The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Patuxent Research Refuge in Maryland serves as more than the only national wildlife refuge our nation has charged with supporting wildlife research. On June 12, 2008, the refuge hosted an outdoor field trip for soldiers receiving medical treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and Fort George C. Meade in Maryland.

Service headquarters staff from the Division of Visitor Services and Communications and the Branch of Equal Opportunity and Diversity joined the Patuxent Research Refuge staff in arranging and supporting the event. They planned a special day at the refuge for soldiers and their families, offering a tram tour, a tour of the visitor center and fishing at the accessible Cash Lake fishing pier. Approximately 35 wounded veterans attended. The Friends of Patuxent, which gives generous support to the refuge’s programs, hosted lunch courtesy of a local Chick-Fil-A restaurant.

Though the hospitals plan many events for their soldiers, few of the events take place outdoors. When Service personnel first proposed the trip to staff at Walter Reed, the answer was a resounding “Yes.”

“Military personnel undergoing lengthy treatment programs deserve something special like this,” said Kevin Kilcullen, branch chief for Visitor Services in Region 9. “We are extremely pleased that a trip like this could be organized with the assistance of Walter Reed staff and hosted by the refuge.”

The event was an absolute success. It made an impact on the soldiers, many of whom expressed interest in returning to the refuge with their families. Other soldiers articulated appreciation for the event’s diversion from the difficult rehabilitation process and the stressful adjustments of coming back from the war.

The event was so popular that refuge staff mentioned the possibility of hosting another occasion in the fall. In a broader objective, event organizers hope to inspire other refuges across the country to contact nearby military medical centers to organize similar events.

“We want to encourage connections in other regions so that more military personnel can learn more about the Fish and Wildlife Service and participate in our outdoor programs,” said Carolyn McGuire, diversity manager, of the Service’s Branch of Equal Opportunity and Diversity.

For more information about contacting medical centers in other regions or hosting similar events, please contact Carolyn McGuire, Diversity Manager, Branch of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (703) 358-2567; Carolyn-McGuire@fws.gov.