Colonel (R) Norman L. Williamson, a native of Forest, Mississippi, graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant (Military Intelligence) through the Army's Reserve Officer Training Corps program from Mississippi State University in June 1969. While at Mississippi State University, he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Statistics and Data Processing (Information Technology) and a Master of Education in Guidance and Counseling. Colonel (R) Williamson was a member of various campus organizations, including the Famous Maroon Band, Scabbard and Blade Honorary Military Society, Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities, Elder Statesmen, Student Association Treasurer, and Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, for which he was a founding member.
Colonel (R) Williamson entered active service in November 1970. He earned a Master of Science in Systems Management (Industrial Engineering) in June 1978 from University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering. His military education included Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ft. Benning, GA; Area Intelligence Officer Course, Ft. Holabird, MD; Military Intelligence Officer Advanced Course, Ft. Huachuca, AZ; Automatic Data Processing Course, Ft. Benjamin Harrison, IN; Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, KS; and the Army War College, Carlisle, PA.
His successive assignments included the Republic of Vietnam, where he served in Special Operations; United States Army Europe (USAEUR) with the 1st Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment; and as Chief of the Intelligence School, 7th Army Training Center. Other early major assignments were with the Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, and Ft. Lewis,WA, where he had consecutive assignments as Deputy G2 (Intelligence), 9th Infantry Division; and Company Commander and S3 (Operations Officer) in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. Following these assignments Colonel (R) Williamson served with the Headquarters of the US Army's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Plans (DA ODCSOPS) and as an exchange officer to the US Air Force's Office of Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations (AF XO), Washington, DC. He returned to USAEUR as the Executive Officer (XO), 165th Military Intelligence Battalion and later served as the Operations Officer (S3), 205th Military Intelligence Brigade. Subsequently, he was assigned to Ft Carson, CO, as Battalion Commander, 104th Military Intelligence Battalion, and later served as the G2 (Intelligence), 4th Infantry Division, Ft Carson, CO. Following the War College, he was assigned to the United States Army Intelligence Center, Ft. Huachuca, AZ, with successive assignments as the Director, Combat Developments; Director, Battle Command Battle Lab (Intelligence); and as the Commander, 111th Military Intelligence Brigade, responsible for all Army enlisted and officer Military Intelligence training. Returning to Washington, DC, Colonel (R) Williamson served as the Director, Special Activities, Office of the Secretary of Defense, where he was responsible for the intelligence oversight of the Army's most sensitive human and signals' intelligence activities world-wide and briefed six Congressional committees monthly.
Among his awards are the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with four stars, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 2, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Staff Service Medal, Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge, Army Staff Identification Badge, and the Military Intelligence Corps' Knowlton Award.
Colonel (R) Williamson retired from active military service in July 1998. He is Vice-President of Trinity Technology Group, located in Fairfax, VA, where is responsible for the airport passenger screening security operations for ten airports located in Mississippi, South Dakota, Montana, Florida, and California. He is a former president and current member of the Executive Board of the Potomac Chapter, Military Intelligence Corps Association (MICA) and serves as a Boy Scouts of America Eagle Board District Representative.
Colonel (R) Williamson and Elizabeth, a native of Booneville, Mississippi, have two children, both graduates of North Carolina State University. Anne, a School of Design graduate in Graphic and Textile Design, resides in Denver, CO. Mark, an Aerospace Engineering and Humanities graduate, earned a Master of Science in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, and resides in Corvallis, OR, where he is enrolled in a PhD. program in Industrial Engineering at Oregon State University.