My Valley Forge Story: Steve Walter

As a child, I spent a lot of time in the outdoors with my father. Whether we were on boy scout outings, hiking, camping, or biking, he instilled in me a deep love of being outdoors, in nature. I learned to slow down and appreciate the beautiful world around me, from the smallest bug scuttling across the forest floor, to the largest tree towering over my head. Several of the boy scout outings we took brought me to Valley Forge National Historical Park. We would camp out through the cold of February, attend special programs from the park rangers, and learn about American history. I have many fond memories of learning from the park rangers at Valley Forge, despite the extreme cold we sometimes experienced during those trips.

Like many people, when I graduated high school I didn't yet know what I wanted to do with my life. I went to community college and took the intro class of every major I thought sounded interesting and decided that I would choose the one that was the most fun. I took classes in history, engineering, science, and parks & recreation. It may come as no surprise that the major with the word "recreation" right in the title ended up being the most fun. I couldn't believe that there was a college major that was based on spending time in the outdoors, learning about the natural world, and having fun. Fortuitously, my professor in that program was honest with his classes about the difficulties of being a park ranger. He did not hide the fact that the jobs would be hard to get, the pay would never be great, and it may take a decade before landing a permanent position. After two years of this program, my life took a turn. My brother, with whom I had been renting a house, decided to move to NYC to join his best friend. I could not afford to live in that house alone, so I had to move back in with my parents. I was working at Walmart, making less than $6 per hour. I had just gone completely broke. And to top it all off, my girlfriend had just broken up with me. Combine all of that with bleak prospects for my career and I decided I needed to make a change.

Steve during his time in the army.

NPS/Steve Walter

So I dropped out of school and joined the army. Unfortunately, right at the beginning of my time in the army, I had a parachute malfunction that nearly killed me. Back and neck problems plagued the rest of my time in the military. Fortunately, I got stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, just south of Tacoma. Every single morning my squad would run eight to ten miles and watch the sun rise over Mount Rainier, over 40 miles away. Being an infantryman was a stressful life, so I would frequently make the 2-hour drive to Mount Rainier National Park. I would hike and explore what I still believe to be one of the most beautiful places on the planet. During a difficult time in my life, a national park brought me peace. That park restored what Rachel Carson called "the sense of wonder ... that clear eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring." I determined that when I got out of the army, I would follow my old dream of working in parks.

Ranger Steve at Muhlenberg Brigade.

NPS/ Steve Walter

In 2013, I landed a job doing maintenance at Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh. Although Point is not a vast tract of untrammeled land, the job was a foot in the door. Working there, I often assisted the park's educator to teach children about the importance of planting native species and removing invasives, as well as the fascinating history of Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt. I managed to convince my supervisor to allow me to work nights so that I could return to school during the day and finish my associates from the community college. Once that was complete, I decided to go for my bachelors degree at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, with the goal of becoming an environmental educator or park manager in the state park system. My advisor at SRU though, was a retired law enforcement ranger with the National Park Service, and his love of the national parks infected me. So when I graduated, I applied to jobs in the national parks rather than the state parks. My first job with the NPS landed me on the island paradise of Maui, working at the breathtaking Haleakalā National Park. Unfortunately, my community college professor was correct that I would not make a lot of money as a park ranger, and I quickly realized that I could not afford to live in Hawaii for very long. I applied to jobs back on the mainland and my life came full circle, bringing me back to Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Working here at Valley Forge allows me to connect with several parts of my past. Walking these grounds reminds me of those boy scout trips when I was a teenager. I even had the privilege of working alongside and learning from several of the very same rangers who taught me this history when I was young. I am also reconnecting with the history of the army that I served. The legacy of Valley Forge still lives strong in the US Army to this day, and I love teaching this history to the public as well as military units who come to visit. And the beautiful landscapes that I see every day help to keep that sense of wonder alive in me. To me, being a park ranger is a continuation of my military service, continuing to honorably serve my country. This time, it's just a lot more fun!