As I sit here attempting to write this, the feelings I have are so strong it is making it difficult for me to put my thoughts down on paper. Usually the words just come but there is so much I could say and I don’t know where to start. I guess I will start at the place closest to my heart.

My husband Tristan is an amazing man in many ways and for a lot of reasons. Not the least of which is his past service in the Air Force as an EOD Technician. Not only did he do his job, he did it well. He spent time in Okinawa and Afghanistan doing a job that most would want nothing to do with. My husband, just as many Veterans, had to take some time to adjust to life back in the states. He said that the wilderness and being outdoors was the best place he found to reconnect. He recently received an award from the White House called, Champions of Change for Engaging the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders. He received it for his work with the Montana Wilderness Association as their Veterans Outreach Coordinator. He spent last summer taking groups of Veterans on backpacking trips into the wilderness. The benefits that are gained by these Veterans when they get out in those wild places are incredible! That is why when I stumbled across Trophies For Troops I new that they were headed in the perfect direction.

Trophies For Troops is a young organization started by Brady Nix. Brady served as a combat medic in the US Army from January 2007 through October 2013. When I spoke with him he stated, “Our mission is to improve the quality of life of our Veteran community by coordinating resources that can aid our Veterans in recovering from disabilities and promote both personal and professional growth and success.” What greater mission is there than that for our Veterans! What makes Trophies For Troops so unique is that they don’t just work with Veterans. Anyone can book a hunt through their site. “Trophies For Troops is a non-profit organization that serves hunters, fisherman, and outdoor enthusiast in booking their dream outdoor adventures. We work closely with landowners, outfitters, and other outdoor experts to book your adventure. By utilizing our services, you are also donating to help us assist disabled Veterans in getting back to enjoying their outdoor hobbies. 100% of all profits from our organization go toward facilitating outdoor experiences for our Veterans. Please allow us to assist you in chasing your dreams so we can help our Veterans chase theirs.” This setup is a win/win. Not only do hunters get to go on hunts that they have been planning but as they fulfill those dreams they have the satisfaction of knowing that they are playing a part in helping assist Veterans in getting out and experiencing the benefits of wild places. This organization has such great potential to do vast amounts of good for the Veterans that laid their lives on the line for our freedoms. This is an amazing way to show support and say thank you to those we respect and owe our liberties too. Brady stated in his e-mail to me, “Currently we are focused on developing our network and garnering support through the outdoor community. We believe that getting Veterans back to a place where they can participate in outdoor sports on their own will promote a positive attitude and promote overall health and wellness for our Veteran community that will carry over in other aspects of their lives. We will look to expand the programs we offer our Veterans as we garner more support and expand our network.”

I want to thank Brady for his service and for the effort he is putting into Trophies For Troops. His passion for Veterans is inspiring and I hope that we can come along side of his efforts and assist him in giving them these incredible opportunities. I hope you will consider donating, booking a hunt or helping to spread the word about this effort. Please visit the Trophies For Troops web site at http://www.trophiesfortroops.org and you can contact Brady T. Nix at trophiesfortroops@gmail.com. Thank you ahead of time for any support you can give.