Fort Walker Va. – On the cold afternoon of December 13, a black van shuttled eight service members from the Fort Belvoir Soldier Recovery Unit (SRU) and other units that train at Fort Walker to the historic Lodge on post. The servicemembers were selected by their units to take part in the post’s annual Wounded Warrior Hunt, and they were excited to do so; smiles and laughter were all about as they unpacked all of their gear from the vehicles and moved into their rooms in the Lodge.
The Wounded Warrior Hunt, an event held solely by sponsorships, donations and volunteer work, provides a respite for injured service members to visit Fort Walker for a tailored hunting experience that can accommodate injuries or disabilities. Volunteers from the installation serve as guides, cook meals, and process harvested game. Hunters eat breakfast before dawn and depart in the early morning hours. They return for a noon meal, then it’s back to the blinds for afternoon hunts. The evenings are reserved for comforting dinners and socializing by the fireplace.
Soldiers from the McMahon EOD school on the installation volunteered to serve as guides, cooks, and help process any harvested game. Naturally, the installation’s division of Environmental and Natural Resources was instrumental in the event’s oversight, with Mr. Andrew Satterwhite leading the way, however, they also served as guides, cooks, and game processors.Conservation Law Enforcement Officers were also on hand to offer assistance as required.
“The effort that the staff put into this weekend made this an amazing retreat. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the staff to make this experience as comfortable as possible and tailor this adaptive hunting trip to my injury. My guide, Will, was extremely knowledgeable, and I learned a lot from him as a new hunter. I’m so thankful to have been able to meet great people, catch up with the others from SRU, and learn something new,” said Maj. Connie Huang, first time hunter.
Working with our installation’s DFMWR, sponsors were secured this year to assuage some of the financial burden from post volunteers for food, utensils, beverages and the like. Local businesses, including Green Top Outdoors, donated swag bags with beanies, ball caps, black rifle coffee and hand warmers, while Double Down Outdoors supplied all the ammunition for the hunt. The Fredericksburg Military Advisory Council made a generous donation of $1,000. Additionally, Storke Funeral Home of Bowling Green donated the first evening’s meal for all the hunters and volunteers.
Over the course of Friday and Saturday each hunter had harvested a deer, with some hunters getting two. One hunter also encountered a turkey, which was in season, so he took the opportunity to take the gobbler. Many of the hunters were avid outdoorsman and had freezers at home waiting for the venison, while some just came for the camaraderie and escape. The extra venison, approximately 300 pounds, was donated to Hunters for the Hungry, a 501 (c) (3) charity in Northern Virginia that donates venison to those who are in need.To date, they have provided almost 8 million pounds of lean meat to those less fortunate.
Sunday morning, it was time to sleep in, enjoy a hearty Warrior’s Breakfast and take group photos. Bags were packed and vehicles were loaded to depart, but hugs and handshakes were given all around with promises to return to Fort Walker, Wounded Warrior Hunt or not.The same black shuttle van carried the Soldiers away from the Lodge and the Hunt was complete, until next year, and all at no cost to the installation.
