Veterans Who Travel Feature – Jason Peeples

Welcome to our first featured veteran interview!

At Gypsy With a Day Job, we believe the world belongs to everyone.  We also believe that no matter who you are, or where you go, you should be safe enjoying all of the wonders of our amazing planet.  We appreciate all of the young men and women who give a portion of their lives to help that dream become a reality.  We are proud to present our Featured Veteran series.

We hope this series will not only honor our veterans, but that it will also show that those who have served, even in the ugliest of situations, still believe that we should all get out there and experience different countries and cultures if we have the opportunity to do so.

Featured Veteran Jason Peeples

Question:  Introduce yourself please, and tell us a bit about who you.

Answer:  My name is Jason Peeples and I was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois.  I am made up of mixed ethnicity with my mother being white and father black.  I occasionally referred to myself as having the “best of both worlds” since growing up, I wasn’t labeled to a specific ethnic group.  I enjoy staying in shape with working out and running and fortunately my other half is a dietician so eating healthy has been a habit for years.  

 

Question: What prompted you to serve?  

Answer: Talking to a recruiter that stopped by the high school prompted the initial talks of serving.  After about a year I decided that my next logical life step was joining. I wanted the challenge of joining the hardest branch so then it was off to the Marines.

 

Question:  What branch of military did you enlist in, and where were your duty posts?  USMC

Answer:  I attended boot camp at MCRD San Diego, CA after that I made my way across the state to Aberdeen, Maryland where I attended small arms repair school.  Then I was off to join the ‘fleet’ back across the states in 29 Palms, CA right smack in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Here I was attached to 1st Tank Battalion, as the company armorer where I maintained the armory, weapons and Night Vision.

I served one 7-month deployment to Iraq where our 4 platoons were stationed around the northern Syrian border.

 

 

Question:   Obviously, service to one’s country changes a person in many ways.  How do you think your service changed your ideas about other countries and people of the world?

Answer:  Being in the service showed me the state of what most of these terror ridden countries are in.  They are mostly 3rd world and not regulated in terms of policing showing why terrorism is abundant in these regions.   I now believe that modernizing these places will influence a positive culture moving forward and to help expose terroristic activities so that people can live without fear in their daily lives.  

 

Question:   Were there places that surprised you, or people who were different than you expected?

Answer:   It was surprising to me most were how 3rd world Iraq was but also how receptive the children where towards the US military.  They accepted our presence with open arms.

 

 

 

Question:   Do you think that it is important that people get out and have some exposure to the bigger world, and why?

Answer:   Yes, I think it is very important.  People should get out and absorb the many cultures that make up our world.  It makes you better rounded as a person when approaching and to better understand people/situations that you may not be familiar with.  

 

Question:   You travel now and then, in your civilian life.  What types of travel have you been doing, and what has been your favorite post-military destination?

Answer:    The yearly travel we do is mainly in the states, visiting Florida every year.  My girlfriend’s mother has been going ever since she was a kid, and the so the tradition continues.   We have also recently been to Colorado, Tennessee, Texas and Missouri.

One place I haven’t been since the military is the east coast.  A military friend and I plan on visiting another military friend in Philadelphia to celebrate the Marine Corps this year. What better than a bunch of jar heads in one place!  

My favorite place to visit would be Alaska. My mother lived up there for some time so I got a chance. It is by far the most beautiful state in the US. It doesn’t get better than seeing glaciers, mountains and catching salmon!  

 

 

Question:   What places are still on your bucket list?

Answer:    So far everything has been in the states.  We would like to plan a trip to the Bahama/Virgin island area and Europe.  Also, an African safari seems like it would be a fun adventure and while we are in the area, taking a trip through the jungle would definitely have to happen.

Question:  Do you have any advice or tips that you think help your colleagues to live their lives to the fullest?

Answer:    Get out and see the world!

 

 

We thank Jason for being a featured veteran, and for sharing a bit of his story and thoughts with us.  We wish him all the best in his future adventures.

We are proud to announce that our Veterans Who Travel Resources series will be coming soon.  This series will provide information on discounts, benefits and resources that are available to veterans who are planning travels in their civilian life.

For more view points on the importance of getting out and experiencing the world, try our Inspirations and Perspectives page

A couple of our other articles that talk about the difference travel makes in our lives include Travel and Thankfulness and Travel Amidst Tragedy.