Marines


News
Base Logo
Official U.S. Marine Corps Website
Crossroads of the Marine Corps
Photo Information

Quantico Injured Military Sportsmen Association (QIMSA) sponsored a duck hunt on Marine Corps Base Quantico for active duty and retired servicemen.

Photo by Adele Uphaus-Conner

Wounded Warriors enjoy friendship and the outdoors at QIMSA hunt

20 Jan 2016 | Adele Uphaus-Conner Marine Corps Base Quantico

In the car on their way to a duck hunt sponsored by the Quantico Injured Military Sportsmen Association (QIMSA), Col. Stephen Neary, deputy commanding officer of Marine Corps Combat Development Command and Navy corpsman Troy Biggham discovered that they had a mutual acquaintance. Biggham’s first commander was a classmate of Neary’s at the Virginia Military Institute. The two servicemen from different career paths in different branches of the armed forces laughed about how the lieutenant colonel had introduced himself to Biggham with his first and last names, rather than his rank, and how he was a smooth talker.

“See, QIMSA hunts are a reunion of common experiences,” Neary said. “They bring together people who’ve fought on the same battlefield, accomplished the mission, and now we’re here. There’s shared blood.”

“You never see anything like this,” Biggham agreed.

Eight combat injured servicemen, both active duty and retired, came together with Marine Corps Base Quantico leadership for a weekend of hunting and camaraderie Jan. 15 and 16. The servicemen came from Massachusetts, Maryland, West Virginia and North Carolina for the hunt sponsored by QIMSA, a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization aboard Quantico that provides all-encompassing, expense-free outdoor experiences to wounded warriors from all branches of service, regardless of injury or hunting and fishing experience.

Last year, QIMSA won the Spirit of Hope award, which is given annually by the Department of Defense to individuals and organizations who epitomize Bob Hope’s legacy of service to members of the armed forces.

Mac Garner, who founded QIMSA in 2003 along with Fred Salo, said he was inspired to create the organization by Chase Savage, a 19-year-old Marine he met. The warrior, who’d been an avid hunter, had lost his right arm and was struggling through life without being able to enjoy his favorite hobby.

“He reminded me of me,” said Garner, who lost his right arm in combat in Vietnam. “He inspired me to start this. These guys are sitting in hospitals just deteriorating. I was in the hospital for 16 months. But once you get back outside, you can’t believe the difference.”

Savage ended up getting a wildlife degree and now works as a wildlife inspector. For many of the men who attended the duck hunt, spending time outdoors with others who share common battlefield experiences is the key to their mental and physical health.

Marines were conducting training exercises at the ranges that day and several of the hunters were shaken by the sound of each boom. They were always met with a low-key but sincere “you OK?” and a steadying hand on their shoulder from their fellow hunters.

“It relaxes you, gets your mind off the randomness in your head,” said Biggham, who developed PTSD after completing deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He said the duck hunt was his fourth or fifth hunt with QIMSA.

Jim Ownbey, a retired Marine from West Virginia who was an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician, said his PTSD and traumatic brain injury make it difficult for him to be in big groups of people. But the QIMSA hunts are different.

“Everyone here is very laid back,” he said. “They make you feel welcome and if you need space, they give you space. I’ve been on hunts with other wounded warrior groups where nobody interacts. This is different.”

Garrett Carnes had come up from North Carolina for his first hunt with QIMSA. He is a double amputee who retired from the Marines in 2013. He was injured in Afghanistan in 2012. He said he learned about QIMSA when he was at Walter Reed Army Medical Center recently being fitted for prosthetic limbs, which he wore to the hunt. He was looking forward to a day of fellowship with fellow warfighters.

“This is about hunting but it’s more about camaraderie,” Marine Corps Base Quantico commander Col. Joseph Murray said, welcoming the men to a pre-hunt barbecue lunch catered by Famous Dave’s. “I love watching the interactions between you guys.”

“I’m very proud of QIMSA,” Murray continued. He asked all the hunters to spread word about the organization and see how many new people they could bring in.

Duck hunting that day offered lots of opportunity for the hunters to sit still and talk. It was cloudy, which makes it easier for ducks to see humans, since there aren’t shadows for them to hide in. A few flocks of ducks and geese flew overhead but never close enough to shoot, and once the fowl land in the water, they can see extremely well. So the hunters’ shotguns didn’t see much action but the men still accomplished their goal of having a good time.

“I had a blast just hanging out and ripping on the other guys,” Carnes said.

Marine Corps Base Quantico