JBER service members compete in ASYMCA Combat Fishing Tournament

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Robert Barnett
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  At 4 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20 the sun rose above the mountains as fire trucks lined the streets next to the fishing docks in Seward. Shuttle buses arrived carrying two loads of military troops.

Some had recently returned from a deployment; others would soon be deploying. Their mission today: the annual Armed Services YMCA Combat Fishing Tournament.

Some of the troops were experienced anglers. Some had never fished before.

All were looking forward to the Alaska experience.

"It was a pretty good deal," said Airman 1st Class Austyn Perry, a 703rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron communications, navigations and missions systems apprentice. "I've never done [this] before. It's something I won't be able to do a lot in my lifetime. I felt a sense of accomplishment. I love fish, but I've never had halibut."

Several ships volunteered their services; Perry boarded the Pursuit, captained by Steve Zernia.

"It's a great thing to do," said Zernia, who has been fishing for more than 23 years. "As guys who operate charter vessels, we're nowhere near combat or doing things that Soldiers do, so it's our way to give back a little bit and help them have a good time. We just want to thank them for protecting our country. It's a good time of year to do it, before everybody gets too busy; we can get a lot of boats to participate in the event."

Soon, everyone began reeling hard and filling the boats with fish. The baits themselves, which included heavy weights designed to drop 300-feet-plus down to the ocean floor where halibut feed, pulled enough on the line to sometimes make it difficult to tell if a fish was at the end of it. More often than not, "Fish up!" was shouted after several minutes of reeling. Some of the fish weighed more than 80 pounds.

"It's not just a fishing trip," Zernia said. "There's a lot of stuff to see on the way out to and from fishing. Mountains, glaciers, sea lions, porpoises and occasionally whales, stuff like that."

The captain recommended the annual combat fishing trip, or just charter fishing, to experienced fishers and novices alike.
"I'd do this again," Perry said.

Judging took place during a ceremony that evening, where more than $50,000 was given away in cash and prizes, organized by the Armed Forces YMCA. Awards were given for various fish sizes and even for the person who got the most seasick. Ultimately, everyone who participated received something free.

"Our mission is to make life easier for military members and their families wherever they are," said Buddy Witt, executive director of the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska. "Nine years ago, some of our community partners decided they wanted to do something for the junior military members in Alaska, and they took them on a fishing trip. They got the ASYMCA involved and we took it over.

"We've been doing this as a way for the community in Alaska to say thank you, and also as a way for junior enlisted members to get out and see the land they are defending every day. It's absolutely our pleasure - we couldn't be happier to do it."

"It was awesome - a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Tech. Sgt. Rendinald Tan, 962nd Aircraft Maintenance Unit program manager.
Coordination to make an event of this magnitude takes collaborative effort.

Zernia puts his time and effort into these events because it feels right to him.

"It's a way to say thank you," he said.