Veterans spotlight
What is the Veterans Spotlight?
VFW Bill Lowe Wheatley Post 5109 is more than just a local landmark—it is home to some of the most incredible people and stories in Tennessee. From world travelers to hometown heroes, our Veterans have seen it all, and we think it's time you get to know them. Every month, our Chaplain will be sitting down with a different veteran to share a little bit about their service, their favorite memories, and what they love about our community. Keep an eye on this page to see who we feature each month. You might just recognize a neighbor, a friend, or a local legend.
July 2026 Spotlight
Bobby Toothaker
A Soldier at Heart: The Journey of Bobby Toothaker
Some veterans can list the places they served. Others can tell you the jobs they held. Bobby Toothaker's story is about something deeper: the people he met, the lives he touched, and the lessons he carried with him long after the uniform came off.
Today, Bobby serves as Vice Commander of VFW Post 5109 in Lewisburg, Tennessee. He is a life member of multiple veteran’s organizations, a retired facilities coordinator, former park ranger, fisherman, traveler, and devoted family man. Yet when he talks about his military service, he rarely focuses on himself.
"I've often found myself in the right place at the right time for others," Bobby says. "And often found myself in the worst place at the worst time for myself." That simple observation may be the best summary of a military career that took him from isolated mountaintops in Germany to the battlefields of the Persian Gulf, and ultimately into a lifetime of service to fellow veterans.
An Early Enlistment and an Unforgettable First Day
Bobby joined the Army through the delayed enlistment program in 1978 and entered active duty in 1979 at just 17 years old. "I joined in '78 and went active duty in '79. Dating myself," he laughs. For a young man growing up around friends who were "dying and getting thrown in jail," the military provided a vital redirection. "Getting out of town when I did was good," he reflects.
His initial enlistment went well, but after a brief return to civilian life to raise a young family, the harsh economy of the early 1980s drew him back to the Army. It was during his first day at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, that the gravity of military service hit home. His arrival coincided exactly with the tragic crash of Arrow Air Flight 1285 in Gander, Newfoundland, which claimed the lives of 248 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division.
Fort Campbell became a deeply somber place overnight. "I got put on a detail to help the surviving families pack up and return to their hometowns," Bobby remembers. The heartbreaking duty forged a profound, lifelong understanding of sacrifice and solidarity within the military family. The experience left a lasting impression, serving as a stark reminder that military service extends far beyond the battlefield and that the military family shares both triumph and tragedy together.
From Hidden Mountains, Smoke and Flame to New Cultures
Bobby’s first military occupational specialty (MOS) was 31 Mike—a multichannel radio and communications system operator. This path led him to a highly unique and secretive assignment overseas. "I was on top of a mountain where the borders in Germany come together at a listening station," Bobby explains. "It was a German air force base... a little miniature army base in a unit that doesn't really technically exist... the ASA [Army Security Agency]."
The conditions were brutal. "You get above the tree line... and when that wind’s going, there’s no cold weather gear made that will keep you comfortable. The ice grows sideways," Bobby says. Yet the assignment offered opportunities few soldiers experience. Living among the local population rather than on base, Bobby immersed himself in German culture, eventually becoming fluent in the language.
"If you wanted to have friends and run the streets, you ran with the locals," he says. "I became a sojourner [traveler]. Wherever I went, I got to change and be that and adopt that."
Those experiences shaped a worldview that remains with him today. "I like people," he says simply. "I fit in with any crowd. I could be with the hippies or the bikers or the rednecks. I'm comfortable with all of them."
Throughout his military career, Bobby served in several specialties, reflecting both his versatility and the Army's changing needs. He began as a 31 Mike Multichannel Radio Operator, later working as a 26 Quebec Tactical Satellite and Microwave Systems Operator. In the Army Reserve, he served as an 11 Hotel Heavy Anti-Armor Weapons Crewman. Upon returning to active duty, he was offered a choice between the infantry and the Chemical Corps. "I picked smoke and flame," he says, selecting the Chemical Corps as the post-Vietnam Army entered a period of renewed funding, modernization, and professionalization during the Reagan administration.
Fort Campbell, Trout Streams, and Air Assault School
While Fort Campbell began with tragedy, it would also become one of Bobby's favorite duty stations. "I loved Fort Campbell because of the trout streams," he says. He rented a small house near Roaring Springs and spent his free time fishing, exploring caves, and enjoying the outdoors with friends. "A lot of my best military experiences weren't while I was on duty," he recalls. "It was the places I got to see and the things I got to do."
Fort Campbell was also where he excelled at the grueling Air Assault School. "Back then I was pretty fit," Bobby laughs. "I was always the fastest white boy in the battalion." His determination showed, as he finished 13th out of hundreds of soldiers in the school's intense 12-mile forced march.
The Worst of Times
While Bobby found peace in the outdoors, his career eventually brought him face-to-face with the true horrors of combat. "I would have to say probably Iraq [was the worst place]," Bobby shares quietly, reflecting on his deployment during the Persian Gulf War. "There was nothing there for me... some of those things, you know, were so tragic and dramatic that they’ve been kind of pushed to the back of my memory."
Serving during the Persian Gulf War, Bobby found himself in the middle of the Battle of 73 Easting, one of the largest tank battles in modern warfare. "On a daily basis, we took 300 prisoners of war a day... and there were only 60 people in our company," he recalls.
The environmental conditions were nightmarish. "The oil well fires were—it was midnight at noon—and having to breathe all that in and just the eeriness of all that... they say war is hell, that's kind of an understatement." For a self-described country boy who believed people were fundamentally good, the experience changed him forever. "It got rid of my naivety," he says. "It was very shocking to me… how bad people can be."
Proud to Relay
Unlike many veterans, Bobby doesn't point to medals or promotions when discussing what made him proud. Instead, he remembers moments of quiet dependability where simply doing his job made a direct difference for others.
He recalls a vital moment during a communication breakdown between two gridlocked units. "They can't hear each other, but I’m in a position where I can hear them," Bobby says. "So I can just pretend like I don't know this and go on about my business, or I can let them know by their call signs... and I’ll relay."
He stayed on the radio relaying messages for hours, keeping the lines of communication open when it mattered most. Though he received a Certificate of Achievement for his actions, Bobby speaks plain truth about the realities of military awards: "If you were enlisted, you caught hell getting recognized with a medal. If you were an officer, you didn't have to do nothing... but I got recognized and that was good. I still have it."
"It wasn't about the recognition," he adds. "But it was nice to know somebody noticed."
Brotherhood That Lasts a Lifetime
The true lasting treasure of Bobby's service is the lifelong brotherhood. He speaks fondly of his buddy Brian, a Jamaican heavy-metal "headbanger" from Connecticut whom he met in training. The two served on the same isolated German mountain, survived a terrifying 65-mph military truck blowout on the Autobahn that launched them both onto the active highway, and remain inseparable decades later.
"We'd go to concerts together, listen to Judas Priest and Ted Nugent, and tear up the discos," Bobby laughs. “It’s like no time has passed when we see each other. We sit down and pick right up where we left off." Today, Brian is the godfather of Bobby's oldest son.
Bobby also laughs about a West Point lieutenant who tried to fraternize with the enlisted guys on the 4th of July, only to accidentally set an entire German pasture on fire with stolen military pyrotechnics. "The fire department had to come... Brian's landlord [the Burgermeister] was beside himself mad," Bobby chuckles. "We were just helping him take away the evidence."
A Life of Service
After leaving the military, Bobby spent years serving as a park ranger and park manager in Florida, eventually moving to Tennessee to support his wife Deborah’s academic career. He later worked as a facilities coordinator at the university level, where his military-grade work ethic earned him the prestigious President’s Medal.
Today, Bobby balances a rich family life of six children and six grandkids with outdoor passions like fly fishing and camping. He also brings a touch of his time in Germany to his property in Maine, hosting an annual summer solstice party centered around a massive bonfire tradition.
Yet, his core mission remains centered on veterans. As a life member of the VFW, American Legion, and DAV, he channels his leadership into helping those who wore the uniform. "I dedicate myself to helping veterans," Bobby states firmly. "It’s the camaraderie that you get to experience, the story tellings, and the love that gets shared between us... being able to give back.”
Though Bobby modestly questioned if his story was worthy of the spotlight, his lifetime of sacrifice, humor, and quiet excellence proves otherwise. In the military machine, every cog matters. As Bobby simply puts it: "We each have our role. There is no 'I' in team."
For Bobby Toothaker, those aren't just words. They are the foundation of a life well lived.
Chaplains footnote
This continuation of our Veteran Spotlight series features a dedicated leader deeply rooted right here in Marshall County, Tennessee. Through conversations like this one with Bobby, we uncover the powerful personal histories, enduring bonds, and quiet sacrifices that truly define military service. Preserving these remarkable stories is precisely why the VFW 5109 Veterans Spotlight initiative remains so vital to our community. The next time you cross paths with Bobby, please join us in thanking him for his lifetime of service and asking about the incredible journey that brought him here.
Sarah Elder
VFW 5109 Auxiliary Chaplain