Colonel William Melendez was commissioned as a Military Intelligence officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 3-84, 1 June 1984. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, 519th Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. | His subsequent assignments include: Company Commander, 519th Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Advisor, Salvadorian Armed Forces, 4th Brigade, El Salvador; Deputy J2, US Forces Haiti, Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Brigade S2, 101st Airborne Division (ASSAULT), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Intelligence Team Chief, U.S. Military Group, La Paz, Bolivia; Battalion Executive Officer, USA Office of Military Support, Washington, D.C.; Brigade Executive Officer, USA Office of Military Support, Washington, D.C.; Battalion Commander, USA Recruiting Command, Des Moines, Iowa; Ministry of Defense Advisor, Multi-National Security Transition Command, Baghdad, Iraq; Deputy J2, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. | His military awards and decorations include: the Bronze Star Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (3 Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (2 Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Service Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal with “V” device, Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge.