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Clark Veteran Honored For His Service, Strength And Acceptance Of Others
John Whittle, a U.S. Army veteran, is recognized for his service, resilience and the respect he shows to people from all walks of life.
Clark, NJ — From their time in uniform to their everyday contributions in our neighborhoods, veterans embody service in so many forms. Patch and T-Mobile have teamed up to share stories of veterans making a difference in the places we call home.
This story was submitted by Barbara Robinson, who nominated John Whittle of Clark, a member of the U.S. Army. To share your own message of gratitude, click here to answer a few questions and we'll take it from there.
Tell us about the veteran's service.
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The draft was in place at the time, and my brother was headed to college for one semester when he was summoned to appear. He was told at the time, “If you enlist for three years, we will send you where you can continue your education abroad.” John enlisted and spent his training at Fort Dix, then transferred to Germany to serve, where he found no schools around — just wine fields. He put his time in and was discharged. He did get to travel while overseas, but he was never the same when he came back. Serving had disrupted his plans, and he never went back to school. Life was just different, and so was civilian life. He moved to Texas, where he managed Music Den for 10 years, before moving back to Clark, NJ, when our parents became ill.
How do you know the veteran?
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[I'm his] sister. We had our disagreements as kids, but became closer the older we got. I do wish he had been able to finish college because you don’t know where it would have led. He moved on to selling real estate and doing appraisal services, which he still continues today.
What makes the veteran someone your community should know about?
I think [our] community should know every veteran who served and fought for our freedoms, because many have their own battles to fight and some aren’t whole when they return. John made many friends of different backgrounds and never passed judgment on their way of life.
What three words best describe the veteran?
Hero, Honest, Charitable.
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