William Navas served from 1987 to 1990 as Deputy Director and from 1995 to 1998 as Director of the Army National Guard. He retired as a U.S. Army Major General. On June 6, 2001 Navas was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), serving from July 17, 2001 to January 2008. He was the first person from Puerto Rico to serve in that post.