Gen William Nyland is a Senior Fellow with the Flatter Executive Cadre.
General, U.S. Marine Corps.
Summary: General William L. “Spider” Nyland served as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. from September 2002 until September 2005. He retired from active duty 1 November 2005. General Nyland was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps under the NROTC program upon graduation from the University of New Mexico in 1968. In addition to attaining an M.S. degree from the University of Southern California (1980), his formal military education includes The Basic School (1968), Naval Aviation Flight Training (NFO) (1969), Amphibious Warfare School (1975), Navy Fighter Weapons School (TopGun) (1977), College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College (1981), and Air War College (1988). After being assigned to VMFA-531, General Nyland was ordered to Vietnam where he flew 122 combat missions with VMFA-314 and VMFA-115. In later tours of duty he flew additional combat sorties in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. General Nyland had multiple operational squadron tours and saw duty as the Congressional Liaison/Budget Officer, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. In 1984 he served as the Operations Officer, Marine Aircraft Group-24, 1st Marine Amphibious Brigade, and he then commanded VMFA-232, the Marine Corps’ oldest and most decorated fighter squadron, from July 1985 to July 1987.
