He was advanced to first lieutenant on September 5, 1969, captain on February 1, 1972, major on September 1, 1978, and lieutenant colonel on April 1, 1984.
After being assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 351 (VMFA-531), he was ordered to Vietnam, where he flew 122 combat missions with VMFA-314 and VMFA-115. His other tours included: Instructor RIO, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101); Squadron Assistant Operations Officer and Operations Officer, VMFA-115; and Brigade FORSTAT and Electronic Warfare Officer, 1st Marine Brigade. He also served as Operations Officer and Director of Safety and Standardization, VMFA-212; Aviation Safety Officer and Congressional Liaison/Budget Officer, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.; and Operations Officer, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Amphibious Brigade. He commanded VMFA-232, the Marine Corps' oldest and most decorated fighter squadron, from July 1985 to July 1987.
Lieutenant Colonel Nyland subsequently served as section chief for the Central Command Section, European Command/Central Command Branch, Joint Operations Division, Directorate of Operations (J-3), Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. He was promoted to colonel on February 1, 1990. In July 1990, Colonel Nyland assumed command of Marine Aviation Training Support Group Pensacola, Florida. Following his command of MATSG, he assumed duties as Chief of Staff, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2MAW) on July 5, 1992, and assumed additional duties as Assistant Wing Commander on November 10, 1992. He was promoted to brigadier general on September 1, 1994 and was assigned as Assistant Wing Commander, 2MAW, serving in that billet until December 1, 1995.
Brigadier General Nyland served next on the Joint Staff, J-8, as the Deputy Director for Force Structure and Resources, completing that tour on June 30, 1997. He was advanced to major general on July 2, 1997, and assumed duties as the Deputy Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He then served as the Commanding General, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, from July 1998 to June 2000. He was advanced to lieutenant general on June 30, 2000 and assumed duties as the Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.[1] He next assumed duties as the Deputy Commandant for Aviation on August 3, 2001. He was advanced to general on September 4, 2002, and assumed his duties as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps on September 10, 2002.
General Nyland served as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington D.C., from September 2002 until September 7, 2005. He retired from active duty on November 1, 2005.
Nyland served as Chairman of Toys for Tots[4][5] He also served as Chairman of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and He also served as The National Commander for the Marine Corps Aviation Association (January 2007-January 2010).[5]
^Keene, R. R. (July 2008). "Toys for Tots". Leatherneck Magazine. 91 (7). Retrieved 2018-03-12. On hand for the opening of the new Marine Toys for Tots Foundation headquarters were numerous dignitaries including...Gen William L "Spider" Nyland, USMC (Ret), chairman of the foundation's board...
