MILAN, Tenn. -- "HOOAH!" The Soldiers' cheers rang through the forests of Milan Army Ammunition Plant. Some cheered for freedom. Some cheered for fellowship. Some cheered simply for the fun of the hunt.
On October 28-30, 2011, Milan Army Ammunition Plant, a Joint Munitions Command installation, hosted a deer hunt for wounded Soldiers of the Fort Campbell, Ky., Warrior Transition Battalion.
The hunt is a part of the HOOAH--Healing Outside of Hospital--program for warriors who have been wounded in battle. These Soldiers, striving to adjust to their lives altered by injuries, participate in recreational events across the country for physical and psychological healing.
During a social mixer held on Friday, October 28, to kick-off the event, Barry Scott Cannedy, a wounded Soldier himself, gave a brief presentation about his life as a paralyzed veteran.
Cannedy praised the group of warriors, stating, "Some of you will be making movies someday. Maybe you will have books written about you."
Cannedy encouraged the Soldiers to continue to enjoy life in spite of their injuries. He urged them to make the most of their military benefits and to set an example for future struggling warriors, saying, "Your legacy is not what you did in battle, but what you do now at home."
The visiting warriors used shotguns and muzzleloaders to harvest a total of 10 deer over the course of two days. Soldiers and local volunteer guides enjoyed hot meals, provided by the MLAAP staff and the event sponsors.
On Saturday, October 29, after a long morning of hunting, the Soldiers and guides gathered once again at the headquarters building of MLAAP for a meal and award presentations.
After leading the pledge of allegiance, Ron Neff, chief of the risk management division for MLAAP, held a drawing for a $50 Wal-Mart gift card. Lt. Col. Norbert Fochs, commander for the installation, presented each Soldier with a Commander's Coin, photo, and a $10 gift card to Wal-Mart. All prizes and gifts were provided by the event's sponsors.
"When I arrived here, I adopted the motto, 'Looking forward, moving forward,' to address the plant's current and future situation. This motto also applies to you," Fochs said to the Soldiers. "I want you to look forward at what you will do with your life, not back at how you got to this point."
Sponsors for this year's wounded warrior event, including the VFW Post 1848 (Jackson, Tenn.), the VFW Post 4780 (Milan, Tenn.), and the Jackson Shrine Club, exhibit their patriotism and support for our nation's warriors by providing the funding and food, without which these events would not be possible.
Milan Army Ammunition Plant, established in 1941, is a subordinate installation of the Joint Munitions Command. If a Soldier, sailor, airman or Marine shoots it, Joint Munitions Command provides it.
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