Hunt for heroes honors wounded veterans

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica D. Keith
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas- --  With the recent passage of Veterans Day, Americans all over the country are reminded of the sacrifices of current and past servicemembers. San Angelo is one of hundreds of towns that choose to take military recognition and appreciation further than the single day set aside to honor military members. As each town recognizes their servicemembers in unique ways, the San Angelo and Midland communities devote several days to honor and celebrate wounded veterans during their annual Hunt for Heroes event.

This year, the event lasted four days and recognized seven Marines, 16 Soldiers and two Airmen, including a previous Goodfellow intelligence student. The veterans were all severely wounded while engaged in combat in overseas.

The event kicked off Thursday at the Horseshoe arena in Midland where keynote speaker, retired Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North, a decorated combat veteran, addressed the wounded servicemembers, their families and nearly 5,000 guests.

The next day, the wounded veterans participated in a parade in San Angelo where they were met with streets lined with cheering civilians and military personnel.

Each servicemember was driven in a golf cart by a member of his branch of service. They were preceded by Goodfellow's Color Guard and followed by the San Angelo State University drum core, fire trucks, military vehicles and marching formations representing the Army and Air Force. The parade closed with a motorcycle presentation by Chapter 64 of the Green Knights Military Motorcycle Club, Blue Knights, a civilian police officer motorcycle club, and Patriot Guard riders, military and civilian individuals who provide support at military funerals.

Sonny Cleere, a San Angelo resident and one of the main organizers of the event, said he was pleased to have the opportunity to honor servicemembers and thank them for the sacrifices they have made for their country.

"These veterans have fought hard for this country," Mr. Cleere said. "I think it is important to remember what they have given to us by giving something back to them and I look forward to this event in the following years."

Following the parade, the wounded veterans were each taken to one of five local ranches and given a full hunting ensemble. A dinner was held in their honor that night and on Saturday, the veterans went deer hunting while their spouses went on a free shopping spree in Midland.

The ranches were all privately owned and each veteran was guaranteed to get a trophy buck. Hunting on the land is normally forbidden, leaving the deer populations unusually high. The bucks were mounted and the meat processed by local merchants and shipped to the veterans homes.