When William Bowers retired from the Air Force as a First Sergeant, transitioning to civilian life was difficult.
"To be blunt, for the first couple of years that I was out of the military, I probably slipped into a pretty deep depression because I'd lost my way," Bowers said.
Bowers joined the Air Force straight out of high school. He started as an electronics, computers, and switching systems apprentice, eventually transitioning to cyber transport before finishing his career in leadership.
Bowers was struggling to find his place in the civilian world when he realized he could channel his military experience into helping other veterans. Today, Bowers works as the Director of the Ohio Veteran Business Outreach Center at the Economic and Community Development Institute, where he helps veteran entrepreneurs transition from military service to business ownership.
"There are things that they [veterans] are not taking advantage of for nothing more than they just don't know they exist," he said.
Bowers said his work is deeply fulfilling, and he sees it as a natural extension of his military service.
Bowers said he gets the unique challenges veterans face when transitioning to civilian workplaces, where the direct communication style valued in the military can sometimes be misunderstood.
"The military, we bust chops pretty good and we don't hold much back, but in the civilian sector, it's sometimes seen as bullying," Bowers said.
I lost the camaraderie that comes with having a whole group of people all working for the same goal.William Bowers
Community Voices Producer and Army veteran Diamond Smith, who interviewed Bowers for this story, said that working with fellow veterans creates a more comfortable environment.
"I love working with veterans. I love working with people who are like me. It's just more comfortable. I can be myself," Smith said.
For Bowers, helping veterans succeed in business represents something larger than individual success stories. He sees veteran entrepreneurs as crucial contributors to the overall American economy.
"Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy. And these guys and gals that are going into business for themselves, they're providing jobs. They're providing putting food on the table for their families," he said.
Bowers said the skills that make someone successful in the military—discipline, leadership, and problem-solving, for example—can translate into to civilian success, given the right support and opportunity.
"When you're with somebody that says, 'I don't know the next step,' and you say, 'Hey, well, what about this, this or this?' and their brains just light up—'That's brilliant. Yes, I want to do that. I can do that."
Veterans' Voices is produced for the ear and designed to be heard, not read. We strongly encourage you to listen to the audio by clicking on the blue "LISTEN" button near the top of this page, which includes emotion and emphasis not on the page.
Veterans' Voices is supported by Wright-Patt Credit Union and the Montgomery County Veterans Service Commission. Veterans' Voices is produced at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO.
