SF Soldiers set to WOW others in tournament

**Dan** · 04-19-2008, 08:58

SF Soldiers set to WOW others in tournament

By Carol Darby
USASOC Public Affairs

Quote:

JORDAN LAKE, N.C. (Sine Pari, April 19, 2008) – For 34 Special Operations Forces personnel their April 18th fishing trip was not just a day out of the office.

These SOF personnel represented a small fraction of the 180 Soldiers, Marines, airmen, and reserve component Soldiers who participated in the third
wow annual Warriors on the Water, or WOW, fishing tournament here. Professional anglers, local citizen boaters and Soldier-fishermen from Fort Bragg brought more than 175 boats here and were paired with a military fisherman or women for a day of fishing and fun.

Just after sunrise the active, guard and reserve military personnel stood in a sea of boats with pro anglers and other fishermen while the Army Special Operation Command’s Chief Warrant Officer 5 Charles King sang the National Anthem.

Growing from an idea to do something special for military personnel returning from the War on Terror, avid bass tournament fishermen and retired Operation Desert Storm veterans Hal Abshire, Greg Lahr and Bob Cunningham brought the idea to reality, according to a WOW media fact sheet. They organized a volunteer committee of business men and women, active duty and retired veterans, and others who plan the many facets of the tournament from year to year.

According to Bunny Powers, Fayetteville, N.C., business woman and WOW Committee member, the first WOW fishing tournament held in May 2006, “was planned in just six weeks and we had 51 boats on the water. It became apparent very quickly that we were going to grow by leaps and bounds.”

In the second year of WOW 152 military personnel were paired with anglers representing FLW Outdoors, Bass Anglers Sportsmen Society and Ranger Boats.

For more information, about the annual WOW fishing tournament to include volunteer support and sponsorship, visit the website at www.warriorsonthewater.com .

--sine pari--

**Dan** · 04-19-2008, 08:59

Boaters line up for the "Blast Off" to begin fishing in the third annual Warriors on the Water fishing tournament, April 18, 2008 at Jordan Lake. (U.S. Army Photo By Geary McSpadden)

**Dan** · 04-19-2008, 08:59

Two of the powers that make the Warriors On The Water fishing tournament a possiblity and success, Hal Abshire (left) and Bob Cunningham emcee the weigh-in and presentations at the third annual event at Jordan Lake, NC April 18. (U.S. Army Photo by Geary McSpadden)

**Dan** · 04-19-2008, 09:02

Tourney lets pro give back to community

By Geary McSpadden
USASOC Public Affairs

Quote:

JORDAN LAKE, N.C. (Sine Pari, April 19, 2008) –– Why would a professional angler who earns his living winning money at pro fishing tournaments, spend three hours prepping his fishing gear, hook-up his top-of-the-line bass boat at 4:30 a.m., and drive 50 miles to a fishing tournament where he cannot win any money, team up with an amateur fisherman and lend his equipment and expertise?

The reason Fayetteville’s own pro angler Marty Stone volunteers to give of himself this way is because of a love affair.

“I’m in love with this community,” said Stone in regards to the Fayetteville-Fort Bragg-Pope Air Force Base community.

Stone was one of more than 20 pro anglers who volunteered to take a military member fishing in the third Warriors on the Water fishing tournament at Jordan Lake April 18.

Stone’s fishing partner this year was Staff Sgt. Shawn Adams, a U. S. Army Special Operations Command Soldier and wounded warrior. It’s also Adam’s second year fishing the WOW tournament.

“It’s a great way to spend the day,” Adams said. “It’s great that these guys are donating their time. I get to learn things and hang out with the pros.”

Adams was wounded in Afghanistan during an ambush in 2005. Although he’s currently working after a two year-recovery and still has surgery scheduled, he works under physical restrictions and walks with the aid of a cane.

Adams is one of 180 military members who participated in this year’s WOW tournament and one of more than 800 USASOC Soldiers who have been wounded since the beginning of the War on Terror.

“I respect the military members a lot for what they do,” Stone said. “If my coming here to fish with them makes them happy, then I’m glad to do it.” This is the second year Stone volunteered to sponsor a Soldier. “I’ll do this every year I can when I’m here during the WOW tournament,” he said.

--sine pari--

**Dan** · 04-19-2008, 09:03

Pro Angler Marty Stone of Fayetteville, NC (left) teams ups with Staff Sgt. Shawn Adams, a USASOC wounded warrior in the third Warriors On The Water fishing tournament at Jordan Lake, NC April 18. (U.S. Army Photo by Geary McSpadden)

**Dan** · 04-19-2008, 09:04

A Durham, NC news crew interviews the team of Pro Angler Marty Stone and USASOC Soldier Staff Sgt. Shawn Adams before they begin fishing in the Warriors On The Water tournament at Jordan Lake, NC April 18. (U.S. Army Photo by Geary McSpadden)