Lieutenant Colonel Willard F. Lochridge was raised in Scarsdale, NY. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in April 1961. Upon graduation from Western Carolina University in 1965, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant.

While in the Marine Corps, he served two tours of duty in South Vietnam, with 3rd Tank Battalion, 3rd Marine Division; 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division; and USMC Combined Action Program (CAP). He also served as Battalion Assistant S-3 Officer, S-5 Civil Affairs Officer, and Southern Sector (DaNang) Reaction Force Commander. Returning to the U.S. in December 1967, he was transferred to the Office of the Secretary of Defense as a Systems Analyst. Shortly thereafter, he became Executive Officer, Guard Company, HQ USMC; and, later became Commanding Officer of H&S Company, HQ USMC. He was discharged from service with the USMC in 1972.

LtCol Lochridge joined the NY Naval Militia in 2000.

In the aftermath of the attacks of 11 Sep 2001, he served for 51 days as Military Liaison Officer to NY City’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Later, he was assigned as Officer in Charge of maritime security at the Indian Point Nuclear facility.

In 2002 he was tasked to develop specifications for high speed patrol boats that eventually became the Naval Militia’s Military Emergency Boat Service (MEBS). Over the next five years he launched ten state-of-the-art patrol boats and trained a number of personnel to crew them.

LtCol Lochridge’s personal decorations include: Silver Star Medal; (2) Bronze Star Medals with Combat ‘V’ for Valor; Purple Heart Medal; US Coast Guard Commendation Medal with Operational ‘O’ device; and, Combat Action Ribbon. His New York State awards include the Conspicuous Service Medal, and The Life Saving Medal from The Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State of NY.

In civilian capacity, LtCol Lochridge was Vice President, Federal Computer System Division, Motorola Inc. in Washington, DC. Prior to that position he was a founding Vice President for GRiD Systems Corporation.

LtCol Lochridge is married to Ms. Kirsten Hansen Lochridge. They reside in Averill Park, NY.