Steven Wheelbarger grew up in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The Marines called his family landline in 1990 — and by the following week, he was swearing in at MEPs. What followed was a 20-plus year career that stretched across continents, combat zones, and decades of change.
In this conversation, Steven walks us through that journey — from being a 19-year-old combat engineer landing in Saudi Arabia just before the Gulf War, to working with multinational forces in Thailand, to returning again and again to Iraq to help rebuild what war had broken. He talks candidly about minefields in Guantanamo, the friendships that come from shared hardship, and the kind of leadership that believes “Marines didn’t join to sit in the barracks.”
But it’s what Steven has done since active duty that may leave the biggest impression. After facing his own battles with PTSD and depression, Steven now leads peer support groups across the Shenandoah Valley through Salute — creating space for veterans to find connection, share truth, and heal.
This episode is about more than service. It’s about the long road home, the friends you lose, and the ones you find. And it’s about choosing, every week, to show up for the next person in line.
Resources & Info:
→ Salute Veteran Support Network
→ Peer group locations: Broadway, Harrisonburg, Fishersville, Lexington, and more
→ Contact: saluteofva@gmail.com | Find flyers and schedules at the Salute building
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Listen & Subscribe to Veteran Story Hour: Voices of Valor, Presented by SALUTE of Virginia, everywhere podcasts can be heard
Every veteran has a story worth preserving—stories of courage, sacrifice, humor, and humanity. Veteran Story Hour captures these remarkable personal histories directly from the voices of the men and women who’ve served our nation.
Recorded live each week at SALUTE of Virginia in Waynesboro, this podcast creates a living history, ensuring these powerful memories are preserved and shared for generations to come.
Hosted by John Fairbanks of the Shenandoah Valley Story Network, join us as we honor those who served by listening, reflecting, and remembering.
Because every veteran’s story deserves to be told—and every voice deserves to be heard.
