Rep. Craig Williams of Chester and Delaware counties has been appointed by state House Speaker Joanna McClinton to serve on the National Conference of State Legislatures’ (NCSL) Military and Veterans Affairs Task Force. This group brings together lawmakers from across the country to address bipartisan policy issues that impact veterans, service members, and their families.
The NCSL task force addresses topics such as the transition to civilian life, health care access, behavioral health needs, workforce opportunities, housing, education, and navigation of state and federal benefits. The mission is to support “the health and well-being of service members, veterans and their families” while strengthening partnerships between military communities nationwide.
“As a retired veteran, advocating for this community remains very personal to me,” said Williams. “Appointment to the Task Force gives Pennsylvania a seat at the table to share the best of our ideas and hear those of other states, so we might fight for our veterans constantly. Serving our veterans every day is a mission which never ends.”
Williams has played a key role in advancing bipartisan initiatives for veterans in Pennsylvania. His recent legislation established clear rules under the Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation Act to protect deployed military parents from losing custody or visitation rights due to their service duties.
He also sponsored measures that clarified eligibility for education benefits under the Educational Assistance Program for Pennsylvania National Guard members who reenlist. This change resolved uncertainties faced by Guard members planning for higher education while continuing their service.
“I am grateful for the Speaker’s bipartisan confidence in me to represent veterans and look forward to representing Pennsylvania’s interests in this national forum,” said Williams.
Williams is a retired Marine Corps Colonel with nearly 30 years of service. He flew 56 combat missions during the Gulf War in an F/A-18D “Hornet” and was twice decorated for valor in combat. He attended law school through a Marine Corps program before serving as head prosecutor at Camp Pendleton, California—the largest base in the Marine Corps—and later as Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on ethics and detainee matters. Before retiring, he served as head prosecutor for the entire Marine Corps Reserve.
