[Vision2020] Maybe Moscow Could . . .

Tom Hansen thansen at moscow.com
Mon Dec 20 14:26:42 PST 2010


Start an annual reunion of sorts, like that which has been started by Troy
and Beverly Davis just outside Hot Coffee, Mississippi.

Courtesy of the Army Times at:

http://www.ArmyTimes.com

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Wounded vets enjoy chance to bond

By Ellen Ciurczak - Hattiesburg (Miss.) American
Posted : Sunday Dec 19, 2010 18:22:57 EST

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — The smell of bacon and a draft of warm air greets all
who walk in the door of Troy and Beverly Davis’ cabin, located a few miles
outside of Hot Coffee.

Inside on an early Sunday morning, nine former military service members
sit in the living room and at the breakfast table, relaxed and talking.
All have been wounded in the line of duty, and all have spent the past
weekend on a hunting trip sponsored by the Smith County Wounded Warrior
Project.

The Davises have donated their cabin to the project, which provides
programs for severely injured service members from around the South.

But hunting for big game hasn’t been the highlight of this weekend.

“They get together and they talk. They open up to each other,” said John
Ellis of Ellis Outdoor Events, which helped coordinate this trip and
others, all of which are free of charge. “They know what they’ve been
through and they don’t judge each other.”

The service members are all veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

“They worry about what people will ask them,” said John’s wife, Kim Ellis,
who also helps to coordinate the trips. She cautions against probing too
deeply about their injuries.

“The No. 1 question they get asked is ‘Have you killed someone?’ ” she said.

Damian Orslene, 46, a former airman, has a ready smile. He sits in a
chair, with a cane beside him. He says he was blown up in Kirkuk, Iraq.

“I’ve been in and out of hospitals for three years,” he said. “What I miss
most is being around like-minded people. When you walk in that door, you
are surrounded by people that care.”

Orslene, who’s from Gulfport, says he’s felt a sense of belonging during
this weekend — his first hunting trip with the Wounded Warrior Project.

“It’s the same feeling you get in church,” he said. “They don’t care about
my story. They don’t care what I’ve done.”

During dinner times, local residents join the vets. They’ve brought
home-cooked foods, and their warm wishes too.

“We’re just trying to give a little bit back for what they’ve done for our
country,” said Ken Blakeney, with the Wounded Warrior Project.

This is the third hunt for former airman Sam Caston, 28, of Prairieville,
La. He was injured while serving on the Saudi Arabia and Iraq border.

“I plan my year around these trips,” he said. “It’s a wonderful
experience. This is about more than hunting. It’s about being together.”

The other guys tease Caston because he likes to talk. And he can’t say
enough about the Wounded Warrior hunts.

“It’s like therapy — only better. It’s a spiritual feeling,” Caston said.
“It’s hard not to be emotional out here.”

Ellis Outdoor Events recently planned two other hunting trips for wounded
vets — one in Pachuta and another in Louisville. John and Kim Ellis also
are planning summer fishing trips.

Danny Armand, 29, a former Army troop, who served in Iraq and now suffers
from post-traumatic stress disorder, may want to attend.

“This was a good experience,” Armand said. “People thank me all the time.
But these people really understood what I’ve been through.”

---------------------------------------------------------

Nah, who am I kiddin'?

Moscow doesn't even set aside time to say farewell to its own troops. 
Moscow's too busy giving cell phone stipends to its elected officials.

Ah, well, it's a thought.

If anybody is interested, contact me off-list.  I have been in contact
with a veterans' representative in Boise . . . getting numbers for right
now.

Who knows?

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown




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