U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command
AMCOM-Legal, Bldg 5300
Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898
(256)842-0592 / 

Timothy “Tim” is a 2004 graduate of Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, and received an undergraduate degree with a BS in Political Science in 2001 from Mississippi State University. He is an Acquisition Law Attorney with the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command practicing Contract & Governmental Law.

The person who recommended Tim said, “I am a retired General Manager with Alabama Power Company who has had extensive managerial responsibilities during my 36 years of service to the customers of our company and the state of Alabama. Part of my responsibilities included assessing and recommending employees for additional responsibilities because of their own proven capabilities and my knowledge of their character and abilities. With this background, I believe I am in a unique position to offer you a sound recommendation for Mr. Wasyluka’s participation on the Leadership Forum. Tim and I became acquainted at Valleydale Church in Birmingham seven or eight years ago because of our common interest in the missions program at our church. He participated in a mission trip which my wife and I led to Asia, and through the preparation for and participation in this experience, I came to know and appreciate Tim’s dedication to a particular cause. Following this trip, we continued to have interaction with each other, and several years ago we jointly agreed that a mentoring relationship would be valuable to Tim and to me. We met regularly, discussed life issues, and became better acquainted before he was deployed to the Middle East on active military duty. During this mentoring relationship, I observed his sound thought processes, his desire to continue to improve himself, a developing maturity, and an orientation of serving others sacrificially. This mindset was dramatically illustrated in his willingness to serve his country, but it was also demonstrated prior to that time in his service to his church fellowship. As a regular leader of teams overseas, I am constantly looking for people who could step into a team leader role, and I certainly saw the necessary leadership capabilities in Mr. Wasyluka. If you are looking for a man who is dedicated, willing to learn and improve himself, and one who will serve others, Mr. Wasyluka will not disappoint you. He will benefit greatly from this opportunity, and I believe will provide an outstanding return to your investment through his participation in this Leadership Forum.”

In his own words Tim said, “I have been given much; I know much is now required. It is this guide that leads me to view the law degree, the law firm, the Commissioning as an Officer in the Alabama Army National Guard, and the current position as an acquisition law attorney with U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, not as ends unto themselves, but as means to a greater end, a step in the process to greater service and a higher goal. I’ve not yet written nor achieved some great academic work, nor pushed forward to enactment a great piece of legislation (though I have some ideas) nor new rule of the state bar. However, since first having my eyes opened to the verse, I have attempted to live out the edict of Galatians 6:10 (NKJV), ‘as we have opportunity, let us do good to all…’ I recall the simple verse first striking my consciousness upon hearing then President Bill Clinton quote it in a moving eulogy for Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan, who passed away in a plane crash in October of 2000. Governor Carnahan was recognized across the political spectrum as a true and honorable public servant; in the years since his passing, his family’s public service is further testament to the depths of his own service. In my efforts to live this verse through my practice of law, I strive to treat both clients and ‘adversaries’ with the utmost respect, and I seek to do good in all of my legal endeavors. I seek to further the fortunate impressions the general public has regarding attorneys and I strive to contradict the unfortunate stereotypes sometimes attached to our profession. My greatest contribution to the profession is ongoing and joint. My wife and I, upon moving to the Huntsville area for my current position, came to the realization that we can more or less live comfortably with the salary provided by my position. As such, and considering that she is a licensed attorney as well, we decided that we would put as equal or greater a focus on her finding and accepting volunteer and pro bono cases as in obtaining paying clients. In our efforts, we regularly conference regarding her various volunteer lawyer program cases and how she can assist ‘pro bono’ type clients she obtains via other military referrals and I regularly seek ways to assist as well. Additionally, I continue to seek opportunities to share my knowledge with other attorneys, whether consulted by friends in the profession, or for example, through providing CLE training opportunities regarding SCRA and military related matters. I would say that my most important contribution to my community has been my service in the Alabama Army National Guard. At the time I first joined, I did so while my law practice was just starting to ‘take off.’ I also did so with an appreciation that: (1) several Guardsmen had been on multiple tours and thus pulled away from their families and careers, while I operated in life (at that time) with a certain degree of career flexibility, but no wife or children, and thus I was well positioned to help prevent another Solider-Attorney from having to leave their family and civilian employment behind; and, (2) while I would not make the best Soldier, I could very well serve the other soldiers with the skills, talent and knowledge God has given me. Perhaps I should have foreseen it, but my need to depart for training undid much of what had been built in my firm; however, in time God provided me in the form of full-time employment with the National Guard prior to deployment and then my current position after my return. What I could not have foreseen at the time I volunteered was that by the time I deployed, I would be married to the most amazing woman I have ever met. So, yes, I volunteered to serve my community, and my country, and I deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to Kandahar, Afghanistan. I did not distinguish myself in battle; I did not lead troops into combat; I did not have occasion to use such motivational phrases as ‘once more unto the breach, dear friends,’ save as a way to lighten the mood between legal assistance sessions with soldiers whose significant others had run off with their children, bank accounts, vehicles, and/or pets back home, or as a way to transition from legal review to legal review of multi-million dollar procurement requests late at night in my capacity as a Contract and Fiscal Law attorney. Not to confuse or commingle literary accounts, the closest I came to giving a rousing real like St. Crispin’s day speech was really not so close at all; in one notable instance, we all acted on the belief that such speech was better left to those with more stars in their rank than I may ever possess. What I did while deployed, however, was to place mission success, strengthening my young marriage, and improving my spiritual fitness above all other concerns. What I did do was take on every obstacle; accomplish the mission; expand the services provided to soldiers; learn new and complicated areas of law; coordinate a naturalization mission whereby non-citizen Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Air Men received recognition as true ‘Americans;’ lead a staff of paralegals and other attorneys; strive to become expert on procurement law; pinch-hit for other attorneys as needed; stand ready and perform when individual service members brought legal concerns (some minor and some major); stand up for what was right and not bend in that stand; earn the respect of fellow soldiers and officers; and, grow closer to my lovely wife, despite the geographic miles between us. I did not enjoy the dust, or the heat, or the smells, or the dining facility food (save at one facility too far to frequent on a regular basis), or lugging my laundry out to be washed. What brought me joy though during this deployment was the thought of returning to my wife, the recollection of efforts to procure items in the right way, the look and notes of appreciation of service members served, and the understanding and knowledge He would bring me home. And to be honest with you, if I could have my wife beside me (but safe), I would return to that otherwise same work without a moment’s hesitation. What then do I hope to gain from participation in the Leadership Forum? It is simple, really, but for context I must convey it in yet another story. Prior to my deployment, it dawned on me just how blessed I and the other members of my church were to have the staff which serve. The pastor’s heart for God and clear vision for his flock could not be more clearly reflected in the work and efforts of any church staff. Feeling led, I initiated, encouraged, coordinated and led a ‘Valleydale Staff Appreciation Lunch.’ The singles class came together and prepared several offerings of food. While preparing remarks for the event, I was struck by how closely the staff’s service mirrored the instructions found within Mark 10:43-45 (NKJV): ‘…whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to give his life a ransom for many.’ While delivering my remarks, I choked back tears as I tried to relay to those very Servants what they mean to myself and others through the exemplary picture they provide of servant leadership – dedicating their lives to a profession which may not store up treasures on earth – but lead to immeasurable treasures in heaven. In fact, their work is not a mere profession or position; it is a dedication, a commitment to something greater. It is an exhibition of living with great flavor. It is my hope that my selection and participation in the Leadership Forum would equip me for just that type of servant leadership.”