Chaplain

JAMES T. (TIM) WILLIAMS, CDR, CHC, USNR

Chaplain Tim Williams was born in 1953 in Camden, South Carolina and grew up in Lancaster, South Carolina. He attended Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tennessee and graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies. He continued his education, receiving a Master of Divinity Degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina in 1982.

He was called as Pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, Jefferson, South Carolina in 1982 and served for nine years. He then was called to be the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Jefferson, South Carolina and served for six years. He was then called to Pastor Beauford Baptist Church, McBee, South Carolina in 2000 until he received Active Duty for Special Work orders in November, 2008 and reported as the Wounded Warrior Battalion-East Chaplain, Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

While serving these churches, Chaplain Williams worked as a Bi-Vocational pastor. In 2000, Chaplain Williams became a Probation and Parole Agent with the State of South Carolina, working in Lancaster, South Carolina until his recent active duty orders. He is a C-1 trained law enforcement agent with the State of South Carolina, having completed the Law Enforcement Academy in Columbia, South Carolina in 2001.

Chaplain Williams entered the United States Marine Corps in October of 1972 and completed boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina on December 29, 1972. He was transferred to VMA-324, Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, South Carolina after he completed Administrative School and reported for duty as a Unit Diary Clerk. He spent two years on active duty, having been promoted meritoriously to Lance Corporal and Corporal before transferring to the Marine Corps Reserve. At this time he entered college and served in the Marine Corps Reserve in Charlotte, North Carolina, Knoxville, Tennessee and Raleigh, North Carolina and was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant. After his contract with the Marine Corps ended in September, 1982, he was commissioned in June of 1983 as a Lieutenant (Junior Grade), United States Naval Reserve. He graduated from Chaplains School in Newport, Rhode Island in 1985. He was recalled to Active Duty for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1991 and served six months on active duty with VMA-311, Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, South Carolina as the Squadron Chaplain. The squadron was deployed to Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan and Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa. Chaplain Williams subsequently returned to reserve duty at Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center, Charlotte, North Carolina in the fall of 1991. During his 26 years in the Navy Reserve, Chaplain Williams has performed periods of active duty at Parris Island, South Carolina, Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina and Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as well as Naval Base, Charleston, South Carolina.