Thanks for your service. Nice xj too. I agree va disability sucks. Im a 15 yr Army veteran. Been out for 8yrs and still fighting for compensation.Hey all. I'm new here (and new to Jeep this year),been lurking a few days now,looks like a good forum (overall and the Jeep section as well),already been inspired and learned lots. Anyways,here's my '98 XJ bought earlier this year. I want to built it into a multi-day adventure rig,but it will be slow (being a disabled Veteran comes with lots of "thank you's" and "atta boys",LOL,but the pay sucks,so I have a small and very slow budget
It seems to have been lovingly cared for before I got it (thankfully),and didn't seem to have had much offroad use in it's 202K (at the time of purchase) miles either. It's mostly bone stock for now,the only things I've done besides catching up on maintenance (complete servicing of all drivetrain,tune ups,brake service,etc,etc) has been going up 1 size (from 225/70 to 235/75-15's) tires,add a Curt hitch (just enough hitch to use a rack and haul 2 bicycles with) and this past week replaced 2/3 of it's non-working factory sound system (replaced the head unit and rear speakers...fronts coming in a week or so,LOL),and to respray some of the trim/rear bumper.
Plans are to build/add some storage bins in the hatch area,3" lift/some fender trimming and 32" tires when the 235's wear out,locked at both ends,winch and bumper,add an on board air compressor and look into the charging system for upgrades (dual batteries for powering fridge/etc) to start with. It will be a slow build,but hopefully I can learn from others and not make a bunch of (costly) rookie mistakes along the way.
That's a great start there!!
here is one that i've always liked simple yet funcitonal
My disability actually came from on-the-job injuries after my service (maybe I should have said "a veteran whose also disabled".....? Didn't mean to mislead if I did),I had a co-driver fall asleep behind the wheel on my Freightliner (was an owner operator leased onto Hardy Brothers out of NC) in 2001 out in Utah (>1 mile from our fuel stop...) going close to 100MPH,I was in the bunk asleep,my neck was broken in two places (C2 and C4),among other damage. I continued to work until December of 2008 when Federal D.O.T. put me out of work "due to the nature previous spinal injuries". I was 35 then...had it not been for a typo on their part,I would have simply went back to school and learned another career field,but they mistakenly said "unable to work due to...",when they should have said "unable to drive commercial motor vehicles..."-see,when any branch of the Federal government says you're "unable to work",no one,not even McDonalds can legally hire you. For 25 months,a lawyer and we tried to fight to get them to make the correction. Noting recent (at the time) medical reports that things had degenerated somewhat (to be expected given the nature of it),the ALJ (admin. law judge) offered me va medical benefits (thanks to my service having been during war time,she said)-which I have yet to receive,mind you-and 100% disability (which pays about per month what I used to earn in about 8-10 days,LOL,BUT,I no longer have to make 50+ cross country trips per year away from my wife and kids,so it's all good),with my lawyer,doctors,family (wife,kids,and parents) begging me to take it "before I screwed myself up too badly",I took it in 4-11,and now I'm a glorified house-"wife",LOL! 
