Armed Service Personnel and Fishing

[Mud-Dabber]

What a lucky and blessed person I am, I have been accompanied by different Dyess Air Force personnel and their children for the last several days on early morning fishing trips over this long Memorial Day Weekend. Sand bass were very cooperative and the crappie are finicky, but can be caught.

I cannot emphasize enough how important and what a blessing it is, to take the armed forces personnel especially those returning from Iraq and other strongholds of the terroist. Having served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam, I relate to the horror that wars of any shape or fashion bring to the armed forces personnel and their families. I was fortunate enough to take fathers and sons and fathers and daughters out since last Friday and what a thrill it was for the families recovering from separation. These Dads have been deployed multiple times and this was just a little reward for them and their kiddos. The excitement for the Dads and their youngsters with cooperative sand bass is a tremendous experience.

I would encourage anyone to contact any armed forces branch in or close to their living location and take these veterans and their children fishing. I am just an average fisherman, fortunate to have a boat and the rewards from taking these veterans is immense. I might add, that it doesn't have to be just when there is a Memorial Day Holiday, they would appreciate it, ANYTIME.

Sand bass were smashing topwaters and rattlin spots early before the pleasure craft took over. Crappie preferred pink/black/pink and white/chart/white with chartruce crappie nibblets added for the Dad and his son/daughter.

Regards and Remember that Serviceman and his Family,
Mud-Dabber

[Slipped Cork]

Way to go Mud-Dabber! Im sitting here thinking about the present and past fighting one's before me.I was thinking about jesse.His son was King David and in his younger year's he fought a giant named goliath.Everyone was scared of the giant but not David.He knew God was on his side and did not hesitate to lose his life.For the one's who dont know david,he killed him with a stone threw to the forehead.The war's fought through time have been brutal and hard on them and their familie's.The war's fought in the past,present and the future were and will be fought with the same Valor as King David.The good ole USA will fight any and all who threaten us just as David did.To the Veteran's who served in war or not my congrulation's are for you and Im behind you 100%.Thank you very much for laying your life on the line as David did.Because of you all can enjoy the freedom we enjoy.I had a selection of Church'es I could have attended this morning,because of all Veteran's I went to the one I wanted to.Again thank you.

[skiptomylu]

Really nice of you to do that and I want to look into that also. I contacted the guys with Project Healing Waters to see if there are any wounded soldiers around me that are close enough for me to take them fishing or teach how to tie jigs and flies, but none yet.

If anyone wants to contact them here is a link to their web site. The idea is to help the guys and gals that have lost limbs and or some of the use of their hands , legs or what ever and get them to learn tying and fishing to help rehab them.

I contacted them in November and the responded back, but no one close enough for me to get with yet.

Ron I be there may be some near you since you are out in West Texas?

I know how much I appreciate everyone that has helped my son since his injury and it has made a difference. He has been deer hunting, to concerts like Tim Mc Graw and Jason Aldean not long ago. He has also had some nice weekend get aways given to him and his family. Very nice for people to do that.

Skip
http://projecthealingwaters.org/

[Mud-Dabber]

Skip
I and others sure appreciate the sacrifices of armed forces personnel like your son. Often forgotten are the families of those servicemen and servicewoman and the sacrifices those families are making. I visited with a wife of one of the people I took and she said that their son entered high school and the Dad was deployed for 15 months and came home when the boy was a sophmore, then was deployed again for another 15 months and the boy was senior. It is very important for these sons and daughters to have both parents at home as much as possible in those high school years.

What a pleasure it is to enjoy a fishing trip, no matter how successful with these serviceman and woman and the enjoyment of a family atmosphere. I put my rod down and just took sand bass off for the Dad and kiddos. A good thing I tie my own jigs, cause they certainly can lose alot of jigs. haha

Thank heaven for the sand bass and their ability to cooperate as I am definetly not close to being a guide.

Mud

[father of 4]

Way to go Mud people like you make this world a better place. By the way when you go out to Dyess and see the Airplane Park, remember me. I poured most all them danged sidewalks while I was stationed at Dyess hehe.

[catman]

good work mud-dabber.

[Jignjim]

Thank you Mud Dabber and thank you Slipped cork. I think both of you speak for all of us here.

[Fishawk]

I Salute you MD for what you have done. I spent 2 years on Dyess back in the 60s.

[tritonman]

Muddabber, being a 26 year and going veteran myself, I would like to say thank you to you and all of you who realize the sacrifices of the armed forces. I am one of the lucky ones who is back in one piece.

[lag]

MD - what you are doing is really great. I appreciate what you do. Skip, I noticed the little purple ribbon on your sig the first time I got on the site. In my unit we called that the 'You forgot to duck' medal. My team sgt told me the only way I would ever get a head wound was if they shot me in the..... Well you know how old sgts are. Through the grace of God and good luck I never got dinged. Maybe he was right and I did have my head up my ....

Seriously, I read a lot of military history and have become somewhat of a minor student. I read once that of all the medals that we present, that is the only one that really counts. I wholeheartedly agree. We should do everything we can for anyone wounded while serving our country and protecting our freedom. God bless all our veterans, but especially those who bled. We owe them everything.