Omaha, Neb. lieutenant colonel
7. December 2016–February 2019, Chief, Operations Training and Standardization Division, Joint Staff J-33, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. as a colonel
8. July 2020–present, Airborne Emergency Action Officer, Looking Glass Airborne Nuclear Command Post, United States Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb., as a brigadier general
9. October 2022-present, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb., as a brigadier general
OPERATIONAL INFORMATION
Minuteman II Weapon System (SSAS)
Minuteman III Weapon Systems (CDB & REACT)
Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS)
Air Force NC3 Weapon System (AN/USQ-225)
U.S. Strategic Command Airborne Command Post, “Looking Glass” (E6-B)
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with silver oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with silver and oak leaf cluster and “N” device
Air and Space Overseas Ribbon – Short, with “A” device
Air Force Longevity Service with silver and two oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with three devices
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Oct. 17, 1990
First Lieutenant Oct. 17, 1992
Captain Oct. 17, 1994
Major Dec. 1, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2008
Colonel Sept. 1, 2014
Brigadier General March 26, 2020
(Current as of May 2023)