Rear Admiral William D. Rodriguez was born on Dec. 26, 1955, at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Va. He is the son of Captain and Mrs. William Primitivo Rodriguez, USN, retired of Young Harris, Ga. He is married to the former Allet Eugenia Sumner of Newark, Del., and they have one daughter, Lauren, who was born Feb. 20, 1987.

Upon graduation from The Citadel in May 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science, Rodriguez was commissioned an ensign through the NROTC Scholarship Program. He immediately reported for duty aboard USS Thomas C. Hart (FF 1092) in Norfolk, as the electronics material officer, electronic warfare officer and combat information center officer. It was during this tour that he was designated as a surface warfare officer. In June 1980, he reported to the staff of (Tactical) Destroyer Squadron 32 as operations officer, ASW officer and ASUW officer.

Rodriguez attended the Naval Postgraduate School from 1982 to 1984, receiving a Master of Science degree in Systems Technology (Command, Control and Communications with emphasis in Computer Science and Communications Engineering). While at the Naval Postgraduate School, he was selected for lateral transfer to the Engineering Duty Officer community. Upon completion of the Engineering Duty Officers School in June of 1984, he reported to the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Long Beach, Calif., as the combat systems officer, FFG 7 new construction ship superintendent/test and trials manager, and CG 47 PSA ship superintendent. In August 1987, he reported aboard USS Midway (CV 41), homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, as the electronics material officer and combat systems maintenance officer.

From 1989 to 1992, he was assigned to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command as the test and evaluation manager and systems engineer for the MILSTAR Joint Terminal Program Office (SPAWAR 32M). In 1992, he reported to the Naval Sea Systems Command as the aircraft carrier service life extension program manager, and deputy assistant program manager for In Service Carriers, for the Aircraft Carrier Program Office (PMS312). From September 1994 to July 1997, Rodriguez served as the officer in charge of the Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center, In Service Engineering, East Coast Division, Norfolk Detachment, or NISE East Det Norfolk (formerly NAVELEX Portsmouth), located at St. Juliens Creek Annex, Portsmouth, Va. From July 1997 to March 1999, Rodriguez became the group director for the Integrated Information Systems Engineering Group (SEA03J) in the Engineering Directorate (SEA03) within the Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington.

From March 1999 to April 2001, Rodriguez was the program manager for the Naval Electronic Combat Surveillance Systems and Maritime Cryptologic Systems at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (PMW 163), and from April 2001 to June 2004, he was the program manager for the Navy Command and Control Systems, including the Global Command and Control Systems – Maritime, at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command/PEO C4I & Space (PMW 157).

Since his selection to flag rank in March 2004, Rodriguez has been the Chief Engineer for the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR 05). Between November 2005 and February 2006, he was the acting commander for SPAWAR as well.

Rodriguez is authorized to wear the following medals and decorations: Legion of Merit with one Gold Star, Meritorious Service Medal with three Gold Stars, Navy Commendation Medal with one Gold Star, Navy Battle Efficiency “E” ribbon, National Defense Medal, GWOT Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and Sea Service Deployment ribbon with silver star.