Soldiers look to ATV rides to beat stress of returning

Soldiers look to ATV rides to beat stress of returning

By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Last week, they used the same type of four-wheeled motorcycles to blow off steam after returning home.

Hohenfels Outdoor Recreation recently purchased 20 ATVs, helmets, body protection, gloves and goggles with a $150,000 seed grant to set up a riding program at the sprawling training facility in southern Germany, said Outdoor Recreation ATV instructor Brian Witty.

The daylong safety course and trail ride is part of Warrior Adventure Quest — a program that aims to help soldiers beat post-deployment stress through adventure sports.

One of the Company B soldiers riding an ATV last week was Pfc. Christopher Gist, 20, of Union, S.C. Gist said he and his buddies just returned from Forward Operating Base Baylough, a platoon-size outpost high in the mountains of Zabul province, Afghanistan.
read more here
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=65836