Honoring Our Heroes

Specialist Antonio Renard Whetstone: Age 38

Specialist (SPC) Antonio Renard Whetstone served three years and 11 months in the U.S. Army. His Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was truck driver in motor transport. His medals, awards, citations and decorations included: Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (4th award), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device, Combat Action Badge, Driver and Mechanic with Driver-wheeled vehicles badge, Iraq Campaign Medal, Overseas Service Bar.

SPC Whetstone was born at Montgomery, AL, April 8,1985 to his mother, Mary Whetstone, and he was reared at County, AL. SPC Whetstone completed Basic Training at Ft. Benning, GA, with the AL National Guard in the summer 2002 while he was still in the 11th grade in high school. He graduated from Calhoun High School in May, 2003 and volunteered for military service.

He entered military service in May 2003 and completed 4.5 weeks of training in Advanced Individual Training (AIT) for truck driving at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. He was then assigned to work at the office of the Army National Guard at Prattville, AL, where he worked until his unit was activated January 2004. While serving in combat at Balad, Iraq just north of Bagdad he was seriously wounded and received extensive medical treatments at Landstuhl Medical Center at Germany as well as at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Because of his severe injuries and his disability, he was honorably discharged April 6, 2006.

Whetstone’s reflections on his military service are, “It was the greatest time of my life. I met brothers and sisters with whom I am still in touch. I got a chance to see the world. I appreciate my unit, 231st MP Battalion which is still keeping in touch and checking on me now.”

SPC Whetstone and his wife, Natonya, have been married eight years, and they have two children with whom he enjoys rearing. He is a member of the Morning Star Baptist Church at Louwndesboro, AL, and he is a member of the Wounded Warriors Project, an American charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans who suffered a physical or mental injury or illness resulting from combat.