An archery group in Abilene, Texas, meets monthly to help military veterans cope with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) as well as other post-deployment issues.
VA News published a piece on the group — part of the Abilene VA Center — and quoted director Nick Tapie saying, “Veterans already come in with marksmanship abilities, and so archery really pairs well with that because they end up doing something that is native to their own experiences.”
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He added, “But archery is very different than using firearms. It’s very quiet. It’s calming. It’s therapeutic.”
Army veteran Patrick Whitney explained the change he saw in his life after joining the archery group. “I’m a competitive person. Archery isn’t easy. I think that’s what draws me in even more because it actually takes some skill. Whenever you pull that bow back, there’s a lot of fundamentals that you have to remember. And the scenery is so peaceful out here. The tranquility is awesome,” Whitney said.
Veteran Jason Denson said the archery group has helped him open up about his personal struggles; that the comradery with other veterans in the group provides and avenue for conversion.
Denson said, “Even though [the veterans] have different stories, we can still relate to each other and that really helps.”
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Steven Herrick via Storyful
Veterans taking part in the archery program can participate in the annual “Foam is Our Friend” archery match.
The Abilene VA Center’s website indicates front and center that they are focused on helping veterans: “We offer confidential help for Veterans, service members, and their families at no cost in a non-medical setting. Our services include counseling for needs such as depression and anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST). We can also connect you with more support in VA and your community.”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010, a speaker at the 2023 Western Conservative Summit, and he holds a Ph.D. in Military History, with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com