A gathering of community members formed along FM 45 near the National Guard Armory around 12:30 p.m. Friday to show support for three Purple Heart recipients who were being treated to a weekend hunt by the Heart of Texas chapter of Buckmasters American Deer Foundation.
The veterans will be treated to a “hunt of a lifetime, a fully guided trophy buck hunt at the Cutbirth Ranch south of Brownwood,” according to Buckmasters Chairman Tim Schoen. The hunters are selected by referral through the Hope for the Warriors, an organization that works to enhance the quality of life for post-9/11 service members, their families, and families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty.
These men, ages 35-40, have served two tours in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, and are all Texans—from Greenville, Tyler and Temple. Schoen spoke of the reason for the hunt, to honor these men for their sacrifice for their country. The men all served in the Air Force, Army Navy or Marines and all have been hunters and chose hunting through Hope for the Warriors.
“They are coming in today and we are going to show them a good weekend. It’s just a small token of thanks for the sacrifice they have given,” said Schoen. “These guys have given up years of their lives, almost lost their lives, for our country, so that we can do this on a daily basis. They sacrifice their lives so we can go about our daily business.”
These guided hunts are donated and Buckmasters is taking care of the expense of the hunt, processing of the deer, and mounting the deer. The veterans will also be invited to a banquet where they will be honored and presented with the mounts of the deer according to Schoen.
The hunt will also help a local charity, through a donation of the meat to Good Samaritan Ministries Deer Project. Schoen stated that the local Buckmasters chapter is proud to have helped start this program and that they continue to donate approximately 100 deer to help feed the hungry in our county.
Lieutenant Colonel Jamey Creek, 1st Sergeant William Reece, and a group of National Guardsmen were present at the armory to show support to the veteran hunters. Reece stated that it is an honor to the guardsmen to be able to show support for the veterans.
“It is an honor, in respect, to recognize our fellow comrades, especially when you have soldiers from our local area that are considered ‘Wounded Warriors,’ that we can give back to them and say thank you,” said Reece. “It is good to see the show from the community and the number of soldiers we were able to have here today.”
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