The guest speakers at our October dinner meeting were Bud Deplatchett, and Joe Walters from Freedom Hunters.
Bud is a civilian volunteering as the East Coast Coordinator and member of the Board of Directors of Freedom Hunters, full-time employed as a Field technical Specialist for BASF Corporeation. He has been involved with Freedom Hunters for 6 years and was the first Freedom Hunters volunteer in the Eastern US. Oversee existing Freedom Hunters operations/programs across the entire Eastern US.
Joe Walters is a former US Army weapons specialist 1965/70, combat service in Vietnam 67/68 with the 1st Aviation Brigade, 117th Assault, Helicopter Company, Sidewinder Guns. He has been a Volunteer Outreach coordinator with Freedom hunters for the last three years and is the father of two active duty military.
We learned from Bud and Joe that Freedom Hunters is a 100% volunteer organization that is dedicated to the movement to get wounded veterans back into hunting. Joe is a testimony of how it helps. It helps to reduce the stress and hardships on veterans and give back “breath of life”. There is an epidemic of suicides in the military vets, and this is one of the parts that helps to get them back into a relaxed state and doing something they enjoy. Bud discussed how the money is used and what efforts are being done. They started in 2000 arranging about 15 hunter trips, and last year arranged about 343 on the east coast alone. Cost covered liscenses, clothing, transport, meals, lodging and equipment. Nationwide, the average cost is about $35 per hunter.
