Billy Doyle, front right, served nine years in the Army before starting a new career at 84 Lumber.
EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. (May 23, 2019) – Before he was co-manager of the 84 Lumber in Fayetteville, N.C., Billy Doyle served nine years of active duty in the U.S. Army. If left to him, he would have served another nine — or more. After being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in December 2016, Doyle was honorably discharged from the service and forced to start a new life. The transition did not go well. After struggling to find a place in his new world, Doyle entered a dark period of depression and alcohol addiction that landed him in a treatment center in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The decision saved his life and eventually helped him find a new career at 84 Lumber, a company that employs more than 300 veterans across the country.
“I was born to be a solider,” said Doyle. “I loved being with my team. I loved the brotherhood, camaraderie. And then when it gets taken away, it’s just tough. There were so many more things I wanted to do in the military that I never got a chance to do, and that was a bitter pill for me to swallow.”
After returning home from treatment in January 2018, Doyle discovered the manager trainee program at 84 Lumber and was instantly intrigued.
“It was so different from the military, and I honestly wanted to get as far away as I could from [that] because I was still heartbroken,” he said.
Doyle was soon hired by the building materials supplier and immediately exceled as a manager trainee. By July 2018, he was promoted to store co-manager.
“From the planning to logistics to the structure, you get a military feel [at 84 Lumber], and every day is just a little different. I love the freedom I have to work,” he added.
The store’s close proximity to Fort Bragg, the largest military base in the U.S., has led many veterans to apply to open positions. Three of the store’s 11 associates have served in the military.
“When I interview veterans, I often notice right away that they’re some of the best candidates,” said store manager Nate Smallwood. “They have certain skill sets and leadership qualities that help them stand out. They can also thrive at 84 because we train our employees to be very disciplined, similar to what the military does. We believe in hard work and team effort. Our store also resembles a family-like environment where veterans have someone to talk with and relate to.”
It’s in that environment where Doyle has found new purpose — and a new brotherhood.
“When I found out that some of the store’s associates are veterans, it made me lower my guard,” he said. “That’s what was really good for me: the camaraderie that’s here. I found a brotherhood again. Without 84, I don’t know where I would be, honestly. They helped me get my life back.”
Supporting America’s military is not new for 84 Lumber. Since 2016, the company has celebrated Military Appreciation Month each May with an Operation Appreciation campaign. Previous efforts have involved an online contest for active and retired military members that awarded winners with an $8,400 credit to their local 84 Lumber. This year, the company donated $25,000 to Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House in Pittsburgh, Pa., to help the nonprofit offer free housing for military families whose loved ones are being treated at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
84 Lumber also offers a year-round 10 percent military discount and a designated purple parking spot for wounded warriors at all of their locations.