Courtesy Photo | Royce Williams stands for a photo after receiving his 35-year Length of Service award...... read more read more
Royce Williams starts each day the same way. He sits at his desk, reviews test schedules, manages logistics, and replies to emails from engineers heading to San Nicolas Island. From his office, just a short walk from the mission support hub, he works behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly and efficiently.
After 35 years of service, he doesn’t focus on being seen. It’s about making sure everything behind the scenes works as planned.
Williams has helped Navy operations with testing, logistics, and range coordination. He moved from ship decks to shore stations and now works at NAWCWD’s Point Mugu Sea Range, one of the most remote outposts. As the San Nicolas Island Support Coordinator, he handles logistics, staff, and range activities. This helps test teams complete complex missions quickly.
That kind of consistency over decades has made him a trusted presence wherever the mission takes him.
For Royce, job satisfaction was never about the title or the pay.
“I want to like the people I work for,” Williams said. “That’s always been one of the most important things to me. And I’ve been lucky to have that the whole time.”
Williams enlisted in the Navy in 1986 as a torpedoman. He was a plank owner onboard USS Thomas S. Gates (CG 51). Later, he served onboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 73). There, he oversaw the sprinkler systems for the weapons magazines. He also managed the ship’s small arms program. After retiring from active duty with 20 years of service, he continued supporting the warfighter as a civilian.
His first role after retirement was at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii. There, he managed fleet training operations and oversaw Missile Defense Agency events. Then, he moved to Point Mugu and later to San Nicolas Island. He now lives on San Nicolas during the week to support off-range testing.
A shift from harbor life to remote island logistics was one he welcomed.
“I used to live on a boat in Ventura Harbor,” Williams said. “Now my berthing is 600 feet from the office. If I work until 6, it doesn’t matter. I’m already home.”
Williams collaborates with test managers to lower uncertainty and simplify planning. He plans for logistics, arranges transport, and solves problems before they affect the mission. At San Nicolas Island, timing is key. His calm presence often tips the balance between order and chaos.
“It’s a lot of moving parts,” Williams said. “I just try to make it easier for the people doing the mission.”
He supported missile tests that drew national attention at PMRF, many of them first-of-their-kind events. In Okinawa, he flew BQM-74 drones. He provided support for foreign military customers. He coordinated surface targets and oversaw range boat recovery operations. He maintained Mk 48 ADCAP torpedo test equipment in Yorktown, Virginia, and Point Loma, California. Each chapter added depth to his understanding of how tests are planned, launched, and analyzed.
At Point Mugu, he led Naval Sea Systems Command events. He also spent three years with the Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile program. That role required managing risk, anticipating variables, and keeping momentum as the program moved from planning to live testing.
He knows that plans don’t always survive first contact with reality.
“The range is where things get real,” he said. “You have to be ready for anything. You make a plan, and then you adapt.”
San Nicolas Island is a critical Navy asset. It serves as a launch site for missiles and supports the testing of advanced weapons systems. The remote area allows for live-fire exercises. It also supports the testing of electronic warfare systems and launching aerial and sea targets. It comes with radar, electro-optical tracking, telemetry, and communication gear. This supports testing across the 36,000-square-mile area of the Point Mugu Sea Range.
This is where Williams helps keep the fleet ready. On the Sea Range, he supports programs that refine naval weapons and warfighting capabilities. He turns test plans into real-world results. He handles missile events and addresses instrumentation issues. He keeps his cool under pressure and knows what success looks like for the warfighter.
Today, Williams has reached the top of his pay scale. He has no plans to pursue leadership roles or chase promotions. He doesn’t need to. His impact comes from consistency, reliability, and the respect of those who count on him.
“The mission is interesting. My leadership is solid. That’s enough for me,” Williams said.
His sense of purpose and mission never left him. He takes pride in helping others succeed. This is especially true for new test managers. He enjoys guiding them as they plan their first event. He also likes to troubleshoot issues before they turn into problems.
“I don’t need credit. I just want the mission to go well,” he said. “That’s what matters.”
Williams remains grounded in the work and the people. He sees every test as a contribution to readiness, deterrence, and national defense. And when the last plane leaves the island at the end of the week, he is already thinking about the next one.
Others see it too. Teammate Mike McHenry said their partnership has become a two-way exchange of experience and insight.
“In the short time I’ve worked with Royce, his background in test management has been a huge help,” McHenry said. “I’ve spent years on the island and can help with local knowledge, but he brings the big-picture awareness that makes our team more efficient, productive, and successful.”
At San Nicolas Island, where the runway meets the sea and the mission meets the unknown, Royce Williams is still there. He makes an impact quietly, steadily, and with purpose.
| Date Taken: | 06.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2025 14:59 |
| Story ID: | 501612 |
| Location: | POINT MUGU NAWC, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | BULLHEAD CITY, ARIZONA, US |
| Hometown: | LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA, US |
| Hometown: | PARKER, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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