Services
Advisory Profiles
Willian J. Hancock Vice Admiral, United States Navy (Ret)
Willian J. Hancock Vice Admiral, United States Navy (Ret) graduated from the Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign in June 1965. Selected for Flag rank in December 1989, he served in positions of increasing responsibility with the Navy until
His final assignment at sea was in command of the RANGER Aircraft Carrier Battle Group consisting of eleven ships, more than ninety aircraft, and 7,500 Sailors. During that tour he was involved in joint operations in the Persian Gulf, with an Air Force composite wing, enforcing the No-fly Zone over Southern Iraq. Subsequently, the battle group was called upon to support a Marine landing in Mogadishu, Somalia. With the decommissioning of RANGER in July 1993, Admiral Hancock assumed command of the CONSTELLATION Battle Group, a position he enjoyed until November 1993. Other sea duty assignments included command of the destroyer TOWERS based in Yokosuka, Japan as well as the cruiser WORDEN where he assumed command in the Persian Gulf in 1987 shortly after the Iraqi missile attack on the frigate STARK. He also served with the Operations Staff of Commander, SEVENTH Fleet embarked in the flag ship BLUE RIDGE. His early operational assignments included serving as a division officer in the destroyer TATTNALL, in Vietnam in charge of coastal patrol boats, as a department head in the destroyer escort BROOKE, and as commissioning executive officer in the destroyer PAUL F. FOSTER.
While ashore Admiral Hancock earned a Masters Degree in Operations Research and Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School and, subsequently, he served ten tours in the Pentagon. Initially assigned to the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations as an analyst with the Systems Analysis Division, he later served in the Office of Program Appraisal, on the personal staff of the Secretary of the Navy as Administrative Aide, as a Branch Head in the Resource Appraisal Division, and as Executive Assistant to the Director of Navy Program Planning. Following his cruiser command, Admiral Hancock served in the Operations Directorate of the Joint Staff. Following his selection for Flag rank, he returned to the Navy Department staff as Director of the Operations Division in the Office of Budgets and Reports. Following his Battle Group command, he served as Director, Combatant Commander Liaison Division on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations and shortly thereafter assumed the duties as Director of the Office of Budgets and Reports on the staff of the Secretary of the Navy. His final assignment was to serve as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Logistics.
Since his retirement, Vice Admiral Hancock has been an independent consultant specializing in Defense Logistics, Infrastructure Outsourcing and Privatization, and Logistics Process Reengineering. A recognized expert in the Defense Department's planning, programming and budgeting process, Admiral Hancock serves as an advisor to several defense industry companies that are involved with the most significant military program development efforts.
Admiral Hancock remains an advocate for change in the Department of Defense and is actively engaged as a member of the Army Science Board, as a consultant for the Defense Science Board, and as a sounding board for key Defense officials in the ongoing transformation effort.
- Surface Warfare
- Fleet Ops (Pacific, Mideast)
- DCNO Logistics
- USN Budget Officer
- PPBS
- Army Science Board
- Naval Research Advisory Committee