Veteran of the Week: William Webb
William Webb (Contributed)
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By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer
MADISON – Few have done half as much as Huntsville resident William Webb to advance the cause of retired military veterans and improve the financial and emotional welfare of those who have served the country.
As the founder of Still Serving Veterans and other assistance organizations, Webb has helped countless veterans receive needed benefits and obtain civilian jobs. Before his dedicated service with the Huntsville-based group, however, was a long and illustrious active-duty career with the U.S. Army.
After graduating from high school in Carlisle, Penn., Webb began his active-duty career as an officer in 1972 after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy that same year. Webb logged nearly 40 years of service with the Army, retiring in 2000.
During his time in active duty, Webb spent eight total years in unit command. He led an attack helicopter unit, an armored cavalry troop, an air cavalry squadron and an aviation brigade during his time leading.
He was also a White House Fellow in the Executive Office of President Ronald Reagan and a legislative chairman for two different Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairmen during his time in active duty, among other distinguished posts.
Webb was also Deputy Commander of the Aviation Brigade Task Force rapidly deployed to Operation Just Cause, the liberation of Panama, in 1989.
After spending much of his latter years of his active-duty career in Washington, D.C., Webb became employed with a Huntsville-based company and moved to Huntsville in 2003 to become CEO of that company.
“Me and my family love it here in God’s country,” Webb said.
It was in 2005 that Webb was moved to start an organization to help veterans after one of his sons’ Army friends was wounded in combat.
Originally intended to secure medical care for wounded military personnel, Still Serving Veterans has morphed into a statewide organization that helps veterans obtain employment, counseling services and other needed benefits.
The organization has helped more than 16,000 veterans receive over $202 million in benefits in its decade of service. In 2014, the group moved into a larger facility in downtown Huntsville as it saw a 31-percent yearly increase in clients serviced.
“We’re really passionate about helping veterans, so we want to help as many veterans in as many ways as possible,” Webb said.
