Sergeant Major
William L. Napier

Sergeant Major William Napier was born on March 3rd, 1929 in Delbarton, West Virginia and joined the Army on May 20th, 1946. During his 55 years of federal service, including 30 years as a Soldier and 26 years as a Department of the Army Civilian, he has served as a maintainer, inspector, leader, instructor, and training manager.

Sergeant Major Napier began his career as a Radio Mechanic in a variety of assignments which took him to Fort Benning, Fort Bragg, and Fort Eisenhower, as well as overseas to Vietnam and Berlin. He culminated his military career with assignments at the U.S. Army Ordnance Missile and Munitions Center and School at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. He served as the Senior Instructor for the Missile Electronic Maintenance Branch and Sergeant Major for the Student Recruiting Program, for which he was chosen to create and lead, by Colonel Thomas J. McDonald, then commandant of the school. His leadership soon resolved the shortfall and even filled all the seats nine months in advance, through a delayed entry program.

Upon retirement in 1976 as a Sergeant Major, Mr. Napier transitioned to his career as an instructor and training manager at the U.S. Army Ordnance Missile and Munitions Center, which later became the U.S. Army Ordnance Munitions and Electronics Maintenance School. He championed programs to improve the instruction and retention of students, as well as updating and modernizing instructional technology and computer based training.

He retired in 2006 as the Deputy Director of the Electronic Technology Training Department.