James L . Williams Major General James Williams ( Ret . ) was the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division , a position he was appointed to in April 2007 . His previous position was as the Assistant Division Commander , 2nd Marine Division which began in November 2006 . His previous assignment was as Deputy Commanding General ( Mobilization ) , Marine Corps Combat Development Command . He also served during combat operations as the Assistant Division Commander , 2d Marine Division from 2005 – 2006 , at Camp Blue Diamond , Ar - Ramadi , Iraq , and earlier with I Marine Expeditionary Force as the Deputy Commanding General in Fallujah , Iraq . He also serves on the SecDef Reserve Force Policy Board . Major General Williams was born in Bethlehem , Pennsylvania . His formative years were spent in Reading and Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . He received a B . S degree from Slippery Rock University , in 1975 . He reported to Officer Candidate School in January 1976 , and received his commission in March 1976 . He received Master ' s degrees from Georgetown University in Government and National Security Affairs in 1981 , from Yale University in Hospital Management / Public Health in 1984 , and from the U . S . Army War College in International Security Studies in 2000 . Currently , he is in the process of working on his Master ' s Degree in Computer Engineering and Computer Science . Upon completion of The Basic School , Quantico , VA , in 1976 , he did a short tour with the Officer Selection Office in Pittsburgh , PA . He was subsequently assigned in 1976 to the 3rd Marine Division to serve with 3rd Battalion , 9th Marines serving as a Rifle Platoon Leader and the Super Squad Platoon . Returning from overseas in January 1978 , he reported to 2nd Force Troops ( now 2nd Marine Logistics Group ) , as the Assistant Command Inspector . He was then assigned to 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company as a Force Recon Platoon Leader and deployed several times for NATO exercises . During this period he attended reconnaissance training schools . In 1979 , he was transferred to Marine Barracks , Washington , D . C . He was promoted to Captain in 1980 . During this tour , he served as Ceremonial Platoon Leader ; White House Presidential Military Social Aide to Presidents Carter and Reagan ; coach of the Barracks boxing team ; Head , The Basic School Correspondence Course , Marine Corps Institute ; and attended graduate school at Georgetown University from 1979 to 1981 . He completed the Amphibious Warfare Non - Resident Course in 1980 . In 1981 , he was assigned to the Reserve component of the Marine Corps and was assigned to duty with the 14th Marines where he served with 2nd Battalion , 14th Marines , 4th Marine Division as a Forward Observer , Battery Executive Officer , Battery Commanding Officer , and Battalion Logistics Officer . While with the 14th Marines , in 1986 , he was the recipient of the Outstanding Junior Marine Corps Reserve Officer Award presented by the Reserve Officers Association . He was promoted to Major in 1987 . He also completed graduate school at Yale University during this period . He was then assigned to the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion in 1988 , where he served as the Battalion Operations and Training Officer , Battalion Diving Officer , and Executive Officer . During 1990 - 1991 , the Battalion was called to duty for Operation Desert Shield / Storm . One reconnaissance company was assigned to lead the reconnaissance efforts for both the 1st and 2nd Divisions in their attacks on Iraq . The remainder of the Battalion was assigned to conduct counter - narcotics operations in CONUS and OCONUS . In 1991 , he attended the Marine Corps Reserve Command and Staff College Course as a student . In 1992 , he completed school and was assigned to the 4th Marine Division as Assistant Operations Officer . In 1993 , he completed the Air Command and Staff College Reserve Component Course . In October 1993 , he was assigned as the Assistant G - 6 . He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1994 . In 1995 , he was assigned as Commanding Officer , 1st Battalion , 23rd Marines . In 1997 , the battalion was assigned to the 1st Marine Regiment , 1st Marine Division for Kernal Blitz ' 97 . He was selected in 1997 , to attend the U . S . Army War College Distant Education Program . He was promoted to Colonel in 1998 . He was then selected and assigned to be the Deputy Commander , 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element ( I MACE ) in 2000 . In 2000 , he graduated from the U . S . Army War College . In 2002 , while in this assignment he was assigned as the Deputy Director , Operations CJTF - 180 , conducting combat operations in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom . He was selected for promotion to Brigadier General 2003 . From 2003 - 2005 , he served as the Commander , 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element ( I MACE ) , during this period he served as the Acting Commanding General , I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton . American Board of Disaster Medicine . In 2009 , Williams was appointed a Public Board Member of the American Board of Disaster Medicine ( ABODM ) . The ABODM , found in 2006 , is a Member Board of the American Board of Physician Specialties ( ABPS ) , headquartered in Tampa , Florida . The ABPS is the third largest nationally recognized physician multi - specialty certifying organization . For more information about the American Board of Disaster Medicine visit www . abodm . org .