Cmdr. Marshall Willis
Executive Officer
27 May 2021
Cmdr. James Marshall Willis is a native of Memphis, Tenn, and commissioned through Duke Navy ROTC where he received a BA in Political Science (2002). He has an EMBA with Defense Acquisition Level 1 from the Naval Postgraduate School (2011), and a MS in Cybersecurity from Webster University (2019). He is a graduate from U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, KS (2018), where he completed JPME Phase I. He is also a member of the Navy Space Cadre.
Cmdr. Willis was designated a Naval Aviator in 2005, earning his “wings of gold” for the E-2C Hawkeye. He operationally deployed with VAW-121 “Bluetails,” attached to CVW 17 and CVW 7, and later with VAW-117 “Wallbangers” and CVW 11, served aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), and USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and flew missions in support of both Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, as well as Operation Southeast Watch. He was the 2007 VAW 121 Junior Officer Leadership Award Winner and 2008 Hawkeye Pilot of the Year. Ashore, he served as a T-34C Flight Instructor, Program Manager, and Standardization Officer for VT-27 “Boomers” and Commander, Training Air Wing 4 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Following these flight tours, Cmdr. Willis served as Flag Lieutenant and Executive Assistant on the OPNAV Staff at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. It was there that he laterally transferred to the Information Warfare Community, redesignating as a Cryptologic Warfare Officer in 2013. He served as the Task Force TEN FIFTY Military Integration/Deputy Operations Officer and Department Head, leading 24/7 backend operations in support of Service, Joint, and National requirements in the CENTCOM, EUCOM, and AFRICOM Areas of Responsibility. He later served at Fort Gordon, Ga. as the Team Lead for 104 Combat Mission Team under Joint Force Headquarters – Cyber (Army) in Cryptologic Warfare O-5 Milestone. He currently serves as Executive Officer for almost 2000 Active and Reserve Officers, Chief Petty Officers, Sailors, and civilians.
Cmdr. Willis’ military awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Air Medal (one Strike award), Navy Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy Achievement Medal (two awards), and numerous unit and campaign awards. He accumulated over 1800 total flight hours – over 800 instructional hours – and flew more than 120 arrested landings as a Naval Aviator.