Colonel William P. (Beau) McClane currently serves as the Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Information Operations Center. Colonel McClane’s career began as an enlisted Marine, and upon completion of recruit training and Infantry Training School, he served at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. as a Barracks Guard and a White House West Wing Sentry. Upon reenlisting, he was assigned to Echo Company, 2d Battalion, 3d Marines as an infantry squad leader and a chief scout swimmer, achieving the rank of meritorious Sergeant. He was accepted to the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program, and upon graduation from The Citadel he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant.
Throughout his career he has served in a variety of command and staff billets in the operating forces. As a Lieutenant, he served as a radio reconnaissance platoon commander and a ground electronic warfare platoon commander in 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force; and as a radio battalion detachment officer in charge with 31st MEU(SOC). As a Captain, he served in the 1st Marine Division as the G2 Signals Intelligence Officer and the G2 Operations Officer. As a Major, he served as the Operations Officer, Executive Officer, and Commanding Officer of 2d Radio Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force. As a Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded 3d Radio Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force. As a Colonel, he currently serves as the Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Information Operations Center.
In the Supporting Establishment, he has served as the Intelligence Officer, Tactical Training Exercise Control Group, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center; as the Commanding Officer, Company D, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion; as the Plans Officer, HQMC Intelligence Department; and as the Director, Intelligence Integration Division, Capabilities Development Directorate, HQMC Combat Development & Integration.
His Joint Duty assignments include service at U.S. European Command as Branch Chief, Balkans Intelligence Support Element, and Branch Chief, Counterterrorism Operations Branch, Joint Analysis Center Molesworth. At U.S. Central Command, he served as Branch Chief, C4ISR Operational Requirements, J2 Operations Division.
Colonel McClane has participated in the following named operations: Operation Joint Guardian (Kosovo), Operation Joint Forge (Bosnia-Hercegovinia), Operation Iraqi Freedom (05-07.2), and Operation Enduring Freedom.
His professional military education includes: The Basic School, Basic Communication Officers Course, Cryptologic Division Officers Course, MAGTF Intelligence Officers Course, Expeditionary Warfare School (non-res), Marine Corps Command and Staff College (non-res), Joint Combined Warfighting School, selection for Top Level School as a CMC Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government serving as a National Security Fellow, and MCU’s Strategy & Policy Course. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (3), Meritorious Service Medal (2), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Presidential Service Badge.