Lieutenant General William M. Jurney graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1986. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1987 as an infantryman. In 1988, he was commissioned through the Enlisted Commissioning Program. From 1989-1992, he served as a Rifle Platoon Commander and Company Executive Officer in 2d Battalion, 4th Marines participating with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in support of Operation Sharp Edge in the U.S. Embassy, Monrovia, Liberia and deploying in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Other operational assignments include Rifle Company Commander and Battalion Operations Officer with 3d Battalion, 8th Marines (1996-2000). While serving as the Operations Officer for Battalion Landing Team 3/8, he deployed with the 26th MEU which provided security to refugee camps in Albania (JTF Shining Hope) and conducted peace support operations in Kosovo (Joint Guardian). From 2004-2007, he served as the Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, deploying the battalion twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom to the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi. In 2011, he assumed command of 2d Marine Regiment until deploying in 2013 to Afghanistan for duty as the Executive Officer to the Commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
His service outside the Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) include: Company Commander and Assistant Director of Drill Instructor School at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina (1992-1995); Commanding Officer, Recruiting Station Baltimore, Maryland (2001-2004); and Chief of Plans, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia (2009-2011).
General Officer assignments include: Deputy Director for Joint Training, Joint Staff J7 (2014-2016); Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region (2016-2018); and Commanding General, 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan (2018-2020), and Commanding General, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command and the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (2020-2021).
In addition to The Basic School and the Infantry Officers Course, Lieutenant General Jurney is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the Naval War College. He has earned master’s degrees in Military Studies, and in National Security and Strategic Studies.
His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device with gold star, Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon with two gold stars. He is also a recipient of the Navy League's General Holland M. Smith Award for Operational Competence, and the General John A. Lejeune Leadership Award.