KING SALMON, Alaska -- Timothy Ragina, assigned to Fort Richardson's 23rd Engineer Company, fishes on the Naknek River Aug. 8. Ragina and his daughter, Lauren, participated in the first Bristol Bay American Heroes Fishing Derby Aug. 6-10. The derby allowed 11 Soldiers to take one of their children on a four-day fishing trip to King Salmon. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross)
KING SALMON, Alaska -- Justin Bloomer helps net his son's fish Aug. 8. Bloomer, assigned to Fort Richardson's Alpha Company Warrior Transition Battalion-Alaska, and his son, Jalynn, participated in the first Bristol Bay American Heroes Fishing Derby Aug. 6-10. The derby allowed 11 Soldiers to take one of their children on a four day fishing trip to King Salmon. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross)
KING SALMON, Alaska -- Chad Barnes, assigned to Fort Richardson's Alpha Company Warrior Transition Battalion-Alaska, and his son, Evan, fish on the Naknek River Aug. 8. The Barnes participated in the first Bristol Bay American Heroes Fishing Derby Aug. 6-10. The derby allowed 11 Soldiers to take one of their children on a four-day fishing trip to King Salmon. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross)
KING SALMON, Alaska -- David Santos, assigned to Fort Richardson's NCO academy, drops fish into the cooler his daughter, Jasmine, is holding open. The Santos' participated in the first Bristol Bay American Heroes Fishing Derby Aug. 6-10. The derby allowed 11 Soldiers to take one of their children on a four-day fishing trip to King Salmon. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross)
KING SALMON, Alaska -- Stephen Marshall fishes on the Naknek River Aug. 8. Stephen and his father, Vincent Marshall, assigned to Fort Richardson's 4th Quartermaster Detachment Airborne, participated in the first Bristol Bay American Heroes Fishing Derby Aug. 6-10. The derby allowed 11 Soldiers to take one of their children on a four-day fishing trip to King Salmon. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross)
KING SALMON, Alaska -- A brown bear walks along the water Aug. 8. Participants from the first Bristol Bay American Heroes Fishing Derby were able to do some sightseeing the first day. The derby allowed 11 Fort Richardson Soldiers to take one of their children on a four-day fishing trip to King Salmon. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross)
by Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross
3rd Wing Public Affairs
8/13/2009 - KING SALMON, Alaska -- Eleven Fort Richardson Soldiers and 11 of their children took part in the first Bristol Bay American Heroes Fishing Derby here Aug. 6-10.
The Soldiers and their children spent four days in King Salmon getting the opportunities to go sightseeing for bear and spending the days out on the water fishing for silver salmon. Each Soldier and their child were provided a guide and boat. Many people from King Salmon's community donated their boats and time for this event.
Susan DeDionisio, Fort Richardson's Morale, Welfare and Recreation partner specialist, coordinated the trip with King Salmon's Bristol Bay Elks Lodge 2687 to make this trip happen. The goal of the trip was to give time back to the Soldiers and their children, and allow them bond with each other.
"I have listened to the kids through the years about their families being deployed, and getting that quality time like we use to have with our parents, well you just don't see it as much," said Ms. DeDionisio.
Ms. DeDionisio said she's honored to have planned the trip for the Soldiers and their children.
"I can't even put it into words of how much of an amazing experience this is," she said. "The children said that they were just so pleased, they were thinking of when they could come back."
Stephen Marshall was one of the children who got to go on the trip. "It was pretty good," he said. Stephen is the son of Vincent Marshall, is a sergeant assigned to the 4th Quartermaster Detachment Airborne.
Besides fishing, the Soldiers and their children played games, attended award ceremonies for the three biggest fish, ate a pizza dinner and had barbequed on the final day.
"We had a lot of fun together and a little completion going on," said Kendall Ruebush, who took his son, Devin, along on the trip. Ruebush is a master sergeant assigned to the 59th Signal Battalion.
Nearly everyone in the King Salmon and Naknek communities contributed to this event.
"We had an overwhelming number of support from the community. It's just one thing this small town is very passionate about, and that's supporting our troops," said Mike Laufenburger, the leading knight for King Salmon's Elk organization. "Everyone jumped on board enthusiastically and we ended up with a pretty good turn out."
Mr. Laufenburger said that he and the community look forward to doing this trip again next year.
Ms. DeDionisio agreed and said she hopes to double the participants next year. She said that it won't get much larger than that because of safety being a main concern. She also said that another reason she doesn't want it to get much bigger is because she wants to keep a lot of the one-on-one time between the service members, their children and their guides.
All in all Soldiers and their children seemed to enjoy their time together.
"It was rewarding for everyone," said Ms. DeDionisio.
