I protect the nation. Without fear. Without fail. Without equal.

These words are etched outside the Major General Robert A. McClure building at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and define the mission of U.S. Army Special Operations Command.

SFC Bryan Sikes (Ret.) was born and raised in Plymouth, Minnesota, in 1985. Wanting to do more, give back, and serve, he enlisted in the Army in 2005. Due to his exceptionally high test scores, Bryan qualified for an 18X enlistment contract. The “18” is the Military Occupational Specialty identifier for the elite Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets.

This highly coveted contract offered him a one-time attempt at the Special Forces Assessment and Selection program. The Special Forces pipeline is a grueling process—up to two years long—that pushes candidates to the breaking point both mentally and physically. The 18X program typically sees completion rates in the single digits, producing only the best, most capable, and elite warfighters on the planet.

Taking these tip-of-the-spear warrior skill sets into action, Bryan deployed to Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism and to South America, where he conducted counternarcotics and anti-human trafficking operations.

On August 20, 2008, while returning to Firebase Anaconda in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, after a 10-hour firefight in which his team sustained casualties, Bryan’s Humvee was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). In Bryan’s words, “It was kind of a rough day.”

The IED consisted of a pressure-plate-detonated, double-stacked TC-6 antitank mine that generated enough force to cut the SOCOM-modified, up-armored Humvee literally in half. Bryan, manning the turret as gunner, absorbed the full blast. By all accounts, the three team members in the vehicle should have been killed, but miraculously they all survived. Experts later concluded that the blast’s overpressure alone should have been unsurvivable.

Refusing to take the easy road out, Bryan transferred to the 7th SFG’s Special Skills Company, where he became the group’s lead sniper instructor, serving in that role for another three years.

Ultimately, his wounds became too severe to overcome while remaining on active duty, forcing medical retirement in 2016. To date, he has endured 11 major surgeries—sometimes two or three at once. He is scheduled for three more at the end of November 2025, including implantation of two additional artificial discs to address the extensive spinal damage. This is a battle he will fight physically and mentally for the rest of his life.

Transitioning from Special Operations to civilian life is incredibly difficult—finding new purpose and meaning is a daily challenge. But Bryan, never one to sit idle or feel sorry for himself, has channeled his passion for long-range shooting into a second career.

He now builds custom rifles for GA Precision, teaches long-range precision-shooting courses to military and law enforcement units nationwide, and recently joined Manners Stocks as a product-development specialist.

Bryan is married to his childhood sweetheart, Sara, whom he has known since seventh grade. They have two beautiful children: Kinsley, 15, and Coltyn, 14. He credits them with making him the man he is today.

Bryan was selected as our wounded-warrior nominee for this year’s hunt, donated by Griz and Ginger Turner of Raven’s Throat Outfitters. The hunt took place in the Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories, Canada, for mountain caribou.

The trip came together when longtime KUIU customer and Conservation Direct donor Jason Radakovich saw a social-media post about last year’s veteran hunts and was inspired to give back to these warriors and the program.

Raven’s Throat Outfitters provided a truly epic, memorable, and—most importantly—healing experience for Bryan, complete with first-class accommodations, incredible staff, and some of the most beautiful country on the planet.

It didn’t take long. In true fashion, Bryan harvested a giant caribou on day one, showcasing his long-range shooting skills by dropping the big bull in its tracks with a perfectly placed shot at 455 yards.

This country’s greatness is built on the foundation of blood spilled through selfless service, courage, and sacrifice of heroes like SFC (Ret.) Bryan Sikes, who answered the call to serve. We owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid.

Our freedom endures because of those fearless warfighters who run toward the sounds of gunfire to take the fight to our nation’s enemies.

KUIU is truly humbled and honored to give back to those who lace up their boots and put on their uniforms every day in service to their communities, states, and country.

In honor of this service and sacrifice, KUIU launched its Veteran and First Responders Nonprofit Partnership Program in 2020. It creates a platform to recognize and support military members, veterans, law enforcement, first responders, and Gold Star families through funding and partnerships with multiple 501(c)(3) organizations.

If you’re interested in donating or becoming a partner to KUIU’s Veteran and Gold Star Family Hunt Program or any of our nonprofit partner organizations, please contact Justin Shaffer at justins@kuiu.com and visit our Veteran Non-Profit Partners page.

KUIU would like to thank the following outfitters, donors and corporate sponsors who make this incredible program possible. Please help by showing your support to these great companies.