Steve Arnt

In the early 1960’s, ROTC was mandatory for freshmen and sophomores. Steve chose the Army and became a Distinguished Military Graduate in 1964. The Army also paid for his acquiring a private pilot’s license. Somehow, the Army ignored this, and his initial orders were as an armor (tank) officer. This was quickly rectified by Steve’s designation as a Medical Service Corps officer. The Army Surgeon General needed medical evacuation pilots and solved it by sending ROTC grads with pilot’s licenses to flight school.

That launched Steve’s brilliant, but dangerous, career. Early on, he flew very old Korean War vintage (H-19) helicopters but was soon flying Hueys and was sent to Vietnam. Attrition in the “Dustoff” business was very high and promotion was rapid. Steve’s unit had four Majors as platoon leaders. Three had died in his first six months. Steve soon commanded six Hueys and twelve Warrant Officer pilots. The oldest was twenty and Steve was only twenty-three. He was living in a tent in the middle of a rubber plantation. He built an officers’ club out of a ten-hole outhouse kit. Leadership challenges were many and Steve’s favorite phrase, “Your mission and your men,” was always in focus.

After a year, he rotated to Japan for eighteen months followed by a return to a Vietnam unit with severe drug problems where the prior C.O. had been fired. He solved it within two weeks, having to ship out fifteen people. He now had twelve Hueys and twenty-five pilots. He transferred after six months to Danang as C.O. of a unit that trained Vietnamese pilots. His living conditions were excellent. He then moved a unit to Hawaii for 3-1/2 years and a great tour. His war was over, and he was promoted to Major. He was further rewarded with a transfer to Baylor University for a master’s in healthcare Administration (MHA) degree. He rotated quickly through a residency and senior jobs in Colorado and Utah and to Fort Leavenworth for Command and Staff College. He was made Lt. Colonel. He was assigned to the Surgeon General’s office for three years. Prior to assuming Command of the Battalion, he was assigned to the office of the Secretary of Defense. He was soon working on legislation and became the DoD Director of Healthcare Cost Containment, retiring in 1985 to ensure that his job allowed his kids a college education without debt. .

His career had been punctuated by leadership. “Mission and Men” had been a common theme. If you ask Steve about leadership, that’s the first thing you’ll hear. Upon retiring from the military in 1985, his awards included 2 Bronze Stars, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 3 Army Meritorious Service Medals, 32 Air Medals representing 400+ medical evacuation missions, 2 Meritorious Unit Commendations, Vietnam Armed Forces Medal - 1st Class, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation w/Palm, and designation as a Senior Army Aviator.