Training day for Folds of Honor donors and special guests

WINK News got an inside look at a special training day for donors and special guests of the Folds of Honor Foundation.

“Overall, the goal is to develop awareness, bring these people into Folds,” said Mike “Boots” Barker, a retired Navy Seal who helps with Folds of Honor.

John Masters owns the Immokalee Range and Gun Club.

“Folds of Honor reached out to the property owner, Michael, and asked if they could hold the event here,” said Masters. “Of course, he said yes. He reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to hold this event, and we got the ball rolling on getting the logistics.'”

On Wednesday, high-ranking veterans of the Navy Seals and other special operations conducted six different training scenarios using simulation and paint rounds, not real ammo.

“They’re starting out on the long-range where they have a .50 cal a, a three-point machine gun, couple other guns to fire,” added Masters. “After that, they rotate to the prison where we have some gun experience to where they get their safety gear put on helmets, face masks, gloves, and they go and get to do some force-on-force training where they actually get to fire some rounds of each other.”

There was also a shotgun station, a rifle range and a 360 range where you get to shoot 360 degrees.

“We’re just getting a little taste of that, like that oh, s*** moment, when you have to actually use a firearm to get yourself out of a tight spot,” said Barker.

Barker helped coordinate the program.

“It’s a simulated experience. If things went south, you’re in a tight spot. How do I get myself and my friends out of this situation,” he added.

Former Florida and Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer was also in attendance.

“Not many people get to talk to these guys and really listen to the deep stories, what they’ve done for our country. And I’ve been a military guy my entire life, my father’s army sister Air Force. So I’ve appreciated the men and women who serve my entire life,” Meyer said.

Since 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded over 52,000 scholarships totaling over $240 million in all 50 states.

John Masters with the Immokalee Range and Gun Club said Folds of Honor has already shown interest in doing another event next year.