Colonel William R. Daniel II

Col. Daniel was commissioned into the artillery in 1997 upon graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point. His military schools include the US Army Airborne and Air Assault Schools; Artillery Basic and Captain’s Career Courses; and the United States Army Command and General Staff College. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from West Point and a Masters of Arts in Sub-Saharan Africa Security Studies from the Naval Post Graduate School. 

Col. Daniel has led soldiers in Howitzer and Rocket Artillery units in the United States, Europe, and Iraq. His first three years of service were in the 3d Infantry Division where he served in the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. COL Daniel spent the next four years assigned to the 41st Field Artillery Brigade in Babenhausen, Germany; ultimately commanding A Battery 1st Battalion 27th Field Artillery (MLRS). Upon successful completion of command, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel served as an Observer Controller at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA.

Selected as a Foreign Area Officer in 2009, COL Daniel has served in a variety of FAO assignments to include Security Cooperation planner at US Army Africa in Vicenza, Italy; Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché in Kigali, Rwanda; Deputy Chief, Africa Division, Middle East/Africa Regional Center, Defense Intelligence Agency; Senior Defense Intelligence Analyst for Africa at the Defense Intelligence Agency; East Africa Branch Chief at United States Africa Command, J-5 Strategy, Engagements, and Programs Directorate. In July 2022, he completed his assignment as the Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché in Mogadishu Somalia. He most recently served as the Deputy Director of the Italian Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) in Vicenza, Italy.

Col. Daniel’s deployments include Iraq in 2003-4 with the 41st Field Artillery Brigade and Afghanistan in 2008-9 with NATO ISAF, Regional Command South, in Kandahar.

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Basic Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge.