Back in 2007, when most of his high school friends were thinking about college, Tony Wilson had other plans in mind. He was pondering life in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Wilson, of Fort Worth, Texas, was yearning for a challenge. He also wanted a chance to serve his country. So, when the opportunity came to talk to a recruiter and select a service branch to join, Wilson didn’t hesitate. He picked the most rigorous outfit.
“They were the best, the baddest, and my chance of getting to go overseas and serve my country the way I wanted,” Wilson, 35, told Fort Worth Report.
When 2008 rolled around and his buddies were heading off to college, Wilson was preparing for Marine Corps boot camp. With wars in Afghanistan and Iraq still going on, he believed it was the honorably thing to do.
“We were at war at the time, and I felt like I needed to step up and do my part,” Wilson said.
More than a decade removed from military service, Wilson is still serving others. He’s the executive director of DRC Solutions, a nonprofit that helps the local homeless population. The Marine Corps slogan, “Never leave anyone behind,” is instilled in Wilson.
After all, once a Marine, always a Marine.
Life After the Marine Corps Proves Difficult
In 2010, Wilson was deployed to the Helmand Province in Afghanistan.
His military occupational specialty was artillery cannoneer, and he was trained to handle the M777 howitzer. Wilson’s unit assisted troops in the Nawa and Musa Qala districts. Besides the stifling heat, for seven months, Wilson was dodging improvised explosives and the threat of constant attack.
Somewhat astonishingly, Wilson’s unit was spared from casualties. He was deployed again following Afghanistan but avoided war zones, spending time in South Korea, Japan, and Thailand.
When he came back to Fort Worth in 2012, Wilson was met with another challenge. Civilian life.
He avoided crowds. Anxiety proved crushing. He felt he couldn’t focus on daily tasks. Only in the last few years has Wilson felt at ease attending public events.
“You’re kind of always on edge overseas,” Wilson said. “You come back and have to relearn that not everything’s about to be life or death.”
Support from family, especially his wife, Erica, helped the veteran pull through his funk. The couple corresponded through letters during Wilson’s time overseas. She realized her husband’s need for support and structure in his life. Erica decided to enroll him in college courses to provide direction.
“I remember that first big hug and setting my eyes on him,” Erica said. “It was good knowing he’s back and safe.”
The couple has one son, two-year-old Carter.
Battle buddies also proved vital, and Wilson relied on fellow Marine David Campos for support. After meeting in 2009, Wilson and Campos just clicked. Both Texans in the same unit made a pact to visit each other twice annually after they left the service.
“You’re so far away from home at 19, you want anything that reminds you of home,” Campos said. “We both loved watching sports, liked the same music, and we gravitated toward each other.”
Similar to when he joined the Marines as a fresh-faced teenager, as a civilian, Wilson was searching for a calling to serve others and lift his spirit. He found that helping struggling families and fellow veterans.
Wilson said the most important lesson he learned as a Marine was, “You can accomplish very little alone. It takes good support and teamwork to really make a difference.”
He found support to get his life back on track with DRC Solutions, an organization committed to helping veterans.
Helping the Homeless is a Priority
When he heard about a Marine with whom he had served battling homelessness, it provided Wilson with a green light to help others.
“In my mind, in our country, it’s ridiculous to allow anyone to sleep on the streets,” Wilson said. “We’re a wealthy country. Making sure that people have a place to sleep needs to be a priority.”
Similar to how he approached life in the Marine Corps, Wilson tackled college head-on. Earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from Texas Christian University, Wilson was hired by DRC Solutions and jumped into his work. DRC Solutions assists the homeless with housing, case management, and outreach.
The veteran quickly moved up the company’s ladder, from navigator to director of mobile outreach to becoming chief operating officer. Last January, Wilson became executive director.
“People are vulnerable at different times,” Wilson said. “We all have a responsibility to help people who are down because those are our brothers, sisters, and neighbors.”
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