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army news 26 www.army.mil/publications THE “Purple Heart Outdoors Tour” is now in its second year of spon- soring hunting and fishing expeditions to help wounded warriors get back on their feet. The tour was dreamed up by Army Reserve Lt. Col. Dan Hammack, owner of Southern Wilderness Planta- tion, a game preserve about 60 miles south of Fort Benning, Ga. Hammack has hosted two quail hunts and a turkey hunt for wounded veterans and servicemembers who have received commendations for valor in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other highlights of the tour included an elk hunt in Saskatchewan, Canada. The outdoor events are designed to build self-confidence and morale for the wounded warriors while exposing Wounded warriors get back in the hunt Two shooters and their guide approach a covey of quail after the lead dog goes point in the “Purple Heart Outdoors Tour” Bobwhite Quail Hunt in Georgia. SOME military families are finding themselves in a precarious situation when it comes to selling their house and relocating, said housing experts. Some bought their homes at the height of the market and now, because of permanent-change-of-station orders, are trying to sell in today’s lower market, said Edmond Hackett, housing management specialist, Fort Belvoir, Va. The good news is that the Help available for military hit by housing market them to different activities. Ham- mack said the events also result in overwhelming public support for the troops. Local residents were extremely supportive of this year’s quail hunt Feb. 13-15, he said. Members of the community served as guides and helped with the hunt. Some brought their dogs to flush out the quail, oth- ers served as cooks at the barbeque. A number of local businesses catered meals, free of charge, or donated fund- ing for the event. Local families housed many of the sevicemembers. Local landowners across four counties in Georgia opened their property for hunting and servicemembers came from as far away as Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. Future events include a blacktail deer hunt scheduled for northern California in August, and an elk hunt scheduled for Colorado in October. v — OCPA-Southeast Lt. Col. Mike Kiser new economic stimulus package has provisions to help military homeown- ers and Army Emergency Relief is also helping those hit by the crunch. Renters are not immune to the effects of foreclosure either. “In the past couple of months, approximately five Army families have had to deal with losing the homes they were renting when the owners faced foreclosures,” said Shawn Wal- ters, housing management specialist, Fort Belvoir. An attachment to the Joint Fed- eral Travel Regulations added in late 2008 authorizes a short-distance move of household goods for servicemem- bers forced to relocate because the home they were renting foreclosed. Although there are no specific programs to help Soldiers when they are behind in their mortgage, Army Emergency Relief is an avenue for assistance in this tough market, said Dennis Scott, assistant secretary of administration, AER. “Since the housing market crashed, we are looking at housing differently,” said Scott. “Multiple- home ownership used to be considered a business venture and AER doesn’t assist in that, but now we realize it might be because of an inability to sell in one location.” The new economic stimulus package—the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009—includes provisions to help servicemembers fac- ing losses in the housing market. The government will cover 95 percent of the amount lost when servicemembers are forced to sell due to permanent change of station moves. The provision does have some limitations. The program only applies to servicemembers who purchased their homes before July 1, 2006, which is roughly the time when the housing market started to decline. v — ARNEWS/Carol E. Davis Carol E. Davis
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