(Photo/Courtesy of William Vanderwaal)
For William Vanderwaal, who earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from USC Viterbi in 2017, service has defined every stage of life.
After graduating from high school in 1986, Vanderwaal enlisted in the Navy, completed basic training in Great Lakes, Illinois, and submarine school in Connecticut before joining the USS Bluefish, a Sturgeon-class attack submarine. He later served as a quartermaster with assignments aboard submarines USS Shark and USS Trepang during decommissioning and refueling operations.
Vanderwaal left active duty in 1990 and received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Washington State University. His patriotism led him to later reenlist.
“Things in the Iraq war were not going well, and the military was falling short of recruiting goals,” Vanderwaal recalls. “I became an artillery officer in the Washington Army National Guard in 2005.”
Vanderwaal was deployed to Mosul, Iraq, as the platoon leader at B-Battery, leading 33 soldiers on combat patrols from 2008 to 2009. He also commanded platoon detachments for 30 to 45 soldiers from 2008 to 2013 before returning to civilian life.
“With my wife and four young children at home, I wanted time back with my family,” Vanderwaal said. “The online distance education program (DEN) at Viterbi allowed me to get a master’s with a full-time job.”
Today, Vanderwaal is the general manager for the Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority in Willows, California.
He spoke to USC Viterbi about his time in the military and as a student at USC Viterbi.
What was life like in the Navy and National Guard?
Growing up in South Dakota, the Navy allowed me to experience different cultures around the country. In the National Guard, we spent weekends training and the rest of the month planning and ordering supplies. One of the biggest growth areas in my life was learning leadership styles and principles from the Army.
How was your experience in Mosul?
I’m very thankful for the non-commissioned officers and my platoon sergeant, Tim Durr. In the nine months and 11 days we were doing operations, we encountered nine IEDs (improvised explosive devices), safely detonated six of them and watched two of them explode. The pinnacle of my career was bringing everybody home alive and healthy.
What is one of your best memories in the Army?
In the movie “We Were Soldiers,” Mel Gibson is the first one on the ground and the last one to leave. I took that to heart. I made sure I was the last one on the plane when we left Mosul.
What does Veterans Day mean to you?
I appreciate that the nation honors and recognizes the service of veterans. With an already small percentage of people who enlist, only 2% serve in combat. Our small town of Willows lines the main street with flags on Veterans Day, which is very cool to see.
What made you want to return to school and join the Trojan family?
I was working in construction at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation at the time, so I wanted to pursue a master’s in that field. DEN@Viterbi was great because I could take classes while being a full-time project manager for more than a billion dollars’ worth of construction projects. I would watch a class, do an assignment, and then apply those skills to my job the next morning.
Most of my professors at Viterbi were actively working in the industry, so we learned immediately applicable, practical information rather than only theoretical instruction. It’s a fabulous program, and the reason I’m enthusiastic about being a Trojan ambassador.
What do you enjoy most about your current role as general manager?
The Tehama-Colusa system diverts water from the Sacramento River through more than 100 miles of canals. If we don’t deliver that water, the farmers can’t grow their crops, and we risk losing billions of dollars to the local economy. Every time I’m dealing with site projects or issues, I draw on my USC education. One of the most valuable classes I took looked at how politics can influence these mega-projects. It’s been extremely useful and sets me up very well for participating in that.
Published on October 13th, 2025
Last updated on October 13th, 2025
