Kenyon, Steven (Interview transcript and video), 2028

Smither, James (Interviewer)

Steve Kenyon was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1960 where he graduated high school and attended Grand Rapids Community College. Kenyon then went onto Michigan State University before attending law school. He also went into the natural gas business before enlisting into the Army. He agreed to an eight-year service obligation as an Army medic with the 394th Station Hospital in Grand Rapids. For Basic Training, he was sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky, in July of 1980 during which he became a Platoon Leader for his training platoon. After Basic, Kenyon was transferred back to Grand Rapids where he graduated from community college and went onto Michigan State University and its Army Reserve Officer Training Course. Kenyon graduated from Michigan State in 1982 before attending Cooley Law School. Furthermore, he previously underwent Officer Basic Training Course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. At the 394th Station Hospital, he served as a Commissioned Officer, and later as the S1 Personnel Officer, before transferring to the Army Field Artillery. He was reassigned and briefly served with the 4th Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment. For his first mobilization, Kenyon deployed to Germany during the conflict in Bosnia in April of 1996 as the Operations Officer for 370 medical personnel. His men also assisted medical efforts following the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia. For his second mobilization, Kenyon deployed to Afghanistan with the 334th Medical Group as an Executive Officer during the Persian Gulf War. During one Medical Readiness Training Exercise in 2000, Kenyon was sent to Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras following the destruction of Hurricane Mitch where his unit participated in aid parties sent to remote villages. Kenyon later transferred to the infantry between 2004 and 2006 where he became a Battalion Commander for the reserve 339th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. While he never deployed to Iraq, he did undergo training in an Infantry Training Battalion and organized the deployments of several companies overseas, as well as to other training centers. From there, he entered the Army Retired Reserve so he could be closer to his family while also resuming work within Michigan’s energy industry. However, wanting back into the military in 2010, Kenyon completed his last four years of service with the 75th Innovation Command as the Deputy Branch Chief, or the Commander’s Executive Officer. After leaving the Active Duty, he remained in the Retired Reserves.

2017-09

In Copyright

Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401.

Veterans History Project (U.S.)

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