The 2009 Fort Hood shooting was one of the most devastating attacks on a US Military base on home ground in history. To this day, it’s still the most deadly attack on a US Military base and hopefully nothing will replace that statistic any time soon. Nidal Malik Hasan was a US Army major and a military psychiatrist before he snapped and opened fire on the base, killing 13 and wounding over 30. However for those who were wounded and survived the attack, the damage was done and the fallout is still being felt today. Many of the survivors are dealing with the aftereffects of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and struggling to overcome the physical and mental wounds that they now have.
PTSD has only recently been brought to public light even though it’s been around since the dawn of warfare. Throughout history there have been stories of men coming back from war with different personalities and who can’t settle into the humdrum affair of regular life. While this is now known as PTSD, it was unknown then. Staff Sgt. Patrick Zeigler was one of the men wounded by Hasan during the shooting. He was shot 3 times in different parts of his body, including his head, but somehow managed to survive. Now as he struggles to overcome his PTSD, Zeigler has turned to an activity that has restored his confidence and given him some sort of comfort and normalcy, elk hunting.
David Allen is the CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and when he heard about Zeigler’s struggles, he knew he could help. When he learned that elk hunting was on Zeigler’s bucket list but he was afraid he would never be able to do it, his organization took Zeigler and his family to the UU Bar Ranch in New Mexico. Zeigler got to spend time outside in a natural environment surrounded only by his wife, son, and a guide. He was able to exercise and undergo a sort of natural physical therapy (he was able to walk through the woods the entire day) as well as actually managing to shoot an elk. The importance of this small accomplishment can’t be overstated for people who struggle to find normalcy after returning from war. The ability to accomplish something, to feel like a normal person, and to be alone without any of the questions and concerns can really make a difference in the mental well-being of soldiers. While hunting might not work for everyone, it definitely can for some and it shouldn’t just be written off.
If you’d like to read more, the link is here.
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