Veterans participate in special hunt
FORREST – A group of over 40 veterans, including some Purple Heart recipients, were treated to a weekend of hunting at Rooster Heaven Hunt Club near Forrest.
Army veteran and recipient of three Purple Hearts, Justin Patterson from Arizona was among those enjoying the trip to Central Illinois.
“There is nothing better than being in the outdoors,” Patterson said. “To have the opportunity to come out here kind of puts new life into your lungs.”
The Purple Heart is a U.S. military decoration awarded in the President’s name to those killed or wounded while serving. This is the oldest military award which is still presented to members of the military. Patterson was the lone survivor of an ambush outside of an Iraqi town called Baqubah where the vehicle he was in flipped.
“It was a bad day,” Patterson recalled.
He spent four years recovering from the incident in places like Virginia and Texas. Patterson’s cognitive functions were impacted, although he has relearned practically everything with a speech impediment remaining.
“I was wounded a few times before but that was a catastrophic hit. For the most part, they didn’t think I was going to live.”
Patterson and his group were performing a maneuver referred to as “movement to contact” which involves driving around until you are shot at before eradicating the enemy.
“They say I have lost the ability to have breaks mentally so I kind of just say what’s on my mind all the time which is good and bad,” Patterson noted.
By what he refers to as the grace of God, Patterson met Rick Caballero a couple of years ago. Caballero was organizing a Purple Heart Hunt and discussed it at a veteran retreat for the Beyond the Battlefield organization.
Many of those participating in the event near Forrest over the weekend were Chicago Police and Marines.
Caballero is a retired Chicago Police officer and is involved with the Chicago Police Marine Organization.
“It’s like serving twice by choice to our country,” Caballero explained. “They served in the military now they’re serving as a first responder.”
The Rooster Heaven outing has been an annual tradition since 2011 with anywhere from five to 50 guys visiting.
“Regardless of your situation, disability or inability, you are all treated the same,” said Greg Barnes, another retired Chicago Police officer.
The weekend was special for a guy like Patterson, who had never duck or pheasant hunted. The organization flew Patterson to Illinois to hunt for the weekend before he returned home Sunday evening. It’s safe to say the weather here was a bit chillier than in his home state of Arizona.
“I love helping out the military,” said Patrick Harms, owner of Rooster Heaven Hunt Club. “This one really hits home because these guys are the protectors of us.”
Caballero and other organizers of the event expressed their appreciation to Harms for hosting an event such as this.
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