Pub. 55 2014-2015 Issue 2

24 longer go through any organizations. The point is freedom and lack of structure. John Regal is all the structure we need. I’ve spoken to Matt and he says the best thing is that we have a core group of buddies who get together at least on an annual basis. Nobody is special or singled out because they are disabled. Just buddies. Regal started the Kilo 3/1 Gunfighter Club with the guys he served with. The official name is Kilo Company Gunfighter’s Club and Spring Creek ranch is the spiritual, stateside HQ. Combat historian Patrick K. O’Donnell has assumed a prominent role among the decorated war heroes who comprise the roster of K/3/1. A bestselling author of nine books and a dozen documentaries on World War II and modern warfare, O’Donnell as a freelance writer was embedded with Lima Company Third Battalion 1st Marines in Fallujah. He saw action with the forward most squads and even joined the marines recovering battle casualties. His book, “We Were One”, is a first person account of the heroic actions of the U.S. Marines in Fallujah. Lt. Colonel John Regal, the founder of the elite Gunfighters and the inspiration for Daniel Bradley’s association with the patriots who comprise the organization, relates his thoughts on the Bradley’s and the Gunfighters: First let me say that Eddie and Daniel Bradley are special folks. They have not only opened their ranch to these wounded warriors but they have also opened their hearts. Two finer men do not live. I am forever grateful to Eddie for sharing his son with me from time to time. I have seen Daniel go from a rambunctious kid who liked to play “guns” to a mature young executive with the family business. He is tough, smart, and humble… hard combo to find these days. Plus Daniel is a perfect fit with all the young former Marine and Army… some wounded severely and some not. Our Gunfighter Club brings everyone in at the same level… except for me as I am the Head Gunfighter for Life! I am not sure when we first started hunting with the wounded warriors, probably around 2009 or so. Bub Smith, now deceased,  GUN FIGHTERS — CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 was a mutual friend of the Bradley’s andme. He owned a big ranch over in the eastern part of the panhandle. Bub called me one day to ask if I could get information on taking some of the wounded/ disabled service members on a turkey hunt. Anyway, Daniel told you most of that story… and how eventually we just cut out the middlemen and did it ourselves. We had a nucleus of guys who were able to find other wounded guys for the hunts at Spring Creek. The first guys wereMatt Keil, Dan Shepherd andNickOrchowski. Matt and Nick live in Parker, Colorado and Dan resides in Pueblo West, Colorado. Dan and his wife are accomplished taxidermists. On the first two turkey hunts on Bub’s ranch, there was Bub, Daniel, Collin McCartt, and Benj Ware… each guiding hunters and cooking chow. One other man I want to mention is my good friend, retired Marine Colonel Dick Weede. He came all the way from Lexington, VA to help out. Dick, being a top turkey caller, sat in a blind with Matt Keil for 3 hours… finally calling a gobbler close enough for Keil to shoot it. I don’t know how many hunts Daniel has hosted but probably 7 or 8. On the first hog hunt we added Shawn Walton from Lub- bock. He was an Army infantry sergeant…very severely wounded but continues to improve and is gainfully employed in Lubbock. On our last hunt earlier this year, we added 2 Marines…Gabe Martinez fromColorado andMatt Boisvert, former infantry squad leader in Fox Co, 2nd Bn, 1st Marines. One of his former Fox Co buddies, Scott Bittner, who resides in Amarillo paid for his airline ticket fromMassachusetts toAmarillo. Interestingly, Matt recently moved from Massachusetts to Coleman, TX. Matt told me that the hunt was the most fun that he had had since being wounded. Justin Boswood fromOklahoma was legendary as a squad leader in Fallujah. I met him at a reunion of my VietnamK/3/1 crew. Bos is now a Gunfighter and a regular at the Bradley ranch. We’ve also had one of the younger platoon commanders out twice. His name is AdamMathes. He graduated UGA, USMC, got out of service, earned a Master’s degree in theology at Emory University, joined the Naval reserves, and is now a chaplain working on his PhD. Interestingly we were first told not to talk to these wounded guys about their combat experiences or provide any alcohol to them. We quickly found out that ALL they really like to talk about was their combat experiences and like to do this over a few beers. Daniel Bradley and Matt Kiel Staff Sgt. Matt Keil, Ramadi Iraq