Army-Navy helps with trip for disabled vets

The Army-Navy store in Evergreen is helping a nonprofit organization as it prepares to sponsor a group of disabled veterans on a hunt in October in Wyoming.

Banded Brigade Outdoors is a volunteer organization that provides morale-boosting events such as hunting, fishing and target shooting for disabled veterans in any branch of the U.S. military.

The organization provides newly injured service members, and severely disabled veterans, active duty veterans and their families the opportunities and skills to return to as active and healthy a lifestyle as possible.

Through social reintegration, such activities provide veterans a realization that, despite traumatic injury, one can achieve virtually any goal through dedication, determination and the choice of triumph over tragedy.

Prior to the hunt, the Banded Brigade is hosting a dinner at the Greybull Community Center in Greybull Wyo., for the veterans and their families. Veterans will be served prime rib at the dinner. However, to give civilian guests attending a taste for life in the military, their meal will consist of MREs — the kind of dehyrated meals soldiers in combat eat every day.

Mark Kuhl, a volunteer and local disabled veteran, approached the Army-Navy store to ask for its help. The business offered to provide 60 MREs at a significant discount to the organization. The store also will be loaning equipment to display during the event to simulate today’s combat-ready American soldier in the Middle East, from clothing and canteens to helmets and ammo boxes (filled with sand equal in weight to ammunition).

Joe Stephens, a member of the Sons of the American Legion in Washington state, is working with Banded Brigade to organize the dinner and hunt. About 15 veterans from across the country and Montana will participate beginning Oct. 10.

Stephens has reached out to numerous individuals and businesses to fund the event, from transportation and lodging to hunting tags.

“I’ve seen a great deal of community support and enthusiasm,” Stephens said. “People across the country have pledged their support. It’s taken on a life of its own.

His goal is to generate enough interest and raise enough money to turn it into an annual event.

Donations are tax-deductible and are still needed. Make checks payable to Banded Brigade Outdoors and mail care of Joe Stephens, 5381 Waschke Road, Bellingham, WA 98226.

For more information, email president Brad Davis at info@bandedbrigadeoutdoors.org.