Tyler (Ty) Toner, USMC | Corporal
My time in the Marine Corps gave me many memories, but a few stand out. On November 12, 1990, while we were somewhere along the Saudi Arabia-Kuwait border, we received an unexpected visit from Steve Martin. Rather than entertain everyone back at the camps, he wanted to see the Marines on the line. He was flown out to us and put on a comedy show. Before leaving, he kindly autographed the vehicle I was assigned to.
One of the most inspirational people I met during my service was my Commanding Officer, M.H. Smith, known to his Marines as “Iron Mike.” There wasn’t a Marine in his command who wouldn’t have followed him through fire and flames.
Today, my wife and I are proud to call Eagle's Peak home, where we’ve found community, friendship, and many good friends.
Bert Smith, U.S. Army | Staff Sergeant, E-6 & Mary Lambert, U.S Army Reserves | Staff Sergeant
Bert: I joined the United States Army in 1966, and my military service was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. After basic training, I completed advanced training and jump school. For six of my eight-and-a-half years in the Army, I served as a paratrooper.
Through my training, schools, and duty assignments, the military taught me the importance of flexibility and keeping an open mind. I learned not to make up my mind too quickly, but to consider each situation carefully before making a decision.
One individual who significantly influenced my military service was my Commanding Officer in 1971, Colonel David H. Hackworth, who served in three military conflicts.
Since leaving the Army, my life has taken me through many changes, including different occupations, positions, and places to live. Nearly seven years ago, my wife, Mary, and I moved to Eagle’s Peak. We feel fortunate to have found such a wonderful community, and in our opinion, the current staff and management are the best we have experienced during our seven years here.
If today’s youth understood how military service can provide valuable life lessons, discipline, flexibility, and a better outlook on life, I believe it could help make the world a better place.
Mary: I enlisted in a Reserve medical unit in 1978. Why? That's a good question, as some members of my unit and I were older than the typical recruit—but I did it!
During my time in the Reserves, I learned to balance military and civilian life while working full-time and raising my son. Looking back, I can see how much my military experience stayed with me. I always looked forward to our two weeks of annual training. We often didn't know what we would be doing until we arrived at our duty station. Assignments ranged from augmenting staff at a military hospital to preparing for a possible future event.
Since then, my life has changed, with a detour or two along the way. I moved with my son from Vermont to Colorado, returned to school, and earned my bachelor's degree in nursing, thanks in part to the VA. After retiring from nursing, I met and married Bert. Eventually, in 2020, we moved to Eagle's Peak in Windsor.
Gary L. Gillenwater, U.S. Navy 1974-1979 | Radioman 2nd Class
"It's not just a job—it's an adventure."
I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1974, near the end of the Vietnam era, as a young man in debt and without direction. Over four and a half years, I gained discipline, teamwork, leadership skills, and lifelong friendships. My service included two years in Hawaii with a helicopter squadron, a year aboard a Philippines-based oiler, and a final tour in Antarctica. Getting lost in an Antarctic blizzard and navigating rough seas taught me to put safety first. After following my grandsons to Colorado’s Western Slope, I settled at Eagle’s Peak, finding independence, connection, and tranquility.
Ira Hillyer, U.S. Army Reserve & JAG Unit
In 1968, at 25, I graduated from the University of Texas School of Law as the Vietnam War was heating up. I chose to join a U.S. Army Reserve unit rather than apply for an Officer Training Program. I was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where I completed Basic and Infantry Training as a Construction Engineer. I was the oldest in Basic Training, and younger recruits called me “Colonel,” although my rank remained Private First Class. After a year as a Construction Engineer, I transferred to a Judge Advocate General (JAG) unit, where I completed service alongside others committed to serving our country.
John Jerry Steel, U.S. Navy
One year after graduating from Seton Hall University, I was drafted and chose to enter the U.S. Navy. Before my service, I worked on the billing staff of New Jersey Bell Telephone Company and completed IBM training. Because of that experience, the Navy assigned me to the Bureau of Navy Personnel in Arlington, Virginia, near Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon. Our group was tasked with automating day-by-day ship-location reports for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I spent all 24 months of active duty in Arlington, where we successfully designed and implemented the system. It was a privilege to serve our nation.