As a youth, Williams paid his first visit to the U.S. Military Academy in May 1938, and four years later began his first Federal Service in May 1942 as a volunteer aircraft spotter for the 2nd Anti-Aircraft Region.

In 1954, Williams graduated from the United States Military Academy[4] with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and initially commissioned as a second lieutenant in Air Defense Artillery.

His military education includes completion of the Air Defense Basic Officers Course, the United States Army Intelligence School, the Artillery Officers Career Course, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, the Defense Intelligence School, and the National War College.

Upon return to the United States, he was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency as Chief, Missile Forces/Strategic Arms Limitation Branch, Soviet/Warsaw Pact Division, and he later served as the Deputy Director for Estimates.

He initiated widespread use of open source collection of foreign scientific and technical information by DIA as well as establishment of the Military Intelligence Integrated Data System(MIIDS).

Williams was also instrumental in creating the first computerized threat methodologies for DoD and established the first threat validation system for the Defense Acquisition Cycle Williams focused the Agency on enhancing support to tactical and theater commanders, improving capabilities to meet major wartime intelligence requirements, and strengthening indications and warning assets.

[5] In this regard he was responsible for establishing the first terrorism warning billets in the Agency and for placing the first United States Coast Guard Attachés on station.

The planning process for URGENT FURY was greatly facilitated by a number of intelligence products that had been prepared as early as 1979, bringing high praise for DIA's support and services.

Other DIA analytical efforts during the year centered on the continuing crises in Nicaragua, Lebanon (the attack on the Marine barracks), Iran and Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as the Soviet shoot-down of KAL 007, the civil war in Chad, and unrest in the Philippines.

Finally, Williams oversaw the Agency's move into its new headquarters at Bolling Air Force Base from Arlington Hall Station.

He also served as an advisor for the Army on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Program and played a major role on two projects to improve imagery collection management.