Bill Mott
Former British Army officer and royal adviser Bill Mott is joining the staff of Missouri Military Academy on Aug. 1 as deputy commandant for operations, according to a news release from MMA.
Mott served as principal adviser to Britain’s royal family on matters of event planning and operations.
In his new role at MMA, Mott will be responsible for direct day-to-day corps of cadet operations, including cadet life, leadership development, physical readiness, discipline and success. As the chief operating officer, Mott is charged with ensuring effective coordination of campus-wide activities involving the corps, staff, faculty and coaches, the release stated.
Mott comes to MMA from Valley Forge Military Academy & College, in Wayne, Pennsylvania, where he has been commandant of cadets since 2022. During his seven-year tenure at Valley Forge, he also served as director of marketing, development and admissions; garrison sergeant major; and lead TAC (Teach, Advise, Counsel) officer and house master. He is the first retired British army warrant officer to become the commandant of cadets in VFMAC’s nearly 100-year history.
“We’re excited to welcome Bill Mott to the MMA family. His immense leadership experience — from the British Army to the royal household — is truly exceptional, and he has clearly demonstrated his passion for the development of our youth. I look forward to the positive impact he will have on our cadets and the strength he brings to our leadership team,” said Missouri Military Academy President Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci, USA (Ret), in the release.
Mott spent 37 years in the British Army Welsh Guards, serving in Belize, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Kenya, the United States, Northern Ireland and the Falklands, the release stated, noting his duties included orchestrating all repatriation ceremonies for those killed in action from 2003 during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He holds certifications in service funds accounting; unit enplanement; education promotion; command, leadership and management; national security vetting/document security; health and safety; and fire officers all arms. He is a certified instructor in unit first aid, armored personnel carriers and NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical defense).
Mott has taught at both the Guards Depot and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He advised and trained regular forces in Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Malaysia and Jordan on state ceremonial procedures. As garrison sergeant major, “Mott was the ultimate royal detail man serving the royal family as executive resource and operations manager,” the release stated. Awarded the distinction of Officer of the Order of the British Empire and Member of the Victorian Order, he served as Queen Elizabeth’s ceremonial warrant officer, instrumental in the arrangements for such events as the queen’s Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee state processions, the queen’s birthday parades, state ceremonies, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding processional and funerals for the queen mother and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He retired from military service in 2015 and moved to a farm in Kentucky, where the governor bestowed on him the honorary title of Kentucky Colonel.
Mott said he relishes his career move to Academy life. “I love being in this arena,” he said in the release. “Seeing young men develop to be courageous, sympathetic, honorable — to become better people.”
Mott and his wife, Tammy, have two grown sons and two grandchildren. He enjoys golf, cycling, walking his dog, visiting different American states, making home improvements and gardening.