PETERSBURG-AK Over five thousand US service men and women have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department. Nearly 35 thousand more have been wounded in the two wars.
Earlier this month, six wounded soldiers from Alaska’s Fort Richardson spent a weekend in Petersburg for some rest and relaxation. Their trip was part of the Alaska State Elks Association’s Wounded Veterans Project, which is aimed at helping injured vets and raising awareness about their needs. The program compliments the Army’s own wounded warrior battalions that were set up to aid injured soldiers upon their return home.
The Fort Richardson group was hosted by the local elks club which honored the vets at club dinners and took them fishing for halibut and king salmon. Local residents and businesses donated accommodations and fish processing.
Matt Lichtenstein spoke with several of the soldiers shortly after they arrived:
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