Commanding Officer
LtCol Robert E. Williamson
LtCol Williamson was born and raised in Seminole, Florida. He graduated with his Bachelor’s degree from Morehead State University and earned his commission through the Platoon Leaders Course in 2002. He subsequently completed The Basic School and Aviation Preflight Indoctrination in 2003, the Air Defense Control Officer Course in the 2004 (honor graduate) and was designated MOS 7210.
LtCol Williamson’s first assignment to the Fleet Marine Force was at Marine Air Control Squadron 2 (MACS-2), where he served in a variety of billets including Squadron Legal Officer, and Detachment Commander for the Tactical Air Operations Center (TAOC). In 2004, he deployed as a Senior Traffic Director to Afghanistan with the TAOC in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). He then also deployed to Iraq in 2007 as the Squadron Assistant Operations Officer in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his assignment he qualified as a Surveillance Identification Director and a Senior Weapons Director in the TAOC.
In 2007, he was promoted to Captain and reported for duty at Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School in Twentynine Palms, CA. He served in “C” Company “Air Schools” as an Instructor before becoming the Officer in Charge of the Air Defense Training Section. During his assignment he continued to train with the Fleet Marine Forces, qualifying as an Air Intercept Controller (AIC) and Senior Air Director (SAD) in the TAOC. In 2010, LtCol Williamson reported to MACS-1 at MCAS Miramar where he assumed command of the Early Warning and Control (EW/C) Detachment, deploying again to Afghanistan as the Detachment Commander for the TAOC “MISER” in support of OEF and International Security Assistance Forces. Then in 2012, he was selected on the Commandant’s Career-Level Education Board and reported to the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) where in 2013 he was promoted to Major, graduated with a Master’s degree from the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy and was designated a Defense Systems Analyst (MOS 8852).
In 2014, he reported to Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 18 in Okinawa, Japan where he served as the Operations Officer until 2015, and then Executive Officer until 2016. Then while serving as the Assistant Operations Officer for Marine Air Control Group 18, LtCol Williamson qualified as a Senior Air Coordinator in the Tactical Air Command Center (TACC).
In 2017, LtCol Williamson transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) Programs and Resources (P&R) and was assigned as a Program Analyst. While assigned to P&R, he completed Level II certification in Program Management from Defense Acquisitions University, and also received an additional MOS as a Planning, Programming, Budget and Execution (PPBE) Officer (3450). From 2018-2019, he served as Aide-de-Camp to the Deputy Commandant for P&R, after which he was re-assigned to HQMC Aviation APP-23 as the “Green Dollar” Program Objective Memorandum (POM) Coordinator until 2020. LtCol Williamson then returned to Okinawa to serve as the Operations Officer for Marine Air Control Group 18 (MACG-18) until 2021.
LtCol Williamson is a graduate of several military schools including the Naval Legal Officer Course, Senior Leaders Legal Couse, Joint Air Operations Command and Control Course (JAOC2C), the Joint Interface Control Officer (JICO) Course, the Expeditionary Warfare School and Marine Corps Command and Staff College Distance Education Programs, and the Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course. Additionally, he earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from Troy University in 2015 and a Graduate Certificate in Cost Estimation and Analysis from NPS in 2018. His personal decorations include the Navy Achievement Medal, gold star in lieu of second award, Navy Commendation Medal, gold star in lieu of third award, and the Meritorious Service Medal.
LtCol Williamson is married to the former Melissa Wilder of Clearwater, Florida. They have two sons, Robert (15) and Caleb (12).