Inspiring Team Effort Gets Montana Vietnam Vet a Track Wheelchair

The Vietnam War. Agent Orange. So at the forefront of American society during what seems like ancient history now.

Yet, there are many American veterans still with us who lived it in the 1960s and 1970s. That includes Hans Zaglauer, who, like so many Montanans, cherishes our state's hunting opportunities. And thanks to the Montana Bowhunters Association and other organizations, Hans is "on track" to resume that lifestyle.

The Montana Bowhunters Association recently collaborated with VFW Post 4042 in Bigfork, the Veterans’ Coalition of Northwest Montana and MonTECH to purchase a wheelchair with tracks for Hans, a disabled veteran, who suffers from nerve damage caused by Agent Orange, a chemical herbicide and defoliant, used by the U.S. military as part of its Vietnam-era herbicidal warfare program. He was also shot in each shoulder, and was finally to the point where walking or even standing were no longer options.

Though Hans is no longer a bowhunter, he still enjoys rifle hunting and spending time in the outdoors with his grandchildren, all of which can be much more difficult in a standard wheelchair. A Montana Bowhunters Association effort did not end in a "Permit to Modify Archery Equipment." Hans seems pretty okay with that.

While we did not ask, and it is certainly not the point, a quick internet check suggests the purchase price for a track wheelchair model similar to the one Hans is sitting in is a sizeable investment.

Bighearted, caring people who honor and respect our veterans made it happen. Congratulations and God bless all the individuals and organizations involved.