Command Sergeant Major Anthony J. Williams
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
December 2001 – February 2005
Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony J. Williams is a native of Canton, Mississippi, where he enlisted into the United States Army in 1972, beginning his military career at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Over the next 32 years, Command Sgt. Maj. Williams devoted himself to being the best trained and educated Soldier and noncommissioned officer which helped to motivate him in developing other NCOs to be the best they could be.
His most significant contributions to leader development were demonstrated during his tenures as the Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy and as the Command Sergeant Major of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.
While assigned to the Academy, Command Sgt. Maj. Williams worked closely with Human Resources Command to ensure the Academy received the best Sergeants Major the Army had to offer to serve as course instructors and staff cadre. He was instrumental in changing the Command Sergeant Major Designee Course by reducing the number of students in each group room in order to maximize facilitator and student interaction. Command Sgt. Maj. Williams led the charge in the redesign of the Spouse Leadership Course that prepares spouses for their roles as future Command Sergeant Major spouses and their involvement in the area of family support. During his tenure as the Command Sergeant Major of the Academy, he also was responsible for the creation of branch Proponency Day which gave students an opportunity to see how other branches worked, how assignments were made and what critical assignments needed to be filled.
As the Command Sergeant Major of TRADOC he chaired the NCOES Study Group at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with the task of total redesign of the Noncommissioned Officer Education System. This included removing all technical tasks from the Advanced NCO Course and moving them to the Basic NCO Course.
Under the guidance of the Sergeant Major of the Army Jack Tilley, Command Sgt. Maj. Williams led the total redesign of the Primary Leadership Development Course ensuring that the tasks being taught were relevant and met the needs of the Army. He was also instrumental in the redesign of the Sergeants Major Course, again ensuring that the task being taught were relevant and properly prepared Master Sergeants and Sergeants Major for future assignments of increased responsibility.
Command Sgt. Maj. Williams’ numerous awards include the Defense Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with 2 oak leaf clusters), the Meritorious Service Medal (with 5 oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (with 2 oak leaf clusters), Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Drill Sergeant Badge. He also received the Ancient and Honorable Order of St. Barbara, Order of Saint Maurice, the Ancient Order of Saint Christopher and is a lifetime member of the prestigious Sergeant Morales and Sergeant Audie Murphy clubs.
Command Sgt. Maj. Williams is a graduate of Class 35 of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. He is also a graduate of the Command Sergeants Major Course, Basic and Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Courses, the First Sergeant Course, the basic airborne course, air assault school, and the drill sergeant school. He holds an Associate and Bachelor Degree in General Studies from Columbia College, Columbia, Missouri.