WYTHE COUNTY (WSLS 10) - Two Wythe County military veterans have created a new volunteer search and rescue team that will assist police along the Appalachian Trail and other wooded areas across a six county region.
Sonny Wooley and Tom Allen formed the group shortly after an extensive search for Tennessee teen Hayleigh Wilson and her captor Benjamin Shook took crews throughout Wythe County back in July.
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Nearly 50 wounded warriors and other southwest Virginia community members come together to form what they say is the only horseback search and rescue team south of Richmond.
The training is constant as volunteers must get their work horses ready to handle distractions. Volunteers must face unfamiliar approaching objects and difficult terrain.
However, they say that when duty calls it will all be with it.
"There's things you can do on an ATV, sure, but there's much more you can do on the back of a horse. You can pass within 5 yards on an ATV of somebody that's hurt or trying to hide, that a horse will see", says Tom Allen the teams creator and former veteran.
According to the Wythe County Sheriffs office, there have been multiple searches where victims or criminals have testified that an atv passed right by them in the woods.
That's why these animals have their nose to the ground to make sure next time, that doesn't happen. And these riders are certain there will be a next time.
They say its not more a question of when, or why, or what. It's how soon?
That's why even after decades of military service for some, each volunteer is working as hard as ever to be ready. This group is hoping to eventually connect with other search and rescue teams across the region to expand their training.