The Great Outdoors Offer Calm Therapy

St Joe Channel
Robert Lowrey

Hunters come from all parts of the United States to hunt. But even though they may have different backgrounds, their is a familiar bond between them.

“I was wounded in Afghanistan,” said Nathan Allen of Atlantic, Iowa. “We got ambushed in our last air assault of the year.”

Wounded Warriors in Action is a non-profit organization combining America’s heroes with America’s outdoorsmen.

Members of the Wounded Warriors share a common bond as each of them received a Purple Heart after being injured in combat.

The organization was founded in 2007. It gives wounded soldiers a chance to relax and recover.

“They’re able to come out here, decompress, forget about their past for a little while,” said Wounded Warriors founder John McDaniel.

A sense of camaraderie is instantly apparent with the hunters. They all share laughs and war stories in a setting outdoors described as spiritual. It gives them the ability to overcome wounds.

“They share the same experience and I think they feed off each other,” said McDaniel. “And some guys that are worse off than others whose wounds or the effects of their combat experience are worse, they see them doing it and gives them power.”

For the wounded warriors, this power is something they can appreciate as they are able to connect over common interests, good sport, and some good food after a long morning of hunting.

“Constantly getting shot at, constantly getting blown up, all you want to do is relax,” said Allen. “You can’t really relax more than this right here.”

They’re paths may be different but these men are like brothers.