Captain Cody Williams, United States Army

2019 U.S. Missile Defender of the Year

CPT Williams was born and raised in Warren, Pennsylvania. CPT Williams enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2007 and served two years as a Financial Management Technician before transitioning into the ROTC program. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and commissioned through ROTC at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2011. Prior to attending the Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Basic Officer Leaders Course (BOLC), CPT Williams served as the Executive Officer (XO) for C Battery, 1-56 ADA Battalion. After completion of BOLC he was assigned as a Platoon Leader (PL) to A Battery, 5-7 ADA Battalion in Germany. While within 5-7 ADA Battalion, CPT Williams served as a Support PL, Launcher PL, Battalion S4, and Battery XO. His next assignment was the 69th ADA Brigade Headquarters in Ft. Hood, Texas as a Brigade Battle Captain. He graduated from the ADA Captains Career Course in 2017 before being assigned to C Battery 2-6 as an AMEDD DCC Instructor. CPT Williams assumed Command of Bravo Battery on 18 July 2018. CPT Williams has two operational deployments. He first deployed with A Battery 5-7 ADA Battalion from Germany to Gaziantep, Turkey in support of the NATO Expeditionary Mission Operation Active Fence (2012-2013). His second deployment was from Ft. Hood to Al Udied Air Base, Qatar in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. CPT Williams has also served in numerous joint and international exercises including the Combined Defense Working Group / Israeli Test Bed in support of the Israeli Defense CONPLAN, Juniper Cobra and Austere Challenge in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, and two “EUROPEAN SHOCK” emergency deployment readiness exercises. CPT Williams is joined in active service by his brother CPT Jeremy Williams. The veterans in his family include his brother Tobias Williams, his father Dennis Williams (Vietnam), and both of his grandfathers: Morton Williams (WWII) and George Hesch (Korea). CPT Williams’ awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Superior Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary and Service Medals, the Army Service Ribbon, three Overseas Service Ribbons, and the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Silver).

Defenders of the Year