Applications being sought for free deer hunting trip for wounded Soldiers

[kskiska]

Terry Johnson felt guilty about the cozy life he has lived in West Texas and not being the one who earned the freedoms he and his Family have enjoyed.

He thought about how to thank the troops who worked for those freedoms, and he decided to take two wounded Soldiers on an all-expenses-paid deer hunting trip.

“It was my way of saying thanks to these men and women who are keeping us free from terror,” said Johnson, who owns a field service company in Midland, one of the epicenters of the nation’s oil and gas industry.

“That is absolutely the driving force behind it,” Johnson continued. “I’m not a veteran, and there is a little bit of guilt there…I’ve had a great life, and that didn’t come free. I feel very beholden to these people for providing my freedoms for me and my Family.”

As word spread of Johnson’s sponsorship of the wounded Soldiers in 2004, business owners and well-wishers throughout West Texas and hunters from across the state began donating money so Johnson could take more troops hunting.

more…
http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/articles/2007/05/10/news/leisure/leisure05.txt

[William769]

1. I hope for all involved, Chaney's not on that trip!

[Botany]

2. Good for Mr. Johnson

I hope all who go w/ him enjoy themselves.

[wtmusic]

3. "providing my freedoms for me and my Family"

and providing the oil for that field service company of his in Midland.

[SteveM]

4. Quietly, folks in Central Texas are inviting soldiers to hunt on their land.

Big game hunts (even for deer in Texas) are normally very expensive. Yet, landowners are foregoing profits for the benefit of returning soldiers. Do you think this is a bad thing?

[wtmusic]

7. A kind-hearted gesture

with a screwy justification.

[LiberalFighter]

5. Is this the best way to show appreciation for a returning soldier?

How has a soldier's life been reduced as a result of serving beyond the expected tour of duty?

[petronius]

8. Sounds like a great program to me,

and it sounds like he has the right motivation:

“I like to pick the guys that are thinking they won’t be able to do the things they used to do. And I like to show them, yes, you can.”

I'm not a hunter, but I can imagine that for a lot of people (especially, perhaps, Texans) getting back out hunting after a life-changing injury could be very meaningful. I imagine the TLC given to the spouses is also highly appreciated...

[Peregrine Took]

6. Haven't they had enough of killing and death? They have to come over here

and do more?

[SoCalDem]

9. My thought too. Just what a returning soldier might want to do?

pick up a gun and go shooting some more :eyes:?

[Cerridwen]

10. "The Deer Hunter"

Was that the name of that movie?

Sorry, about the off topic post - it's what I thought of when I read the OP.

edit to add: yep, it's the one I was thinking of - guess the guy saw the title of the movie and made a connection between soldiers returning from war and deer hunting. /snark