Bullard-area nonprofit helping veterans through hunting, fishing receives state volunteer award

Published 6:00 pm Wednesday, October 13, 2021

In 2012, a veteran planned his suicide and went on a fishing trip as his “going-away present.” But that excursion with Army veterans Adam Troy and Martin Montoya in East Texas became so much more.

A couple of weeks later, the man called to thank Troy and Montoya for saving his life.

“Now that he had gone and had so much fun, he had bought fishing poles and started taking his sons fishing and now he wants to live,” Troy said. “That was just one of those eye-popping moments — like this is what we’re supposed to do in life.”

Six years later, Troy and Montoya co-founded Hookset Brothers Combat Recovery as a nonprofit in the Bullard area to help veterans with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder by offering an outlet through fishing and hunting trips.

This week, Hookset Brothers Combat Recovery was named a recipient of the Innovation in Volunteerism Award as a part of the 38th annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards.

Hookset is among 11 recipients selected for engaging in volunteer service addressing a critical need, making a sustained positive community impact and inspiring others to get involved in their cause or community.

Included in the recipients are martial artist and actor Chuck Norris and his wife Gena, who received this year’s Governor’s Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award.

“We’ve been joking about the last couple of days that our organization is in the same group as Chuck Norris,” Troy said.

At first, Troy said he didn’t believe the person who called to say Hookset won an award from the governor’s office.

“He was like, ‘Hey, I’m from the governor’s office; you’ve been nominated for the volunteer of the year award,’ and I was like, ‘Who is this?’” Troy said. “I don’t have time for this; like who is this? We’re excited that this could lead to more awareness of what we’re doing (and) what the outdoors could do for combat veterans everywhere.”

According to a recent report, about 7,057 service members have died during military operations since 9/11, while 30,177 active-duty personnel and veterans serving in those conflicts have committed suicide.

Montoya and Troy have lived in Bullard for about 10 years and were stationed at Fort Hood for eight to 10 years before coming to East Texas. Troy was injured in Iraq and medically retired at age 31, while Montoya was injured in Afghanistan and retired at 35.

“We were looking for something in life to find what our purpose was after the military. Going forward from there, we just started taking guys fishing. We were mowing grass, painting boathouses — just odds and ends to pay for our boat gas,” Troy said. “One thing led to another, and we’ve become a 501(c)(3), and now we take them hunting and fishing.”

As a 100%-volunteer group, Hookset Brothers support about 100 combat veterans and their families annually.

Troy said he, Montoya and their other partner, Kody Corrin, view their Veteran Affairs payments as “the government’s way of paying (them) to take care of soldiers just in a different uniform.”

Troy said going out in the outdoors to clear and ease his mind showed him fishing and hunting trips could help other combat veterans.

“I’ve gone through years and years of counseling, and I’ve been prescribed the cocktail of medications. There’s nothing more therapeutic than being on the lake and the wide-open fresh air, the wind,” he said. “My thoughts are just able to go away. The greatest thing happens when you go in the hunting blind or you’re there in the dark and the sun rises up, and you get to see God’s beauty waking up.”

Hookset Brothers introduce people to hunting and the trips allow the veteran to take control of their own recovery.

“We don’t want them to focus on the struggles anymore. We want them to focus on fishing and hunting being their new lifestyle,” he said.

Troy explained when a person harvests their first animal, they’re nervous and excited with their adrenaline pumping.

But when they complete the task, they feel they’ve accomplished something and are able to show their family what they can do.

“Every time they’re able to provide that meal to their family, it’s ‘I did this,’” Troy said. “That’s where we feel like we’ve made the most impact because we’re teaching them something, and then they can go and teach their own kids something. We’re giving them a new way of life.”

Hookset Brothers also take Gold Star families on hunting and fishing excursions while serving as male role models for the youth. The nonprofit raises funds for funerals of fallen servicemen and women and hosts holiday celebrations for military families.

Several military spouses reach out to Hookset Brothers to take their significant other hunting or fishing. Troy said veterans don’t like reaching out for help because they don’t want to feel broken.

“We’ve shown up to people’s work without them knowing who we were. Literally, their spouse has already gotten them their three days off, packed their bags and we’re literally picking them up at that moment,” he said.

Troy added organizations like Hookset are picking up the slack left by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Hookset and other groups can’t help Texas veterans without the support of fellow Texans, Troy said.

“If this award reaches a family that knows of a hero that needs help, that’s the ultimate goal. We’ve always said everybody knows a veteran that needs help or that may need help in the future,” he said.

For more information about the nonprofit, visit the website at hooksetbrothers.org, where people can make donations.

Hookset and other honorees will be recognized at an online awards ceremony hosted by the Governor’s Volunteer Awards Honorary Chair Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott.

“Texans truly are generous by nature,” Abbott said. “I am so inspired by the generosity and selfless dedication demonstrated by volunteers across this great state over this past year. Now more than ever, we need to embrace our communities, and I am thrilled to recognize this year’s 11 outstanding awardees for leading the way.”