EAST WINDSOR: Taking dead aim

Wounder Warrior competitor uses archery as therapy

By Doug Carman, Staff Writer
   EAST WINDSOR — Serving more than 25 years in the Army, Staff Sgt. Peter Torruella had enough training to fire a rifle and pistol. And he said those skills help him in his new pastime.
   The Mount Holly man, who’s a four-year member of the American Legion Post 148 in East Windsor, only started archery in February, but that month he made the Army’s archery team for the Wounded Warrior Games, which will be held May 16 through May 21 in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Army included him in its team roster posted on its Web page, posted later that month.
   He grouped eight of his nine arrows Wednesday morning within the middle of a target the size of a sheet of loose-leaf paper 18 meters — 59.06 feet — away behind the American Legion building. A good round, he thought, but even then, he admitted his amateur knowledge of the game showed as he adjusted the three sights on his bow. The Warrior Games only allow for one, he recently found out.
   ”I never did this before,” Staff Sgt. Torruella had said previously.
   Staff Sgt. Torruella, 47, served two tours of duty in Iraq in 2003 and in 2004 through 2005. Though he didn’t wish to disclose his activities in Iraq during his two tours of duty there, he injured his shoulder and his knee during his duties, blaming it on “a combination of a lot of things (including) wear and tear, and age.”
   Though he said he was never injured by IEDs or any kind of enemy or friendly fire, the injuries are apparent when looking at the way he shoots his bow. Instead of using two fingers, he uses a tool attached to his wrist to pull the bow string. Also, rather than his injured shoulder, he uses his back muscles to compensate as he draws the arrow back. Staff Sgt. Torruella said the archery really helps him with a third, more hidden injury. When he was transferred to Fort Meade, Maryland, in November, a counselor treating him for post-traumatic stress disorder suggested archery as a hobby.
   When he picked up his first bow in February and shot a few times, people were quick to call him a natural. And he was as quick to call it therapy for himself.
   ”This is a great program,” Staff Sgt. Torruella said. “It keeps me focused. I have checks and balances now.”
   He currently spends every other day in the woods behind the American Legions post with his bow and arrows, spending time at target practice.
   Doug Herrin, the Youth Activities director at the American Legion, said they only recently learned of Staff Sgt. Torruella’s newfound sport, but he and fellow American Legion member Louis Devitis quickly set up an archery range for him to help out.
   ”He started talking about it one day,” Mr. Herrin said. “Louie and I were like, yeah, let’s get something up for him.”
   When asked of his opinion on Staff Sgt. Torruella’s archery skills, he looked toward the target board, which was cleaned up by then, and laughed.
   ”You see his shot group! It’s pretty impressive to me,” Mr. Herrin said.