Photo By Sgt. Sarah Anwar | Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Miltary Jeepers participated for the second year in a row...... read more read more
Military Jeepers is a free club for anyone who has served in the military or is still serving and owns any model of Jeep. The purpose is to provide a support system for members which extends around the U.S. This provides both a safe atmosphere for trail rides and the presence of family no matter where you are stationed or retired.
There are chapters all over the country but Joint Base Lewis-McChord didn’t have one until Michael Cowan, a native of Cookeville, Tenn., retired from the Washington base and started a local chapter in the summer of 2012.
“I actually started when I was in Fort Hood with Military Jeepers,” said Cowan. “My kids and girlfriend really like the offroads and there’s just that family atmosphere.”
Mic Cain, an Ireland native and former paratrooper in the U.S. Army was one of many veterans that attended the parade. He explained how great it is to see all of the different groups and clubs the military now has for its service members both active and retired as a outreach to each other outside.
“I think that anything you can put together for the military is good, even a group for Jeep owners,” said Cain.
Military Jeepers only requirements is that you are either a former service member or current service member and that you own a Jeep. This brings both retirees and current service members together with a common passion.
For Chris Elfrank from St. Peters, Missouri, he didn’t even know there was a group for jeepers until after he was out of the military. He met members of the Lewis-McChord group at the end of a run (an off-road trip).
“I think people that maybe aren’t in the military or wanna join might look at it and go ‘man I wanna do that, look at the comradery that’d be great.’” said Elfrank.
Cowan added that it’s a great way to destress as well.
“It’s an adrenaline rush,” said Cowan. “You get that adrenaline that we’re all used to, especially if you’ve deployed multiple times like a lot of us have. You’re always thriving for that next rush, and going off road is a great way to do it, and you get the aspects of being safe with the group.”
This was the second year Cowan and his Jeepers group participated in the parade. He said it’s an honor to be able to walk next to past generations and future generations of the military.
“You see some of these guys have served in Vietnam and some even farther back than that, and just to sit around here and listen to their stories and them come over and listen to our stories, it’s an eye opener to see where we were at and where we’re at together as far as the military goes,” Cowan said.
Anyone who owns a Jeep or has owned a Jeep knows the “Jeep wave” -- Jeep drivers wave to each other as they pass.
“Supposedly the history [of the wave] was combat, the ambulance guys going to get people and the ones coming back gave a wave of solitude like good luck out there...so we’re just trying to keep the tradition alive,” said Elfrank.
Those affiliated with the military will tell you it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in or stationed somewhere, it’s an instant feeling of family wherever you go. The Jeep family for Lewis-McChord’s Military Jeepers is just an extension of that and they have open arms for anyone wanting to join. The fact that they get to celebrate the remembrance of those service members before them and those to come in the Auburn Veterans Day Parade is just a bonus for them.
“Not only do I get to show off my Jeep and wave to people, but it’s a great cause and the meaning of the parade in itself is great,” said Elfrank.
For more information on Military Jeepers and specifically JBLM’s Military Jeepers visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/jblmmilitaryjeepers.
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 11.07.2016 17:40 |
| Story ID: | 214075 |
| Location: | AUBURN, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 178 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, It’s Just a Jeep Thing, by SGT Sarah Anwar, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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