Bringing veterans together: Outdoors organization fosters veteran comradery

For Bill Coomer -- aka "Wild Bill" -- AM Vets Outdoors is about getting veterans together.

Coomer of Cape Girardeau is the founder of the organization, which takes veterans on hunting and fishing trips.

On March 14, the Air Force veteran accompanied other veterans while hunting for snow geese in Ware, Illinois.

"The whole premise of this is for vets to be introduced to other vets that way they can become friends with at least one of them," Coomer said. "That way where later on, if they have depression or thoughts of suicide or whatever, at least they have somebody to talk to."

He said in 2016 he had stage-4 throat cancer and "doctors told me I was done."

Active duty Air Force member Andrew Shanahorn, originally of Columbus, Ohio, and now at Scott Air Force Base, signs a decoy featuring the names of other veterans during a snow goose hunt with AM Vets Outdoors on March 14 in Ware, Illinois.

After initial chemo and radiation, Coomer "started coming out of it." He said he was with other organizations when he was sick, but he said veterans normally have to have a certain rating before they can be involved in trips such as the ones through AM Vets Outdoors.

"To me, that felt like we are leaving a lot of vets out," he said. "There was a lot of great guys out there that served our country honorably that I felt should be able to go do trips like this at no cost to them." Coomer said the group is open to any honorably-discharged veteran.

"It helps our vets to get out," Coomer said. "The stresses for a PTSD vet every day, you never know what you're going to get. One minute, everything's [expletive] fine, next minute everything's chaos."

Coomer said even if the hunt is unsuccessful from a game-bagging standpoint, just spending time talking with other veterans helps relieve stress of past moments of combat or PTSD.

"I want to become strong enough friends with these guys to where if they have any issue, and any one of our staff members at AM Vets Outdoors is exactly the same way, if any one of our vets have an issue where they're in crisis, we'll stay up on the phone, we'll drive to them, we'll go get them, we'll go put them on the water, we'll go do whatever we got to do so we don't lose that veteran," Coomer said.

From right: AM Vets Outdoors founder and Air Force veteran Bill Coomer, active duty Air Force member David Fritz, active duty Air Force member Andrew Shanahorn and Army veteran Paul Jubinville spend time together during a snow goose hunt with AM Vets Outdoors on March 14 in Ware, Illinois.

He said the whole idea is to "let vets know through the events, through this, through that, that they are going to make some good friends that will have their six for the rest of their life. And with that kind of knowledge, with that kind of backup, with that kind of support, it kind of alleviates the stresses of PTSD. They know they're not alone anymore."

David Fritz, originally from western Pennsylvania, and now living in Mascoutah, Illinois, is active duty with the Air Force and stationed at Scott Air Force Base. March 14 was his second outing with AM Vets Outdoors.

"My first time was probably the best day I've had since I've been back from Afghanistan," Fritz said of his first trip. "It was probably the best day I had in seven years."

AM Vets Outdoors founder and Air Force veteran Bill Coomer, aka "Wild Bill," of Cape Girardeau looks out of a blind during a snow goose hunt March 14 in Ware, Illinois.

Also on the goose hunt was Garrett Metje, originally of Cape Girardeau, and now Scott City. Metje didn't serve in the military, but has family that's been in the military and said he's been a part of the organization since day one.

"I just want to be able to help whatever way possible that I can," Metje said. "Get the guys, their minds off the PTSD and everything that they're dealing with. Get them back in the outdoors, get a fishing rod, get a gun in their hand, get them going, get them happy, change their mindsets, anything we can possibly do."

Coomer said the organization has sponsors such as Nutri-Plot and Armstrong Outdoors and, in addition to a Cape Girardeau chapter, also has chapters in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, and Callaway County, Missouri.

During the hunt, Coomer said there are other hunting and fishing trips planned this year.

Those looking to become involved with AM Vets Outdoors can find the organization on Facebook or contact Coomer at (573) 225-6215 or on his "Wild Bill Coomer" Facebook page.