Founded by veterans who struggled to reconnect with civilian life, Fox Bravo Overland has spent more than a decade using overland travel, shared experience, and peer support to help those who served find purpose, healing, and lasting brotherhood.
Common Ground: On the Trail With Fox Bravo Overland
An overland expedition brings veterans, first responders, and service members together for off-road challenges, campfire conversations, and connections that last beyond the trail.
I was forever changed when I joined non-profit Fox Bravo Overland (FBO) as embedded media for their latest overland expedition.
I was among several invited veterans, first responders, and service members from across the world. What happened during my duration with the group was not only life-changing for them, but also for me.
The Reason Behind Fox Bravo Overland
Fox Bravo Overland was founded in 2011. It was started by veterans who returned from service, struggling to connect with normal life as it was prior.
They took a few trucks into the backcountry and bonded over shared experiences. FBO found a way to build purpose in life through overlanding and common connections.
Last year, FBO became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It total, they’ve helped over 100 veterans, first responders, and service members globally. They’ve built a community of like-minded people healing through nature, commonality, and perseverance.
Their goal with each overland trip is to deepen trust, restore self-confidence, and build a community to connect with.
“Fox Bravo Overland provides veterans, first responders, and service members a non-clinical, peer-supported healing experience” Kris Coleman, FBO’s Executive Director, said. “It is adventure therapy at its purist - our teammates in the outdoors with their peers. The vehicles for healing just happen to be amazing overland rigs filled with camaraderie.”
The Collective Crew
There were six kitted-out 4x4s on this outing. This included two right-hand-drive Toyota Land Cruisers, multiple Toyota 4Runners, and a Land Rover Discovery.
Support staff carried food and pulled an overland trailer with a mobile kitchen to cook for 20 people. Each vehicle was self sufficient and carried supplies, fuel, and vehicle recovery gear. Every person brought camping gear and personal effects.
We tent camped at different base camps as team leaders taught various hands-on sessions during each day’s off-road run. I joined the crew for half of their 10-day expedition.
This consisted of off-roading driving, skills-based training, campfire comradery, games, and bonding.
Each attendee was encouraged to drive each vehicle off-road, learn vehicle differences, and gain confidence in new situations.
Fox Bravo Overland has several members and key volunteers:
- Expedition Leader: Greg Walton (US Army, FBI Agent)
- Operations Manager: Mike Rash (US Army)
- Team Leader/Lead Medic: Jim West (Paramedic Firefighter, Camel Trophy competitor)
- Team Leader: Pete Sweetser (United Kingdom Customs, Instructor)
- Team Leader: Mark Malanka (US Army)
- Team Leader: Randy Derouin (State Trooper, FBI Agent)
- Board Member: Jeff Faulkner
- Cook/Volunteer: Phil Finder
- Support: Scott “Hoot” Huther (US Army, US Parks Police)
Participants included a father-and-son duo from Ireland. Two Canadians joined and trio of Texans plus a sheriff deputy from California rounded out the group.
We descended into Sacramento, CA, to start an unforgettable journey. We traveled primarily off road from the city to Copper Mountain, the Ghost Town of Bodie, and Buckeye Hot Springs before I left to compete in the inaugural Colorado Adventure Rally.
The Reason Why
“First off, the [Fox Bravo Overland] camaraderie—it’s the second time in my life I have been with a group of people I just immediately felt comfortable with,” said Jonathan Wyatt, a US Army veteran who began his fire service career in 1995.
Wyatt supported countless missions during catastrophic events. However, it took him a lot to get to the point where he could attend an event like the one FBO held. He doesn’t have just military traumas, but fire service traumas to work through.
“Those are those are the things we carry with us. This is part of that healing process,” Wyatt stated. “It took me a long time to figure that out. Being out in the woods and away from civilization and the calm it brings—that is my happy place.”
Getting Out There
For Wyatt, a paramount point for healing is to sit around the campfire sharing experiences. To him, it’s “shared pain.” That load is no longer on him alone. “I share it, I get it out. I don’t carry it anymore. It’s not as heavy.” Wyatt says it makes it easier.
“If you have the desire to serve, you’re different than a lot of other people,” said Gene McManus, a semi-retired Deputy Sheriff in California who originally started in 1987, made sergeant, managed his area’s SWAT team, and much more.
FBO is more than “having access to these expert drivers and learning, it’s the chance to meet other people who are service oriented,” McManus explained. “The fact that it’s not a financial burden to be able to do this, makes it that much easier [to attend].” McManus added that he “incredibly enjoyed” himself and it was great meeting other service people.
Fox Bravo Overland’s Goals
Fox Bravo Overland’s goal is to teach self-reliant overland travel in a capable vehicle. Through that, they share expertise and knowledge through a host of skills courses, driving instruction, and more.
Invited personnel drive FBO member’s personal vehicles. It’s about building trust, communication, overcoming obstacles, and creating camaraderie.
This is much more than recreation. It’s regaining trust through hard work, support, and achievement FBO and attendees discover together. They do this via shared navigation, off-road driving techniques, vehicle recovery sessions, and team-building exercises like end-of-day games or FBO’s “highs and lows” campfire talks.
These are instrumental discussions in which people share their best-of or low-moment happenings with everyone. Some are hilarious, some are thoughtful. All are important.
Fox Bravo Overland not only hosts overland expeditions for new personnel; they also host dedicated alumni events, which I hope to attend.
FBO’s overarching goal is to foster a supportive, engaging, and everlasting community. They hope personnel can reach out at any given time to someone who can lend an ear. It’s about building lifelong friendships that expand well beyond FBO.
They’ve been building a healthy atmosphere where veterans, first responders, and service members can feel heard, have a supportive environment, and can collectively expand it to others. It’s about rediscovery, trust, healing, and moving forward in life with a positive foot forward.
Like Father Like Son
Brendan Mallen, soon to be 68 years old, traveled from Ireland to the US with his son, Conor, for the FBO trip. “I never pushed him into the army or the police or anything like that, it was all his own choice along the way,” Brendan said. “I joined the Army as a cadet just a month before my 18th birthday in 1976. We’re going to have our 50th anniversary this September.”
Brendan has had an extensive career. He was an explosive demolitions officer. He worked in the Underground with the British Transport Police in London. He was even a security manager in a CD-ROM factory, in which he became a world expert in identifying counterfeit CDs. He also traveled the world doing investigations, security audits, consultancy, and more.
Since then, he’s started winding down last December, working towards retirement.
“I jumped at [the FBO trip] as soon as I heard, because I knew for me it would probably be a once in a lifetime opportunity, getting [to the US],” Brendan said. “I hoped to come back on an alumni trip but I’m more interested in making sure Conor’s able to come back. He’ll have a lot more years [of service], so hopefully he can enjoy the connectivity with everyone.”
Vetting Process
Fox Bravo Overland conducts screening through written applications, interviews, and references. They vet every candidate before selecting future attendees. FBO gives them expectations of what the trip is about, so it eases any apprehension.
Greg Walton, the Expedition Leader, said some FBO personnel have had crisis related training. “To be very clear, there is no psych treatment or therapy implied or practiced on these adventures. In fact, we stress that to applicants to encourage their participation as many would turn away from such an event,” Walton added.
Some attendees have driven off-road. Some have never done so. Everyone has different experiences and baggage—so vetting is important. FBO has subject matter experts there to coach, teach, and mentor personnel through everything. This solidifies teamwork, comradery, and a lifelong bond to build from. It’s the perfect combination to help heal everyone involved.
Bonding Over Experiences
The crew quickly bonded. Within a few short days, I heard laughter, jokes, and an atmosphere where relaxation and connections increased. I witnessed a change in each and everyone one of them. They were bonding over experiences and since continued it.
Pete Sweetser is an FBO Team Leader and Instructor. His wife said FBO is his “reconnection and renewal every year.”
“To see the guys slowly open up about their lives and experiences and start trusting strangers is an amazing thing,” Sweetser stated. “Those with deeper scars always take longer but inevitably gain the most from the support and shared experiences.”
Fox Bravo Overland has an immense impact on others. If you’d like to contribute to FBO, you can donate via their website. Each dollar helps veterans, first responders, and service members find a supportive community through overland expeditions. It’s an ideal way for them to help reintegrate into society: strong, supported, and full of hope.
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