Jim White is a radiologist and entrepreneur whose ties to The American Legion go back to his upbringing in a military family.
Dr. Jim White has spent his career as a radiologist, but recently has taken an entrepreneurial journey restoring and selling ex-military Humvees. What started with buying a civilian Hummer H1 in the early 2000s, led to obtaining a Humvee in 2017. That quickly evolved into Street Legal Exports, his business that has delivered more than 500 vehicles to customers in over 40 states and roughly 30 countries.
“I bought one just for the fun of it, and fixed it up myself in the yard,” he recalls. “I drove it a little, then decided to sell it. I got another one, then two, then four, then six. I started hiring mechanics and staff, and it gradually grew into a real business.”
White’s father, also named James, served in the Army during the Korean War. Both his father and mother, Mamie, were involved with American Legion Post 111 in Cincinnati. White, a member of the Sons of The American Legion, also played American Legion Baseball for two years.
That history is part of why donated a restored Humvee to The American Legion. It’s the centerpiece of The American Legion’s Drive 4 Freedom Sweepstakes. To learn more, visit the sweepstakes page.
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“I’d encourage everyone to support The American Legion in any way they can,” he says. “It’s a tremendous organization that has a place in my heart, and it always will.”
In this Q&A, White talks about how his hobby became a business, what buyers should know before purchasing a surplus Humvee, why supporting the Legion means so much to him and more.
Question: Let’s start at the beginning. How did you get into Humvees and vehicle restoration?
Answer: As always, it’s one of those things where you turn around one day and think, “What happened here?” I owned several civilian Hummer H1s over the years, and then I got a call saying the military was starting to sell some of its old M998 Humvees. I looked into the auctions, bought one just for the fun of it, and fixed it up myself in the yard. I drove it a little, then decided to sell it. I got another one, then two, then four, then six. I started hiring mechanics and staff, and it gradually grew into a real business.
Question: You’re donating a Humvee to The American Legion. Why is it important to you to support the Legion this way?
Answer: One of the most important things you can do in life, especially once you’ve got a little more tenure, is give back — and give back to organizations that are deserving of it. I have a long history with The American Legion dating back to my childhood, so when this opportunity came up, I jumped at it. We get a lot of requests for donations, and you choose where you can offer financial support. My parents were proud members of Guth Brothers Post 111 in Cincinnati. I grew up going there constantly. I was a member of the Sons of The American Legion, and I met a lot of good people there — the camaraderie, the shared experience of military service, and the type of people we met were all really important to me. The Legion was probably my parents’ predominant social network as I grew up, and both held offices there at various times, especially my mom. When it came time for college, The American Legion was kind enough to sponsor me with a scholarship for all eight years of my education. I was deeply appreciative of that. Having the chance to give back, given everything they’ve given me over the years, really appealed to me.
Question: How did being raised in a veteran and military community shape your life as a doctor and an entrepreneur?
Answer: I think it came from the selflessness of the people who had military careers, and their understanding of the importance of family, especially having been separated from loved ones while serving. That shaped our family’s sense of the importance of friends, family and community. The people I encountered there had integrity. I never met anyone with a bad reputation; they were all good, solid family people. That really influenced my career decisions. I wanted a career that involved some form of service, and being a physician has that service component.
Question: Do you still have Humvees of your own today?
Answer: I’ve gone through the whole gamut. The Hummer H1 was my first vehicle. It’s built on the same platform as the military Humvee, essentially the civilian version. I had a couple of those around the early 2000s. Then I had the Hummer H2 and H3, both very different vehicles. I don’t have any of those now, but I do have my own Humvee, called “Frankenstein.” It’s named after the Johnny Cash song “One Piece at a Time,” about a man who worked at the Cadillac factory for 30 years and slowly built his own car out of parts he brought home one piece at a time. That’s basically what we did. We took spare parts sitting around the shop and put this one together. I told the mechanics, “I’ll take that piece, as long as it still works.” That’s why it’s special to me — it reflects a lot of work, but we had a lot of fun putting it together.
Question: What should buyers know before getting a Humvee?
Answer: That’s a great question, and there’s a lot to unpack. First, you have to understand what you’re buying: ex-military equipment. If you expect to buy this vehicle and never have any issues beyond the occasional oil change, it’s probably not for you. I equate it to getting a puppy. When you first bring a puppy home, you bang your head against the wall wondering why you got it. It’s having accidents, chewing things up, waking you in the middle of the night. After a couple months, the puppy settles down, you grow attached and problems become far less frequent. That’s a Humvee. The break-in period is usually the hardest part, because these are vehicles that had often been sitting unused for years, and not in a caring, loving manner. They were just parked in a field somewhere. You have to be willing to get under the truck and look at oil leaks or other issues. I know it’s a hassle sometimes, but that’s part of owning the vehicle.
Question: Are Humvees street legal everywhere?
Answer: Buyers need to understand that different states have different rules. Many states classify these as off-road-only vehicles. AM General put out a statement when the military began selling these to the public, noting they lack airbags and other features that would make them fully road ready. Meanwhile, in Florida, you can have a street-legal golf cart, dirt bike, motorcycle, or autocycle. It’s surprising that some states take that approach with Humvees. There are ways to work around it, and other options exist. But you need to work with people who understand not just how to repair these vehicles, but also the titling and legal side of things. That’s where working with the right dealer matters. We hold a dealer’s license to protect customers: we’re licensed and bonded by the state of Florida, which is rare in this industry. If I don’t live up to a commitment or fail to deliver on a customer’s down payment, I risk losing my license, my bond and my business. That’s very different from buying out of someone’s front yard.
To learn more about the Humvee Sweepstakes, visit Legion.org/sweepstakes. NO PURCHASE OR CONTRIBUTION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR CONTRIBUTION WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Drive For Freedom Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the U.S. and District of Columbia residents except Montana and Washington state, age 21 or older. Void in Montana, Washington state and where prohibited by law. Entry Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Dec. 19, 2026. See Official Rules for details. Sponsor: American Legion Charities, Inc. (a nonprofit), 700 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, IN 46204.
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