William J. Walker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William J. Walker
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| 37th Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives | |
| In office April 26, 2021 – January 7, 2023 |
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Timothy Blodgett (acting) |
| Succeeded by | William McFarland |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1981–2021 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Commands |
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| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan |
William J. Walker is a retired high-ranking officer from the United States Army. He also served as the Sergeant at Arms for the U.S. House of Representatives. This important role means he was the chief security officer for the House.
He was the 38th person to hold this position. William J. Walker was also the first African-American to become the House Sergeant at Arms. Before this, he was the Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard. This job meant he led both the Army and Air National Guard units in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Walker also worked for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He was a Special Agent there, helping to keep communities safe. He later became a Deputy Assistant Administrator. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
In March 2021, Nancy Pelosi, who was the Speaker of the House, announced that she wanted William J. Walker for the Sergeant at Arms role. He officially started on April 26, 2021. When Kevin McCarthy became Speaker in January 2023, Mr. Walker resigned. This allowed the new Speaker to choose someone else for the job. The current Sergeant at Arms is William McFarland.
Contents
Education and Early Life
William J. Walker grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He went to St. Sabina, a private Catholic school, when he was young. He then graduated from Leo Catholic High School in 1975.
He continued his education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There, he earned a bachelor's degree in arts. Later, he received a master's degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections from Chicago State University.
Mr. Walker also has two more master's degrees. One is in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University. The other is in International Service from American University. He has also attended special programs for senior leaders at top universities. These include Harvard University, George Washington University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Military Career Highlights
William J. Walker began his military career in May 1985. He was a Military Police officer in New Jersey. Over the years, he held many important leadership roles. These included commanding different units and serving as Chief of Staff for the District of Columbia National Guard.
After the events of September 11, 2001, he was called to serve with the U.S. Army. He worked as an operations officer at the Pentagon. He also served with the NATO International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. He worked at the Embassy of the United States, Kabul as well.
In April 2015, he became the Commander of the Land Component Command for the D.C. National Guard. He was promoted to Brigadier General in November 2015.
Leading Security for Important Events
During the 2017 Presidential Inauguration, Mr. Walker led a special team called the Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC). This team included nearly 8,000 National Guard members from many states. Their job was to help with security, traffic, and crowd control during the inauguration of Donald Trump.
The JTF-DC worked with several federal and D.C. agencies. National Guard members helped monitor many security points. This support allowed local police and emergency services to respond to incidents. The D.C. National Guard has helped with 40 presidential inaugurations since 1861.
On January 20, 2017, Mr. Walker became the acting Commanding General for the D.C. Army and Air National Guard. In March 2018, President Donald Trump nominated him for promotion to Major General. He was then chosen as the Commanding General.
Role in Public Safety Events
In June 2020, during an interview, Mr. Walker spoke about the D.C. National Guard's role during protests. He explained that the DCNG troops did not use force against protesters in Lafayette Park. He said they held their positions and did not advance on the crowd. He stressed that using force is always a last choice.
A report about the events of January 6, 2021, mentioned Mr. Walker. It noted that he considered sending guardsmen to the U.S. Capitol without immediate approval. However, after getting advice from his lawyer, he waited for the necessary permission. This showed his commitment to following proper procedures.
On March 5, 2021, the United States House of Representatives selected Mr. Walker as the new Sergeant-At-Arms. He took over from Paul D. Irving. This made Mr. Walker the first African-American in U.S. history to serve in this role for the House of Representatives. Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced his appointment. She gave him the Oath of Office on April 26, 2021.
Civilian Service
Mr. Walker was once the vice chairman of the board for the Young Marines. This is a non-profit group for young people aged eight through high school. It helps them become responsible citizens and live drug-free lives.
He retired as a Special Agent from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 2014. He had worked there for thirty years. He held many important positions. His last senior leadership role was Director of Strategic Warning for the DEA Intelligence Division. In this job, he led teams that studied drug threats to the United States.
He also served as Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Coordination Center. There, he helped manage daily operations for an intelligence support group. Before that, he was Deputy Director of the DEA Office of Special Intelligence. He worked closely with other intelligence agencies.
Mr. Walker also led the DEA Office of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Diversion Control. He worked with international partners to ensure rules were followed for chemicals and medicines. He traveled to countries like Austria and Belgium for this work.
As an Associate Special Agent in Charge in New York, he led drug enforcement operations. He also built strong relationships with foreign partners. He traveled to China, Hong Kong, and Thailand to work on international investigations.
Mr. Walker worked as a criminal investigator in DEA offices in Chicago, New York, and Miami. He also served as a Narcotics Attaché in two foreign countries. He held leadership roles in Puerto Rico and at DEA Headquarters. He also worked as a senior advisor at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Mr. Walker speaks Spanish and has traveled to many countries to work with law enforcement partners.
He also served as the Director of the District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG). The President appoints the Commanding General for the DCNG. In March 2021, it was reported that Mr. Walker would be appointed as the House’s permanent Sergeant-at-Arms. Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised him, calling his appointment "an important step forward for this institution and our nation." She also noted his long career with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Personal Life
William J. Walker was raised Catholic.
He is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi Phi fraternities.
Images for kids
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William J. Walker, Senior Intelligence Officer, Office of the Director of National Intelligence official photo
