Welcome to Veterans' Highway! (7 Viewers)

[paflytyer]

Anyone interested in writing an article for Toyota Trails that focuses on transitioning back into civilian life and how it relates to offroading/overlanding/family camping? Maybe some things you learned/experienced/picked up during your enlistment that crossed over to what you're doing now. Or even vice versa? My family was very outdoorsy when I was a kid. I had already camped in the dirt, camped from a van, knew how to survive alone outside, knew how to hunt/fish/shoot. I didn't know anything about the desert though, and the majority of my USMC enlistment was spent in Yuma, Arizona. I didn't know enough about things like hydration and night navigation and map reading. Combining what I did know with the ability to learn new things has made me better at all my basic survival skills.

My first real overlanding adventure was a 3-day trip along El Camino del Diablo from Aho, Arizona to Yuma, Arizona with a few Marine Corps buddies in 1995. It changed my life.

Any adventures DURING your enlistment that you'd like to write about? Sometimes, writing can be very cathartic when trying to process traumatic situations/memories. TLCA members have so many great experiences, adventures and stories to tell. Toyota Trails is the perfect place to tell them.

Even if you don't have an enlistment story... any adventure, any trip, any event story will do. Let's feature our former and current military brothers and sisters in Toyota Trails.

Email editor@tlca.org for more info.

 

[Helipilot]

Welcome @paflytyer and thanks for your service. Nice rig you have.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Welcome @paflytyer and thank you for your service!!

 

[dmaddox]

Wow - been on here since 2003 and am just finding this thread. Cool.

My wife and I are both recently separated vets.

Me: CPT, 19th SFG (ABN), SigDet CDR, and HHC S6 IMO
Wife: CPT, 101st(ASLT), XO 2BN HHC

Four years ago, but a special day - both of us Air Assault. Will always cherish this photo of the both of us.

Cruisers have been a part of the whole journey.

 

[WB8LBZ]

Welcome @dmaddox , you and your better half. Thanks for your service.

Larry in El Paso

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Welcome @dmaddox !!

I misread initially, I’m glad you’re separated from the service and not from each other!!

Thank you both!!

 

[Aeneiad]

After reading through a lot of the posts on here I figured I would contribute to it as well. My name is Jason and I retired in 2016 after 21 years in the Army as an infantryman. I've always enjoyed the outdoors but most of trips have involved hiking into the back country with a pack on my back. Now that my knees and back are shot, I am starting my transition into overlanding. My Toyota fascination started in the mid 90's with my first Toyota pickup. I started admiring them even more when I saw first hand what they were capable of in various parts of the world. I currently have a 2015 4runner TRD Pro & a 1993 80 series. I'm hoping to a 1997 80 series next weekend and if I do, I'll be selling the '93.

If you look close, you can see my spotter and I working our way up to the top of a ridge in Afghanistan.

A day at the office in NW Iraq on the Syrian border.

 

[WB8LBZ]

Hi Jason. welcome to the highway. Thanks for your service.

Larry in El Paso

 

[Ayuir]

Well, just found this thread and thought I'd drop a line. I've been reading the forums since around '95 after I bought my first 40, a 78, back in 92. Drove it cross-country to my basic course three days after buying it. My ex sold it in 2014 while I was contracting in AF; not going to say it was a contributing factor.... Just bought another one a few weeks ago, a 4/76. It needs a bunch of bodywork so I figured I'd finally register.
Me - enlisted in the USAF in 1981 and did half a career in NORAD. Got out to finish my degree and joined the Army NG as I wasn't quite done with being in the service. Spent some time as a scout, commissioned as an engineer and ended up an EOD tech around the time all the wars started. Retired in 2013 and was back in country seven days later. Go figure. Stable CONUS now so I'll have time to work on my new baby starting this spring.
Constantly amazed at the amount of knowledge shared here. Thanks in advance for everyone's answers.

 

[dmaddox]

@Ayuir hello! Sounds like a great story and now full circle back into cruisers. I sympathize with and understand all of the above. I buried in bodywork as we speak, so the journey is even more similar then you’d think! I look forward to hearing more about your cruiser and the work you have ahead.

cheers

 

[WB8LBZ]

Greetings @Ayiur , welcome to highway. Thanks for your service. Pictures of the cruiser or it didn't happen .

Larry in El Paso

 

[Ayuir]

This is Gretchen. She needs a top and some straightening all around. A few rust spots, but really very little (mostly under the rear doors). She runs. All original, bought from the nephew of the original owner (via a dealer) after spending most of life in a western Washington pasture.

 

[Helipilot]

Welcome Aeneiad and Ayuir, Thanks for your service. Bunch of great people here.

 

[LCHardriver_02]

Happy Veteran's Day everyone. I do hope that some of you have the day off. I am in my office today, but still on the KC-10A in my heart!

 

[WhitePhoenix]

After finally scrolling past the 80 thread, found this little gem. Currently active in the Navy as a flight instructor for helos flying the oldest girl in the fleet TH-57. Got my commission in 2013, flight school till 2015 and then San Diego flying the mighty MH-60S with HSC-21. Did the whole boat thing for the first deployment aboard LHD-8 in '16 and then lived it up in hotels across Asia under an airforce command in '17 with homebase out of Oki. Got my 80 series end of last year after an interesting adventure trying to find an offroad vehicle and stumbling upon my current 80. Instantly hooked and made me realize my other vehicles don't get no where quite the love most 80 owners think things deserve. 40th anniversary, triple locked green number 0029 produced. But most importantly, thank you all that came before me, both my father and grandfather are veterans and big reasons for joining (58 years of service between the 3 of us).

 

[WB8LBZ]

Welcome to the highway @WhitePhoenix , Thanks for your service and continued service. Pictures are always welcome...

Larry in El Paso

 

[LCHardriver_02]

Yes, welcome @WhitePhoenix! Your 80 series sounds awesome! I have a '95 that keeps getting traded between kids and me trying to fit it in periodically between my 100 & 200 series trucks. Probably need to make room some day in my driveway... but not today.

 

[Firingonall16]

Good day everyone, my name is Derek. I’m an active duty Coastie, been a puddle pirate for almost 13 years now. I’m originally from northern maine(basically Quebec) and Currently stationed in Northern California on a 87 patrol boat. Been on mud for few years learning and searching for an 80. Finally picked up a California rust free stock lx couple months back and building her for weekend camp trips with family. Looking forward to the adventures. Glad to see a veterans section!

 

[WB8LBZ]

Hi Derek, welcome to the highway. Thanks for your service. Good looking rig.

Larry in El Paso

 

[KliersLC]

Good day everyone, my name is Derek. I’m an active duty Coastie, been a puddle pirate for almost 13 years now. I’m originally from northern maine(basically Quebec) and Currently stationed in Northern California on a 87 patrol boat. Been on mud for few years learning and searching for an 80. Finally picked up a California rust free stock lx couple months back and building her for weekend camp trips with family. Looking forward to the adventures. Glad to see a veterans section!View attachment 2496011

Where in NORCAL? I grew up in Mendocino county, and the terrain in your pic looks pretty familiar..