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Brigadier General
John W. Williams Jr.
Permanent Professor 1976–1986
B.S., Appalachian State University
M.A., Appalachian State University
Ph.D., Mississippi State University
John Williams, the Academy’s 30th Permanent Professor, was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1929. Prior to entering the Air Force, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Music in 1951 and a Master’s degree in Education in 1952 at Appalachian State University, NC. John entered Air Force pilot training at Greenville AFB, MS, in 1953. He earned his wings and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1954. His first assignment was as a Pilot and then Aircraft Commander with the 11th Aeromedical Transport Squadron, Military Air Transport Service, at Scott AFB, IL. In 1957 John was transferred to Nouasseur Air Base, near Casablanca, Morocco, where he was Chief of the MATS Control Team. He transferred to Torrejon Air Base, Spain, in 1958 and served as Operations and Training Officer for the 1620th MATS Transport Control Center. He moved to McGuire AFB, NJ, in 1959 as a Pilot, Instructor Pilot, and Flight Examiner with the 12th Aeromedical Transport Squadron. In 1962 John became an AFROTC Instructor at Mississippi State University in Starkville. While at MSU, he completed almost all requirements for a PhD in Sociology. From 1966 to 1968 he was the Operations and Training Officer, US Mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with additional duty as one of three pilots for the country’s President. In 1968 John was assigned to the Air Force Academy as an Instructor in the Department of Psychology and Leadership. While teaching and flying in the cadet flying training program, he completed the requirements for his PhD in Sociology, which was awarded by Mississippi State in 1971. In 1972 John volunteered for a tour in Vietnam and was selected as Aide and Executive Officer for the Director of Operations, 7th Air Force, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam. When 7th AF moved to Bangkok, Thailand, in early 1973, he became the Secretary of the Joint Staff, US Assistance and Advisory Group. Returning to the Academy in 1973, he was assigned as Deputy Head, Department of Life and Behavioral Sciences. He completed a post-doctorate in Psychobiology at the University of California, Irvine, during this time. In 1974 John was appointed Department Head as the life scientists were being merged into the Department of Chemistry, and the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership emerged as a separate department. He was appointed Head of this new department in July 1975. In 1976 John was selected as a Permanent Professor and remained as Head, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, until late 1985. John was promoted to brigadier general and retired from the USAF early in 1986.
John then went to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, as Vice President for Academics. After serving in this role for seven years, he became Chair of the Human Factors and Systems Department. Following retirement from Embry Riddle, John went back to flight school and received Flight Instructor and Instrument ratings. He then flew as a Pilot for four years for Sunrise Aviation at Ormond Beach, FL. He is now fully retired and living in Daytona Beach.