Mr. William S. Williford III
Executive Director
Marine Corps Systems Command
Mr. Williford was selected as the Executive Director, Marine Corps Systems Command, in December 2016. In this position, he serves as the senior civilian official responsible for leading and directing daily business operations for the Acquisition Command to equip and sustain Marine Forces with the most capable and cost effective full-spectrum ground weapon and information technology systems for current and future expeditionary and crisis-response operations. Marine Corps Systems Command is a team of 2500 acquisition professionals executing annually $11 billion of Marine Corps appropriations placing enhanced and modernized capability in the hands of Marines.
Prior to reporting to Marine Corps Systems Command, Mr. Williford served as the Director, Integrated Warfare Systems Engineering, Naval Sea Systems Command (SEA 05H) responsible for oversight of $10 billion annually of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems, and Intelligence systems (C5I) research, development, delivery, certification for deployment, and life cycle support for all United States Navy warships. In this capacity, he was the Deputy Warranted Technical and Certification Authority for Navy Integrated Warfare Capability on all Ship classes and Submarines. Mr. Williford provided leadership in command-wide efforts to identify and manage engineering workforce related challenges including strategic planning advanced concepts, integrated warfare systems engineering, human systems integration, integration and interoperability (I&I), warfare systems certification and readiness, interior communications and cybersecurity.
Mr. Williford’s previous Senior Executive assignment was the Director, Integrated Combat Systems, Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command responsible for systems engineering to develop world class integrated Combat Systems for the United States Navy. In this assignment, he was responsible for Surface Ship and Submarine Combat Systems including Aegis for Destroyers/Cruisers, Ship Self Defense System for Carriers and Amphibious Ships, Submarine Warfare Federated Tactical Systems and Navigation Systems. In addition, he was responsible for combat systems that included Total Ship Computing Environment for DDG 1000 class, the Littoral Combat Ship class, and a multitude of sensors, electronic warfare systems, missiles, guns, ammunition, launch systems, and countermeasures encompassing 150+ programs with annual budget authority of $6.4 billion.
Mr. Williford was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in March 2012. He has over 36 years of service with the Department of Defense on active duty, with industry and as a Federal Civilian.
Previous assignments include multiple leadership positions at the GS-14/15 level. Mr. Williford is a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and Combat Veteran of the Persian Gulf War serving as an Air Defense Officer in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He is a graduate of the Citadel, Charleston SC and the University of Texas, San Antonio. Mr. Williford’s most recent civilian recognition is the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award.