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Work Hard, Stay Busy, and Keep Learning: Life Lessons from Vietnam-Era Veteran Steve Whitney
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Steve Whitney's story begins in western Detroit, where as a young boy he earned money collecting golf balls at Rouge Park's course – a simple hustle that hinted at the resourceful nature that would define his life. Raised primarily by his Sicilian mother with limited communication from his father, Steve found himself drafted into the Army at age 19, marking the start of a journey that would shape his character and capabilities.
After basic training at Fort Knox and infantry instruction at Fort Polk, Steve found himself in an unusual situation. Destined for service on the Korean DMZ, military policy initially blocked his assignment because his brother was already serving in Vietnam – a protection against multiple casualties in one family. Undeterred, Steve signed a waiver to enable his deployment, temporarily angering his mother but creating the opportunity for accelerated advancement. Within his 13-month tour, he quickly rose from E2 to Sergeant, managing mortar teams and leading patrols in the tense buffer zone between North and South Korea.
What makes Steve's story remarkable isn't just his military service but how he carried its lessons throughout his civilian life. After returning home, he married his girlfriend Chris in 1972 and built a 35-year career at Ford Motor Company, evolving from warehouse operations to mechanics in the Executive Garage. Rather than slowing down at retirement, Steve launched directly into a second 19-year career in construction and remodeling, applying his problem-solving skills to everything from hotel renovations to sophisticated kitchen remodels.
Today, Steve remains deeply engaged in his community through the VFW, local theater productions (behind the scenes building sets), and various volunteer initiatives. His lifelong passion for photography, which began with a camera purchased at a Korean PX, continues to document his adventures. Steve's parting wisdom resonates with compelling truth: "Enjoy life when you're young. Do everything you can, because it gets harder as you age. Stay busy with your life." It's advice he lives by every day, having witnessed too many retirees fade away within two years of leaving work because "they got nothing to do." For Steve Whitney, a purposeful life has never been about prestige or position, but rather continuous learning, creating, and contributing.
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By Bill KriegerSend us a text
Steve Whitney's story begins in western Detroit, where as a young boy he earned money collecting golf balls at Rouge Park's course – a simple hustle that hinted at the resourceful nature that would define his life. Raised primarily by his Sicilian mother with limited communication from his father, Steve found himself drafted into the Army at age 19, marking the start of a journey that would shape his character and capabilities.
After basic training at Fort Knox and infantry instruction at Fort Polk, Steve found himself in an unusual situation. Destined for service on the Korean DMZ, military policy initially blocked his assignment because his brother was already serving in Vietnam – a protection against multiple casualties in one family. Undeterred, Steve signed a waiver to enable his deployment, temporarily angering his mother but creating the opportunity for accelerated advancement. Within his 13-month tour, he quickly rose from E2 to Sergeant, managing mortar teams and leading patrols in the tense buffer zone between North and South Korea.
What makes Steve's story remarkable isn't just his military service but how he carried its lessons throughout his civilian life. After returning home, he married his girlfriend Chris in 1972 and built a 35-year career at Ford Motor Company, evolving from warehouse operations to mechanics in the Executive Garage. Rather than slowing down at retirement, Steve launched directly into a second 19-year career in construction and remodeling, applying his problem-solving skills to everything from hotel renovations to sophisticated kitchen remodels.
Today, Steve remains deeply engaged in his community through the VFW, local theater productions (behind the scenes building sets), and various volunteer initiatives. His lifelong passion for photography, which began with a camera purchased at a Korean PX, continues to document his adventures. Steve's parting wisdom resonates with compelling truth: "Enjoy life when you're young. Do everything you can, because it gets harder as you age. Stay busy with your life." It's advice he lives by every day, having witnessed too many retirees fade away within two years of leaving work because "they got nothing to do." For Steve Whitney, a purposeful life has never been about prestige or position, but rather continuous learning, creating, and contributing.
Support the show