North Carolina is home to many active military bases where retired military Veterans live with their families looking for work. In the first quarter of 2013, the unemployment rate among veterans ages 18-24 with at least one tour of duty in either Iraq or Afghanistan was 33.5%. The aggregate unemployment rate of all post 9-11 veterans was higher than the national average at 10.1%.

U.S. Army Veteran Johnathan Williams, 26, lives in southeast Raleigh with his wife and five-week-old daughter. He joined the Army right out of high school and served for five years as a paratrooper and infantry team leader stationed in Fort Bragg. In 2007, he deployed on a 15-month tour in Baghdad. Two years later in September 2009, during what was considered a routine training drop, high winds turned Williams’ parachute inside out and he fell 125 feet to the ground.

For more than nine months following his fall, Williams received physical therapy and surgeries and his ability to walk again was questionable. His injury caused him to leave the military in November 2011 and search for a new career path at 23 years old.

Under the GI Bill, Williams enrolled in college at North Carolina State University (NCSU) as a second semester sophomore. Shortly after, he came across Northwestern Mutual while contemplating his career options. He started working for the financial company as a college intern in December 2011.

He graduated from NCSU in December 2013, majoring in economics. That same year Northwestern Mutual honored Williams with the College Leader Award recognizing him as the top-producing college agent in the company’s Southern region. He transitioned to a full-time financial representative in January 2014 and signed a management contract with the company in September 2014.

“Military veterans are well-suited for careers in the financial services industry because of skills they’ve acquired serving in the military,” said Mike Condrey, CLU, ChFC, CFP, managing partner of Northwestern Mutual in Raleigh. “Like Johnathan, they’re motivated, hardworking, resilient and disciplined.”

Williams is passionate about helping Veterans in every area of his life – personally, professionally and through his volunteer work. In his work as a financial representative, he helps veterans and active duty military navigate and understand the financial hurdles they may experience while transitioning from military to civilian life. Examples include the standard life insurance benefit known as Servicemembers Group Life Insurance that every military member gets. Williams explains to Veterans the restrictions they will experience when the policy is switched to another company and helps them avoid higher fees when they move their coverage. Williams also educates Veterans about their taxable benefits and helps them develop strategies to cope with the changes. He understands the challenges, because they are the same ones he experienced during his transition from the military. Sixty-five percent of Williams’ clients are active military or veterans.

Williams gives back by volunteering with the Veteran’s Leadership Council of North Carolina – CARES (VLCNC-CARES). He got involved because of the very alarming statistic that 22 American Veterans commit suicide in the U.S. each day. VLCNC-CARES is the only state-wide Veterans organization that provides specialized services including counseling, training and mentoring to North Carolina Veterans. Twenty percent of all homeless individuals are Veterans and Williams works with VLCNC-CARES in an effort to successfully reintegrate each Veteran back into their community.

In 2013, Williams was a recipient of Northwestern Mutual’s Intern Community Service Award and the company donated $10,000 to Enable America, on his behalf for his volunteer work with the organization. Enable America is a national organization committed to raising awareness of employment-related disability issues for anyone on national and local levels. He met and helped motivate transitioning soldiers who were intimidated by the prospects of military discharge and conducting job searches. Also, from his unique perspective as a disabled Veteran, he offered improvement suggestions to Enable America’s employment assistance programs for wounded warriors and disabled veterans.

Williams also serves as the charity chair for City Club Raleigh.

Williams’ professional goals include not only helping Veterans but also hiring them. His ten-year vision is to lead an office where the majority of financial representatives are Veterans helping other Veterans make the transition to civilian life. Williams says while in the military he was taught to improvise, overcome and adapt and he applies that mindset in his job and as a volunteer.