Retired colonel helps vets transition to civilian life

PHILADELPHIA – Retired Army Col. Timothy Williams saw all kinds of action: in Somalia, in the Gulf region and in Iraq. He enlisted straight out of high school and eventually joined the Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets.

Now that he's left the military, he works at another demanding job, as executive director of the Veterans Multi-Service Center, or VMC, in Philadelphia.

During his time in uniform, Williams oversaw thousands of servicemen and servicewomen, commanding the Third Battalion in Operation Iraqi Freedom and serving with Special Operations Command Central for two years in Iraq. He commanded the 72nd Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Dix and also served as chief of training and commandant of the Stability Academy at Camp Victory, Iraq.

For Williams, 55, the transition to civilian life was unexpectedly rough.

"My entire identity was tied up in wearing a uniform since I was 17," he said. "I turned 18 in basic training. Emotionally, retirement was tough on me. I thought I was ready, because my last job in the military I worked with FEMA. They're civilians, even though they're quasi-government. I've worked on national exercises with other nations, and earned three master's degrees, but I wasn't prepared mentally for what happened to me."

He sympathizes with other retiring vets.

"I'm a Special Forces guy. I thrive on volatile and uncertain environments. So it took me six months to come to grips with never wearing a uniform again."

Married and father to four children, Williams lives in Burlington County, N.J. It was his wife, Lisa, who encouraged him to join a networking group through the Department of Veterans Affairs, which led to a job at the Veterans Multi-Service Center.

"My wife forced me to go to the veterans transition program through the county in Burlington, N.J., and through them I found the VMC job. I hadn't even crafted a résumé," he recalled. He started the job in October 2014.

"Now, I tell every vet I meet to start early on their transition — a year ahead of time — and don't wait to construct your future until the last 30 days" before discharge.

VMC has been helping veterans since 1980, and as a nonprofit serves more than 2,500 veterans each year.

"Our mission is that when a veteran, he or she, walks in the door, we assess their needs and take them to an outcome. Our services are free."

VMC must operate on four fiscal years: federal; calendar; agency-specific, depending on the grant; and the center's own.