By Denise Sansosti
Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Joseph Muhlberger has been elected president of the Veterans Council of Hillsborough County (VCHC), an organization dedicated to uniting local veteran groups to better serve the county’s veteran community.
The mission of VCHC is to bring together Hillsborough County veteran organizations to plan, promote and conduct patriotic programs, events and activities for the community. The council also maintains a close relationship with county officials on veteran and military-related issues.
“If there is something we can present to the county commissioners,” Muhlberger said, “it becomes a win for the largest community of veterans in the state of Florida.”
VCHC meetings are held on the last Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at Tampa Veterans Memorial Park, located at 3602 U.S. Highway 301 N. in Tampa. More information is available at https://veteranscouncilhc.org/.
Muhlberger is serving a two-year term and is focused on strategic planning and communication.
“I am excited to fine-tune and implement a 24-month schedule,” he said, “so veteran organizations within VCHC can anticipate what’s coming and determine how best to participate and support one another.”
After a distinguished 36-year career in the U.S. Air Force, Muhlberger retired to Florida in 2020.
“My wife and son ganged up on me and said, ‘You have to get out and do something,’” he recalled. “I did what my uncles and grandparents did. I joined my local VFW.”
Today, Muhlberger is active in numerous veteran organizations, including the American Legion, AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Bob’s Vets, MOWW, the Air & Space Forces Association, the Silver Osprey Squadron, MOAA and the Logistics Officers Association.
He also represents the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, helping preserve firsthand accounts from veterans of World War I through present-day conflicts. For the past year, he has also hosted Veterans Corner Radio (https://veteranscornerradio.com/), a weekly podcast reaching all 50 states and 47 countries, with more than 2 million listeners worldwide.
“We want to hear from our veterans or from nationwide organizations that support veterans,” he said.
“If you’re a military person, get involved,” Muhlberger said. “My uncles and grandfathers served for their generation, I served for mine and now I’m giving back in a manner fitting of what I can contribute.”
For more information on VCHC or to schedule an interview for Veterans Corner Radio or the Veterans History Project, Muhlberger can be reached at joseph.muhlberger@gmail.com.
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