Will Yarborough is serving in the Army National Guard
Will Yarborough is serving his country in the Texas Army National Guard. He enlisted in April of 2013 and, over the last four years, he’s seen what the Guard can do for others in their time of need.
“About once a year, we get the call that help is needed for flood relief. Some of the Guard recently responded in Houston, following the hurricane that hit there,” Yarborough said. “I’m trained in carpentry and masonry so I can help with rebuilding.
I’ve been called up to assist with recovery at the Ray Roberts Dam, when it was about to burst a few years ago, and I’ve done work in Glen Rose, Texas, when the Brazos River flooded.”
A Family in Service
Yarborough comes from a military family. His grandfather, David William Yarborough, was in the Vietnam War as a medic. Bill, as he was known to his friends, family and brothers-in-arms, was a sergeant when he recently passed due to cancer.
Will’s father, Beau, served in the Army during Desert Storm and Desert Shield as an armorer. He was in Iraq when it was attacked and defended Kuwait. Beau Yarborough ended his service at the rank of sergeant.
Will (left) and his father, Beau
More than two decades after his father fought for Kuwait, Will Yarborough went through basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He now returns once a month for training and building projects on his home post in Stephenville, Texas, and reports when called to respond to a disaster.
It was what he signed up for. But there was one thing he didn’t expect—that he would need some help finding a civilian job.
“You’re a part-time soldier, part-time civilian and you have to work for a company that makes that possible and understands this,” Yarborough said. “I was working at Pizza Hut, and it just wasn’t enough to make a living wage. I’d heard about Digital Works through my mother, who is a trainer there.”
How Digital Works Helped
He trained at the SoloWorks facility in Grants, New Mexico, which utilizes the Digital Works model and training programs. Yarborough learned some key customer service and computer skills that are specific to the need of the more than 70 companies Digital Works partners with across the country.
“A veteran or someone in the active military is a perfect match for online jobs,” he said. “It takes a certain kind of person to go through services. They learn certain soft skills and life skills that make them dependable. They’re very punctual and understand how to deal with problems as they arise using the chain-of-command.”
Yarborough found he could make a living wage while working for a company that provided enough flexibility for his service. He’s now worked for ViaSource Solutions since June of this year and says, so far, it’s been a great experience.
We wish all our veterans and active military members a Happy Veterans Day. Thank you for your service to our country.
To learn more about Digital Works classes, head to www.digitalworksjobs.org.
Will’s father, Beau, served in Iraq during Desert Storm and Desert Shield and was part of the force that defended Kuwait