Major General William H. Seely III was born in Saigon, Vietnam. Major General Seely graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from American University and was commissioned through NROTC George Washington University (1989). He holds Masters Degrees from Oklahoma State University, the National Intelligence University, and the Naval War College (With Distinction). He also holds Certificates from the Army War College, Air University, Singularity University, Johns Hopkins, UNC-Chapel Hill, MIT and Harvard.
Major General Seely’s leadership assignments include: Communications Platoon Commander, H&S Company, 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, (1990-92), Company Commander, India Company, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion, Kunia Hawaii (2000-02), Battalion Commander, 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, 3d Marine Division (2006-08), Commander, Marine Corps Intelligence Schools, Training Command (2011-13), Commander, Task Force-Iraq (TF-Iraq), CJTF-Operation Inherent Resolve (2019-20), and Commandant, Joint Forces Staff College (2020-21).
His staff assignments include: S-2, 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, (1992-93); S-2A and S-2, Marine AirGroup-36, (1993-95); S-2, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Belleau Wood, Mogadishu, Somalia (1994-95); S-2A/S-2, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), 1996-00; Deputy G-2 and G-2 Operations Officer, Marine Forces Central (FWD) Command (2002-03); Regional Terrorism OIC, J2 Counter-Terrorism Branch, (2004-05) and Deputy Director for Intelligence, Joint Intelligence Center, US Central Command (2005-06); Director, Intelligence Integration Division, Combat Development and Integration, MCCDC (2010-11); A/COS for Intelligence (G-2), Marine Corps Forces Command (2013-14); Chief of Staff, Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace (2015); Intelligence Director (J-2), Combined Joint Forces Land Component Commander-Iraq (CJFLCC-I / Task Force 82nd ABN Div) (2015-16). As a General Officer, he served as Director, Intelligence Department, HQMC (2016-17), Director, Communication Strategy, HQMC (2017-19), Commander, Task Force-Iraq/Director Joint Operations Center-Iraq, CJTF-Operation Inherent Resolve (2019-20), Commandant, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk (2020-21), and Director, Information Intelligence Division, HQMC (2021-23).
Major General Seely’s operational deployments include UNITED SHIELD Mogadishu, Somalia, USS Belleau Wood (1994-95), SOUTHERN WATCH / INTRINSIC ACTION / DESERT THUNDER Kuwait (1996-98) USS Essex/USS Tarawa, SAFE DEPARTURE Eritrea NEO (1998) USS Tarawa, STABILISE East Timor HAO (1999) USS Peleliu, ENDURING FREEDOM Bahrain/Kuwait (2002-03), IRAQI FREEDOM Iraq (2005, 06-07, 08) and INHERENT RESOLVE Iraq (2015-16, 19-20).
Major General Seely’s personal military decorations include: the Defense Superior Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Legion of Merit with Gold Star, the Bronze Star with two Gold Stars and “Combat V”, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon. He is authorized to wear the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification badge, the Scuba Diver Insignia and the Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia.