Major General William H. Etter is the Director, Domestic Operations (J3), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia. As the Director, he is responsible for assisting the Director, Joint Staff and Chief, National Guard Bureau in the direction and control of all National Guard Domestic Operations by planning, coordinating, information sharing, and integrating all aspects of National Guard Domestic Operations. He is also responsible for formulating, managing, and distributing resources to include two congressionally mandated programs: National Guard Counterdrug Program and National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction - Civil Support Team Program.

General Etter earned his commission though the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Connecticut and is currently a member of the Connecticut Air National Guard. After attending pilot training and initial Replacement Training Unit, he was assigned to fly the F-16 in United States Air Force Europe at Hahn Air Base, Germany. After returning stateside, General Etter was assigned to the F-16 Replacement Training Unit at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. In 1987, he joined the Vermont Air National Guard. He served as flight commander, operations officer, flying squadron commander, and operations group commander, over-seeing the unit’s involvement in both Operation Southern Watch and the significant taskings during Operation Noble Eagle. Moving to Joint Force Headquarters Vermont, General Etter served as Director of Operations and Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Vermont National Guard. He was previously assigned as the Acting Director, Joint Staff, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia. General Etter is a command pilot with over 3,300 hours in the F-16.

EDUCATION:

1979 University of Connecticut, Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Storrs, Connecticut (Summa Cum Laude)
1984 Troy State University, Master of Science, Management, Troy, Alabama
1996 Air War College, by correspondence
2005 John F. Kennedy School, Harvard University, Senior Executives in International Security, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2006 Dual Status Title 10/32 Joint Task Force Commanders Course, Norfolk, Virginia
2007 The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Leading Organizational Change, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2009 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. February 1980 - February 1981, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi

2. February 1981 - June 1981, Student, Fighter Lead-in Training, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico

3. June 1981- February 1982, Student, F-16 Initial Replacement Training Unit, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

4. February 1982 - July 1985, Standardization Evaluation Examiner, F-16, 496th Fighter Squadron, Hahn Air Base, Germany

5. July 1985 - September 1985, Student, Tactical Air Command Instructor Pilot Course, F-16, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

6. September 1985 - July 1987, Instructor Pilot, Standardization Evaluation Flight Examiner, F-16, 61st Tactical Fighter Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

7. July 1987 - August 1993, Instructor Pilot, Standardization Evaluation Flight Examiner, F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, Burlington, Vermont

8. August 1993 - April 1997, Commander, 134th Fighter Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, Burlington, Vermont

9. April 1997 - November 2001, Commander, 158th Operations Group, Burlington, Vermont

10. November 2001- August 2003, Director of Operations, Headquarters Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vermont

11. August 2003 - February 2007, Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Joint Force Headquarters Vermont National Guard, Colchester, Vermont

12. February 2007 - June 2008, Director for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia

13. January 2008 - June 2008, Acting Director, Joint Staff, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia

14. July 2008 - Present, Director, Domestic Operations (J3), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,500 military
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, F-16A/B/C/D
Pilot wings from: Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with Valor and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Long Tour
Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:

National Guard Association of the United States (Lifetime Member)
State National Guard Association
Board of Directors - Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

1979 University of Connecticut, (Summa Cum Laude)
1979 Distinguished Graduate, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, University of Connecticut
1981 Commander’s Trophy and Flying Training Award, Undergraduate Pilot’s Training, Air Training Command
2000 - 2004 Integrated Planning Process Executive Steering Committee for the Air National Guard Director
2005 Designed and Implemented the Total Force Community Base Concept
2006 Operation Maple Tap Commander, Iraq

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 20 May 1979
First Lieutenant 20 May 1981
Captain 20 November 1983
Major 12 September 1989
Lieutenant Colonel 3 October 1993
Colonel 30 March 2000
Brigadier General 28 January 2004
Major General 1 February 2007

(Current as of July 2009)