Guardsmen attend golf event for wounded Soldiers

Sgt. Jesse Southern of the 1140th Engineer Battalion's Headquarters Company participated in the event.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Several Missouri National Guard Soldiers took to the links over the Memorial Day weekend to pay tribute to Soldiers wounded in combat as well as to help a program that benefits those wounded warriors.

More than 100 veterans, community members and Guardsmen participated in the Wounded Soldier Foundation Golf Tournament at the Cape Girardeau Country Club. U.S. Army veteran Heath Calhoun, who lost his legs due to injuries while serving in Iraq, was the keynote speaker. Calhoun is a spokesperson for the Wounded Warrior Project, which works to raise awareness of the needs of severely injured service men and women.

Calhoun spoke to the volunteers and 32 four-man scramble golf teams prior to the round of golf.

"It was just an awesome, inspirational talk," said Staff Sgt. Jeremy McGuire, a recruiter with the Missouri National Guard based in Cape Girardeau. "When we put the uniform on, we do our best each day to honor Soldiers like him."

The event was organized by Premier Rehab to benefit the U.S. Wounded Soldier Program. The program makes sure that wounded Soldiers being hospitalized in Germany -- where most wounded Soldiers go for initial treatment after serious injury -- receive comfort items, including underwear, socks and T-shirts.

Executive director Teresa Goforth started the program on a volunteer basis.

"When these Soldiers get hurt and are transported to the hospital, they don't pack a bag," she said. "They don't have time to think about things like that. We want to send a little piece of home to them while they recuperate. We want to make their recovery easier."

Robert Wake, who was injured in Baghdad in 2003 while serving with a National Guard Military Police unit, retired from the Guard in January because of his injury. Now, he volunteers with the American Red Cross.

"Events like this are unbelievable," Wake said. "This is great. My heart is with any program that benefits wounded warriors."

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.

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For more information about this release, please contact Scott Moyers at (573) 339-6264 or e-mail him at scott.moyers1@us.army.mil.