OSHKOSH, Wis. (WFRV) – Nearly 60 years after he joined the Wisconsin National Guard, Oshkosh’s Dave Steinert is reflecting on a life-changing decision.
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“I would’ve taken a right turn and been infantry,” Steinert said. “But, I took a left turn and went to transportation.”
Steinert’s decision, much to his surprise, led him to Operation Desert Storm, just weeks after he got married.
“They were expecting all of the infantry units to go first, and all of a sudden, they just said ‘hey, we’ve been activated,’” Steinert said.
The clearest memory for him was the ground war in Saudi Arabia, even while it was dark out.
“It was pitch black, and you had your weapon out the window,” Steinert said. “That tightened up your heart a little bit.”
His unit followed tanks as he hauled food, water and supplies for his fellow soldiers. Fortunately for Steinert, it was a successful mission with no deaths in his company. But even 36 years later, he’s not done serving.
“I’m still serving, is what it amounts to,” Steinert said. “Once you get out, you realize that you kind of miss the people you were with.”
Steinert is a commander for Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post-1908 in Oshkosh, and he’s also a Department Vice Commander for the Wisconsin American Legion as he leads military honors statewide.
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“It’s something I think every veteran deserves,” Steinert said. “The family appreciates it.”
It may have been over three decades ago, but as Steinert puts it, his service isn’t in the past; it’s something he still performs daily.
