Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Newsroom

    Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Special Tactics members pay their final respects to Lt. Col. William “Bill’ Schroeder, during his interment ceremony, June 16, 2016, at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. Schroeder, 39, was a special operations weather officer who identified a perilous situation and reacted swiftly by putting himself between an armed individual and his first sergeant. In the process, he saved lives of other squadron members while being fatally wounded. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Philip Bryant)Commander fatally shot at work laid to rest at Arlington
                        
                        
                        Special tactics members pay their final respects to Lt. Col. William “Bill’ Schroeder during his interment ceremony June 16, 2016, at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. Schroeder, 39, was a special operations weather officer who identified a perilous situation and reacted swiftly by putting himself between an armed individual and his first sergeant. In the process, he saved lives of other squadron members while being fatally wounded. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Philip Bryant)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        The family of Lt. Col. William “Bill” Schroeder, pay their final respects during Schroeder’s interment ceremony, June 16, 2016, at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. Schroeder, 39, was a special operations weather officer who identified a perilous situation and reacted swiftly by putting himself between an armed individual and his first sergeant. In the process, he saved lives of other squadron members while being fatally wounded. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Philip Bryant)Commander fatally shot at work laid to rest at Arlington
                        
                        
                        Family members of Lt. Col. William “Bill” Schroeder pay their final respects during his interment ceremony June 16, 2016, at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. Schroeder, 39, was a special operations weather officer who identified a perilous situation and reacted swiftly by putting himself between an armed individual and his first sergeant. In the process, he saved lives of other squadron members while being fatally wounded. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Philip Bryant)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        U.S. Air Force Airmen perform memorial pushups following Lt. Col. William “Bill” Schroeder’s interment ceremony, June 16, 2016, at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. Schroeder, 39, was a special operations weather officer who identified a perilous situation and reacted swiftly by putting himself between an armed individual and his first sergeant. In the process, he saved lives of other squadron members while being fatally wounded. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Philip Bryant)Commander fatally shot at work laid to rest at Arlington
                        
                        
                        Airmen perform memorial pushups following Lt. Col. William “Bill” Schroeder’s interment ceremony June 16, 2016, at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. Schroeder, 39, was a special operations weather officer who identified a perilous situation and reacted swiftly by putting himself between an armed individual and his first sergeant. In the process, he saved lives of other squadron members while being fatally wounded. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Philip Bryant)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Commander fatally shot at work laid to rest at ArlingtonPublished June 20, 2016
                    
                    By Senior Airman Ryan Conroy
                    
                    
                    24th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
            **ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) --**Two months after Lt. Col. William “Bill” Schroeder was fatally shot during an incident of workplace violence, the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard laid him to rest with full military honors June 16 at Arlington National Cemetery.More than 100 family members, teammates and service members attended the service to honor Schroeder, who was the commander of the 342nd Training Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.“As a professional, his calm demeanor, patience and genuine concern for everyone he came in contact with was unparalleled,” said Maj. Jay Syc, who served with Schroeder at the 10th Combat Weather Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and is a godfather to one of his sons. ”He taught me how important it was to take care of my men, to be there for them when they needed someone, and to stick to your morals and ethics no matter what the situation,”But Schroeder, 39, of Ames, Iowa, was more than an Airman, a special operations weather officer and a commander. He was also a dedicated father. According to those close to him, Schroeder and his wife, Abby, had two boys, whom he was deeply devoted to.“Bill was the finest example of commander, leader, husband, father, and friend. He was amazing in all those roles. Bill always did the right thing the right way -- especially when it was a tough decision,” said Maj. Jonathan Sawtelle, who served as his director of operations at 10th CWS. “Bill was patient, never vindictive, slow to anger.”Growing up, Schroeder was an Eagle Scout, played football and basketball in high school and later enjoyed running marathons and ultra-marathons, which Sawtelle said reflected his careful and patient nature.Later, he became one of the few special operations weather officers leading special tactics Airmen and was the officer component of the world’s only tactically trained meteorological force.“He was a commander who cared about his people more than anything else. Everything he did was focused around the Airmen,” said Chief Master Sgt. Shane Wagner, who served as his chief enlisted manager at the 10th CWS. “He was someone you could count on to be there when you needed him. He would never say no when you needed help.“As an enlisted person, there are very few people that I would say I would follow anywhere, and Col. Schroeder is one of them,” Wagner added.Schroeder recognized a perilous situation developing in his unit and reacted swiftly by putting himself between an armed individual and his first sergeant. In the process, he saved the lives of other squadron members while being fatally wounded.The events that took place that day are still under investigation, but Schroeder was posthumously awarded the Airman’s Medal, given to those who distinguish themselves by a heroic act in a non-combat situation.Schroeder entered active duty in July 1999 and in addition to an Airman’s Medal, he had earned a Bronze Star, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and three Meritorious Service Medals.memorial 



Arlington National Cemetery 



Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in Hawaii
                    
                    AFWERX accepting applications for spring 2024 fellowshipMAJCOM News
                Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander emphasizes five focus areas during AFA Warfare Symposium
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil