Local Man Helps Wounded Troops Ride In Style

Scott Mallary knows he’s helping when he hears the horns.

On the ride up Interstate 97 from his Crownsville home, fellow motorists will honk and many will wave. They will stare up at his Ford F-650 Super Crewzer adorned with patriotic colors and they will find whatever way they can to show their thanks.

They are not thanking Mallary, but his passengers, who are American service members. Many are recovering from wounds sustained in battle and are patients at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. Mallary has made it his mission to help these troops and their families attend special events, take day trips and simply have fun—all while riding in style.

“The hooting and the honking … it puts a smile on your face,” he said.

Mallary and his wife, Lynne, started Truckin4Troops last year and now own three trucks, including two of the Super Crewzers and another F-450. They were all custom-built and purchased with the family's own money. The couple have depleted their retirement accounts.

“I was called by God,” he said. “I don’t know what else to tell you.”

The big trucks are certainly more appealing than the typical airport taxi.

“You definitely feel taller,” said Army Sgt. Davin Dumar, who lost a leg and mobility in his arms in Afghanistan last July.

He rode in one of the trucks last year for a special trip to a cabin in West Virginia with his wife.

“It’s a nice ride,” he said. 

From iPods to Trucks

It was around Christmas in 2010 and Mallary was feeling the urge to help. The son of an Air Force officer, he was well aware of the recent sacrifices of American troops. He and his family raised money to donate 50 iPod Shuffles to wounded service members as gifts, with a special engraving reading, “Thank You For Your Service.”

The reaction from that effort sparked a new idea. Mallary bought an F-650 “supertruck” and began giving special rides to soldiers returning from war. He visited wounded soldiers in Camp LeJeune, then befriended many troops recovering from injuries at Bethesda.

Mallary spends about 60-80 hours per week with Truckin4Troops, in addition to operating a parking lot maintenance company.

“We’re constantly at the hospital,” he said “Whatever they need help with, we give them.”

Heading to Vegas

On Thursday, Mallary and his group transported Dumar and three Marines who also sustained serious wounds in Afghanistan. They were on their way to Las Vegas, where they planned to attend the Monster Jam World Finals, a show and competition featuring some of the largest monster trucks. Truckin4Troops had previously taken them to a similar rally in Baltimore.

“I told these guys, ‘if I can get you to the world finals, we’ll go,’” Mallary said.

In addition to arranging their flights and hotel stays, Mallary made sure the men arrived at the airport in style. The big trucks got an escort from local police, plus members of the Hogs for Heroes motorcycle group.

Marine Cpl. Todd Love, who lost both legs and an arm in Afghanistan in 2010, said he first saw the Truckin4Troops caravan last year when it paid a visit to Bethesda.

“The first time I saw them, I was definitely impressed,” said Love, 22. “I turned around and told everybody, ‘you gotta see these.’”

Love rode in one of the trucks during a trip to Ocean City, and has become close with the Mallary family. He rode in the passenger seat of the white F-650 on the way to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport Thursday.

“It’s pretty cozy,” he said.

Plans to Expand

Mallary said he is always seeking money from donors and corporate sponsors. In the near term he said he’d like to stretch one truck to add an additional row of seating, as well as a wheelchair lift. That project could cost $200,000.

He has struggled, however, with deciding on whether to expand Truckin4Troops to offer more services or have a bigger geographic footprint.

“After you get to know these guys personally, it’s hard to do that,” he said. “They’re good Americans, and we care about them. We need to step up to the plate and prove it.”

Truckin4Troops can be found online at Truckin4Troops.com and on its Facebook page.