Stettner served in the Army during WWII as a B-24 pilot. His awards include Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Unit Presidential Citation and Special Treasury Department Citation for war bond tour. He started the Veterans Airline and flew UNRRA cargos into Russian occupied territories after the war. He received his engineering degree from New York University. The last 12 years he spent setting up and operating international operations for a major U.S. corporation.