I am probably going to get in trouble for this, if so I am sorry. I run an organization for wounded warriors and there are tons of other groups out there like us. It chaps my hide to see people saying "I am a disabled vet looking for ...." There are times when I can understand it and in those times, these guys need to put an explanation why. I get applications for guys wanting to go hunting and they say that they have never been a part of anything like this, but when I google them I see all the bear hunts, moose hunts, elk hunts that they have been on. One particular individual even said he had never been on anything like this, but yet as I was reading his application I heard his name on TV only to see that it was the same guy (He submitted a picture). Upon using my best friend (Google) I found post by him saying, "I would love to go to a pro football game, but I am a wounded warrior and can't afford it" on the facebook of the football team. What did they do you ask? Made an entire weekend for him, paid flight, lodging and food, so he could go, but yet the next entry on google showed his bear that he had just taken.

For all of you guys that have been wounded in service, please understand that I mean this in a nice way as I have been too, Afghanistan 05. Please do not take advantage of the system. Fill out applications, but do not lie. For my organization, if you lie to get a hunt, I cannot trust that everything else is not a lie. With all the stolen valor out there now and organizations that are huge and take your money to use for themselves anything can put a black eye on groups. This includes the hunters as they represent the organization. If you are looking for a free hunt, simply say "I am a disabled veteran looking for a hunt, and here is why." I almost feel that it is a play on emotions saying "Disabled vet looking for a hunt", expecting people to feel sorry for us and give us something free. Every one of us, stood up, raised our hands to defend this country. There was not a clause in there that said, if you get hurt, you can get free hunts, or parking, or football games.

I am sorry for the rant, I 100% respect all of you that are disabled because of war, it is unfortunate, but something that we signed up for, myself included. I am going on a wounded warrior hunt in October, the first time since 2006. There are times we need it, but there are times when others need it more. They are the ones that have never been a part of something and are needing to find people going through the same things as they are, to find someone to talk with. These hunts are not about hunting to me, but about talking, about being able to open up about stuff that you cannot talk about with your family. Guys I really am not being a butt here, I just want to make sure that we do not give the name Wounded Warrior or disabled vet a bad name. I hope you all will forgive me if I ticked you off.

You didn't tick this old vet off.

I hope not, this was not meant to piss people off, just to make them think.

I have a program called Rods For Soldiers. I do fishing trips and hunts for veterans and I know exactly what you are talking about. I have seen several that have gone on a trip with me that are going on several trips with other organizations. It sor of makes me feel like I have been takem advantage of. I try to share the wealth and take as many as possible. I have had a couple of people ask me to take them again.

I am a Veteran as well and I see nothing wrong with what you put. It seems most Veterans take a mile when you give them an inch. Those were usually the sh*t bags in the military.

Unfortunately, there are folks who try to take advantage of everything and it gives everybody else a black eye and/or a bad taste in their mouth. Honesty is still around, but it seems to be getting pushed around pretty good.

Thanks for what you are doing. It is a great opportunity for those who truly deserve the chance to get out. Remember - everything you do will come back on you.

Well said!

I hear you! It chaps my hide when I hear people use and abuse it. Especially the guys that are disabled and have never deployed. You know who you are! I get guys that contact me for free hunts because of being wounded and they don't know about my background. It is pretty easy to tell when I need to put on the tall boots because the BS starts piling up with them.

God bless and Semper Fidelis

Very well said sir...100% correct

See it all the time on Facebook especially on Central Texas Bowhunter. Soldiers go on there asking for free places to hunt and always have to put that they just moved to Ft Hood. Personally I can't stand seeing soldiers take advantage of others kindness. I was taught early on to never use my service to get anything. Now I have accepted invites to hunt with people but have never straight up asked anyone if I could hunt on their place. I figure make a friend enjoy the companionship and if it leads to them asking you to hunt someday great if not you made a good friend.

I take that back I contacted Hunting with Soldiers right before my second deployment and asked about a hunt but I had no idea it was free at the time. Got up there killed a great buck and didn't cost me a dime I didn't want to spend i.e. gas, food, drinks. I have done a lot since to spread the word on that program and built a Rustic cooler to donate to them for auction at the Beast Feast Oct 10th.

Be grateful for the friendships and opportunities you get and never take advantage of someones kindness and gratitude towards you.

Well said guys. It isn't a new thing. As a true combat Vietnam vet(disabled), I saw many a support trooper who had his picture taken in a rice paddy to send home and tell war stories to get attention. I lived in Killeen for many years and know LOTS of soldiers who game the system to get whatever they can. Not saying they all do, but many expect the world handed to them. I would say the majority of guys who like to tell war stories, haven't actually been there and done that. Most things can go unsaid if you have shared the experience.

I have no problem with what you are saying EXCEPT the part where you say "do not take advantage of the system". It is a system and many Vets have fought that system with claims, med care, etc. and deserve everything they're entitled to. That is NOT to say lying on some sort of an application is acceptable.

I do have a problem with what Stickman11b said but I'm sure he didn't mean it the way he said it.




PS And I love to tell war stories!

I agree with you on the point that unfortunately there are some vets that take advantage of these types of programs more than others, but I think the excerpt below taken from your original post captures the real reason a vet should go on one of these hunts:
"These hunts are not about hunting to me, but about talking, about being able to open up about stuff that you cannot talk about with your family."
That statement pretty much sums it up for me. I have been retired from the military for 3 years now, and I'm currently on my 4th job. I've had a really hard time making the transition to the civilian world, because I've been laid off, had a boss that wasn't prior military and didn't understand my military work ethic, or just got plain disgusted with the way I was treated. And of course, having PTSD doesn't help things either. However, as much as I would like to go on a hunt like this, I feel guilty asking. I asked about it once at a hunting expo, and I got this very peculiar look from them...the kind of look that screams "You don't look physically injured to us, and don't need to be going hunting with us". After that, I never asked again. Granted, I don't look that physically injured on the outside, but the injury is in my head, not outward on my body. All I wanted to do was get the opportunity to meet up with vets that had gone through the same awful experiences I had in wartime, talk, laugh, cry, and do some hunting in the process. The hunting is secondary in this case, the fellowship should be first. Even though I know these events are usually free for the Wounded Warriors, I would feel guilty if I didn't at least pay some sort of nominal fee for the host's efforts...I guess it was just the way I was raised. Thanks for all you do!

Sir,

I read your post with interest, and I was somewhat disgusted by the examples you mentioned. I am retired with 20 years military service, and I have to admit when I first retired I posted an add asking for some guidance and help finding a lease to hunt here in Texas, and in my post I also mentioned that I was a Retired veteran that was fairly new to hunting. I'm upset that there are people that would do this in order to take advantage of the kindness of others, and even more upset that I could possibly be grouped with these types of people by the verbiage I used in my post. However, you have nothing to be sorry for, you are simply pointing out a problem, not causing it. I agree with you 100% people should be honest when filling out an application, but not everyone's values are the same. It sickens me to think that individuals who were instilled with the same set of values that many veterans have, have somehow lost their way or believe that they have a right to abuse the kindness of others. I commend you for the organization you have, and please don't be discouraged by the 10%, because I am sure you are making a difference.
Gabriel Rivera

You're post is spot on. Heck, I'm a disabled vet but it didn't happen at any time except during training over 23 yrs so it's not something I discuss. It doesn't make it less painful but it's certainly not the same thing. As has been mentioned I'm sure 11B didn't mean to say that just because you were wounded you are a dirt bag, though that's how the post came across.
One of my sons did one deployment and has PTSD, screwed up back etc. and the other did four and has issues but won't admit it. My wife and I do fund raising for Texas Sentinel's, those hard chargers have all lost at least one limb but they expect nothing and pay it forward every chance they get. Just like the generations before them the majority of our wounded go through their lives without saying much to anyone but I know they need the time together to help each other work through it. Hunting trips are a way to let them do that as well as hunt. God Bless every one of them.

SF, Mark

You didn't tick this old vet off either. I served two tour in Vietnam and was retired with 100% from the VA after my 3rd Purple Heart and a few other medals. I went to school for a couple'a years the gave up the 100% and went to work. Putting myself back into the work force and becoming a productive citizen again was what I wanted. I take nothing for free, no handouts here. A Disabled Vet is not left out in the cold penniless.

Didn't bother me with what you said. I'm a disabled grunt. I have thought about going on some free hunts but ultimately talked myself out of it because I would feel like I am taking advantage of the opportunity because I already have a lease and a few places to hunt close to the house. I really wish there wasn't Vets out there that took advantage of people like how you stated but I know there is and it erks me to no end.

What, you don't ask them to submit a DD-214 and a VA rating letter? If not, why not? I keep pics of mine on my phone with pennies over part of the soc-sec number.

I agree there are some folk who "work" the system, both legit and posers. From my understanding some folk get to go more often because they are simply available to fill a spot, no reason to lie though.

Skip, you are correct about the disable vet not being left cold and penniless, you get extra compensation (money) if you are homeless.

I'm straight up with folk, not looking for pity. I meet the criteria, I'm availible most times, I'm available to assist less mobile Vets even if I don't partake, Don't judge me by my mobility, I appreciate the spot, I can pay for some things because I'm not looking for a hand-out.

By the way, I'd like to go if you have a spot.

I will add a gripe to this thread but maybe in a different direction. Should all these opportunities and organizations be offered/geared only to those that are disabled? Why not just list them for combat vets? Is a guy that has done 5 or 6 tours overseas any less deserving than those that did a month and got hurt and sent back? I am not trying to take anything away from a wounded warrior but I would like to think that everyones sacrifice for our nation is just a deserving no matter what cost you paid, because we all paid some, just in different ways.

Splinter, I think its up to the organization to establish their own parameters. I think your assessment is valid but I'd like to add the reminder that there exist many (thousands) of fighting or recon troops wounded or not, that served in non-sanctioned areas.

Its just a thought, I don't make their rules. I can understand the reasoning for each level of criteria though and lean toward the mobility disabled myself. Sometimes these type folk just don't have the support system to go on a "normal" hunt. This is why many of us that meet the criteria drop our hunt on the spot if a mobility challenged guy needs a hand. It really ain't about the hunt/fish.

I know it's there parameters, and yes you are right there are many that have served in more dangerous and unknown areas than others. I just like to see everyone get afforded the same opportunity as others based on the fact that they have served and not what happened while they served. Another thing that really upsets me, off topic for this but still along the same lines as vets. Airline companies will upgrade you to first class but only while in uniform, why is this? Are they really recognizing military people or do they just want to show others that they are recognizing military? To me if they really wanted to show appreciation towards the military troop then it should be offered whether in uniform or not. This is a area where disabled vets could really use the help while they are flying, some of their injuries may be to the extent of where a first class seat would be more comfortable and accomodating to their injuries, but because all they have is a military ID and not flying in uniform it isnt offered to them.

Times are a changin splinter. Vets are the enemy of the state now. Common sense has been replaced by a multitude of other characteristics.

I see that all the time, marine in San Antoino uses his uniform to get free hunts

I agree, but why only combat vets? It's not up to us where they send us. In my case, I volunteered for Viet Nam three times during my four years and never left the lower 48.

Yup didn't mean combat vets, veterans in general should be offered because whether or not you were hurt or deployed you signed the line willing to pay that ultimate sacrifice