When Terry Ann and Jake Bowen, the owners of Manchester Firing Line located in Manchester, NH, asked me to get involved in their fundraiser trying to collect funds for a memorial honoring Gold Star Families I jumped at the chance. When they asked me they had no idea that I was a 12 year veteran of the U.S. Army. All they knew was that I was an outdoor writer and they thought I could help to put the word out.
The fundraiser kicked off on April 1st and will run the entire month. I went over on April 2nd and saw that the top scorer was Alan Ouellette, the brother of Corporal Michael Ouellette. Corporal Ouellette gave his life in Afghanistan, serving our country and was awarded the Navy Cross for his sacrifice and it is in his name that the event is being held. While I waited for my name to be called I spent some time at the wall at Manchester Firing Line that pays homage to those who have served. Though my goal was to do my part to raise money for the memorial, I still wanted to get my name on the board and Alan set the bar to beat.
When my name was called t was none other than Alan that took me out to the range and was to be my scorer. Alan set my target out to 60 feet and loaded the Glock 9mm, the same handgun all shooters will use in this event, with 10 rounds of ammunition. The rest was up to me. Ten shots later the target came back. When my points were tallied I had beat Alan by two shots. I thought that this was pretty good as 60 feet was a long distance for any handgun, I had never shot a Glock and I’ll be the first to admit that handguns are not my strong suit. I am much better with a rifle. As of this writing my name is still up there, but with the good shooters out there, I’m sure it will disappear. That is a good thing.
For me it is not about winning or losing. It is about helping a good cause. All too often the families who stand behind our Airmen, Soldiers, Seamen and Marines are forgotten. Those families are the true heroes. They are the ones who make the most sacrifices. When we sign up to do our duty, we know the risks involved. Our families are often the unsuspecting passengers that happen to be along for the ride. This is my small way of saying “Thank you” to the families of my fallen Brothers and Sisters.
So, I’ve done, and am still doing my part. Now it is up to you. Whether you served or not, those who have been willing to put on the uniform, and the families that support them, are giving you the right and freedom to do what you do. It is time to step up to the plate and give back.
Manchester Firing Line, www.gunsnh.com
By Dana Benner