A real man, and woman for that matter, should know how to drive a manual...it's just a good skill to have in your back pocket.
That said, modern auto's are so damn good, reliable and efficient, that I see little value added for putting them in a SUV or pickup, especially ones setup for overlanding. Driving a remote stretch of road in Mongolia or some African nation, I could see how the simplicity of a manual makes sense. But for overlanding in North America, or even most parts of Central and South America, the auto makes more sense IMHO. I love shifting my own gears during a spirited drive in a sports car, but for long drives for camping and overlanding, I'd much rather let the auto do the work while I can have a free hand to drink coffee (and stay awake) or manage my navigation unit. Auto's in an overland-built rig sound great in theory, but in reality they can be a huge PITA, especially when dealing with technical terrain and/or congested city streets.