>CTextH &RPhotos
IS KASSAR
John Jinishian, a guide with Wild River Guides, rows the boat while Dan Wiwczar, a veteran of the
Army National Guard who deployed to Afghanistan in 2008, takes in the scenery.
A mission to find
peace while fly
fishing the Alaska
wilderness
AGAINST A C OBALT
SK Y, P U F F Y
PEWTER CLOUDS WALTZ WITH THE
SUN. Below, Bradley Noone stands
knee-deep in a quiet pool of emerald
water. Back and forth. Back and forth.
Patiently and with focus, he rhythmi-
cally cuts the air with a neon yellow
line until finally bringing it to rest gen-
tly on the water. Slowly, he strips the
line and moves the fuzzy olive and
white Dalai Lama through the water.
Time passes; out here how long is
of little concern. He thinks one last
cast, and then, a splash at the sur-
face, and weight on his line. He looks
around, but nobody is nearby to help.
Without hesitation, he returns confi-
dently to the battle at hand and reels
the speckled char closer, bringing
the fish to hand as if hes done this
a thousand times instead of one. He
grabs the blade dangling from his belt,
looks the squirming fish in the eye
and breaks the long peaceful silence
of the last few hours with a simple, but
surprising mantra, Thank you. Thank
you. Thank you.
42
FLAGS
FLY FISHERMAN
i n t h e Wi l d e r n e s s
Culture of Gratitude
Noone, an Army veteran who served
in Afghanistan, has seen his share of
violence in his 28 years, but clearly, he
has not become desensitized to death.
I thanked him without even thinking
about it because we were gonna eat
him, he says. That moment meant
something and I wanted to acknowl-
edge the weight, the meaning in his
sacrifice just to help us.
This type of gratitudefor sac-
rifice, freedom, adventure, team
permeated each moment of our
unforgettable week-long, LRRP-style
mission with Veterans Expeditions in
Alaskas Togiak Wilderness. Modeled
after the militarys Long Range Recon-
naissance Patrol (LRRP pronounced
LURP), this small, nimble group of
military veteranssome recently re-
turned from Iraq and Afghanistan,
some still healing from battles fought
decades agofloated and rowed more
than 35 river and lake miles in small
inflatable canoes to explore isolated
nooks, crannies, and tributaries of the
Togiak Lake and river system. Relying
on the leadership of Mark Rutherford,
who has been guiding Alaska rivers
for 35 years, we experienced an intact
ecosystem boasting fish and wildlife
populations largely undiminished by
human influence.
I had to find the right team to do
this kind of exploratory trip on un-
charted terrain with so many un-
knowns, says Rutherford, owner and
guide extraordinaire at Wild River
Guides, who met Nick Watson, a for-
mer sergeant in the Army Rangers and
the executive director of Veterans Ex-
peditions (VetEx), last year on a more
typical raft-based trip for veterans and
disabled athletes.
Immediately, they started hatch-
ing plans for a more adventurous
journeyone with seldom traveled
and rarely fished territory that even
flyfisherman.com 43

Rutherford hadnt explored. Anglers
come to Bristol Bay from all over the
world to experience f ly fishing in
tent camps and four-star lodges, but
I wanted to go considerably farther
afield with VetEx, so were exploring
a relatively unknown fishery and an-
swering some questions about it.
To mitigate the potential hazards
of choosing a route with almost no
beta, Watson and Rutherford agreed
that a LRRP-style missionbased
around the military practice of send-
ing a skilled envoy ahead to assess the
risks and report backwould be saf-
est and most rewarding for a group
accustomed to moving through tricky
terrain in this manner.
We didnt even know if this riv-
er was passable, so we had to scout
44 FLY FISHERMAN
Bradley Noone, an Army
veteran who served in
Afghanistan, takes a break
on the shores of a remote
Alaskan lake.
it, Watson explains. This type of trip others turn to substance abuse and vi-
where we get dropped off at one spot,
get picked up at another, and just have
to figure out the rest, exemplifies the
true nature of journeying through the
backcountry. Adventuring with our
brothers in the Alaska bush helps us
tap into the things we loved about
service without having to endure the
things we didnt.
In 2010, inspired by his own experi-
ence with the healing power of nature,
Watson cofounded VetEx, a Colorado-
based nonprofit that uses veteran-led
backcountry challenges to empower
veterans and ease reintegration.
Vets often speak about serving in
faraway places, but they all signed on
to defend our homeland, says Wat-
son. By getting veterans out on the
Former Army Rang-
er and cofounder of
VetEx Nick Watson
knows fly fishing is a
mental and spiritual
release.
land defended, we help them forge
bonds with each other and the public
lands they fought to protect.
Since its inception, VetEx has
served more than 1,100 veterans on
100 trips that run the gamut from day-
long snowshoe hikes, to multi-day riv-
er trips, to Mt. Rainier and Mt. Denali
climbs. I learned so much in the mili-
tary, but I struggled transitioning from
that fast-paced life to the slow pace
of civilian life, Watson says. Time in
the outdoors fed my need for adren-
aline, challenge, and freedom while
also providing me with space to heal,
breathe, and recover. I knew there
would be power in sharing that.
Veterans often struggle upon re-
turning home; depression, drug use,
incarceration, and homelessness
plague many of them. Over 22 veter-
ans a day commit suicide, and many
creasing. Add to that the fact that only
olence to cope with the overwhelm-
ing difficulties faced after service.
Through programs like this one, some
are finding a different way.
Making the transition into civil-
ian life was the hardest thing Ive ever
done . . . harder than anything I did
in the service, says Noone, who can-
didly admits that like so many of his
comrades, he chose a path toward self-
destruction after returning from Kan-
dahar. I didnt know how to handle
readjusting, or the trauma of what I ex-
perienced overseas. I tried to drink it
all away, but it just made things worse.
With the help of family and friends,
Noone started the long journey to-
ward getting his head right. Along veterans reconnect with the land de-
the way, he met Watson in New Hamp-
shire at an ice-climbing event, where a
panic attack almost sent him packing.
I was in a bad place, says Noone,
who suffers from service-related an-
kle and back injuries, hearing loss,
tinnitus, traumatic brain injury (TBI),
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
and depression. Im glad I pushed
through. I was looking for something.
I didnt know what, but I needed a
healthy coping mechanism, and VetEx
helped me find that. Ive got my drink-
ing under control, and my life back
together, largely because of support
from these guys.
Beyond the River
Shell shock, battle fatigue, soldiers
heart, combat stressthe psychologi-
cal wounds of war are nothing new. In
fact, they probably date back to the be-
ginning of warfare itself. What is new,
however, is the astounding numbers of
FLAGS in the Wilderness
men and women who have returned
home and are still struggling to heal in-
visible scars as well as physical injuries.
This fact moved Rutherford to ac-
tion. When Iraq and Afghanistan vets
started coming back, I realized that
a bunch of outdoorsmen were com-
ing back wounded and wondering if
theyd ever get to their bucket list, he
says. I thought, if an Alaskan voyage
is on their bucket list, couldnt I help
these folks whove given so much? I
saw it as a potentially healing experi-
ence, but also as a way to simply help
reconnect an outdoorsmans soul to
the outdoors.
During the last decade, the U.S. de-
ployed 2.6 million service members
overseas. At least 1 million veterans
have returned injured, and statistics
show that the frequency of diagno-
ses in mental health conditions is in-
35 percent (on the high end) of ser-
vice members displaying symptoms
of PTSD actually seek military med-
ical treatment, and we have a poten-
tial epidemic on our hands. With this
unprecedented influx of veterans, con-
ventional systems in place cannot help
all those to whom we owe so much.
Instead of getting overwhelmed at
the negative trends, VetEx works to
buck them. We get a lot of training
for what to do while in the military,
but we dont really get any training on
what to do with all those experiences
once were home, explains Watson.
Thats where VetEx comes in. Were
shedding light on the issue, helping
fended, and giving them a place to
build community so they can deal
with some of the challenges they cur-
rently face.
Since veterans typically avoid seek-
ing help for PTSD or depression,
innovative methods to assist with re-
integration are necessary. Research
has shown that outdoor recreation can
help people deal with psychological
and social challenges. Studies are un-
derway to catalog the benefits of out-
door recreation for war veterans, but
the anecdotal results are impressive.
Regardless of the data, its obvi-
ous from our time on the river that
campfire therapy clearly works.
Throughout the week, we work to-
gether toward a common mission and
we stand side by side for hours try-
ing to catch fish on a fly. No one asks
direct questions. No one rings a bell
and says, Let the therapy begin. It
just slowly doesorganically and sim-
Fly-fishing guide Capt.
John Jinishian with a
northern pike from a
Togiak River system side
channel.
plyas we cast, paddle, set up camp,
joke, and drop our jaws in wonder at
natures gifts. one to turn to when they feel alone.
I want to see my country. I fought
for it and I want to experience it ful-
ly, especially the wild places . . . and
it doesnt get much more wild than
this, Noone says, sweeping his arm
around at the vast, rugged environ-
ment that envelopes us. Being in the
wilderness is the thing that helps calm
me down and gets my head right. This
is the only place I can really get per-
spective.
When the conversation does turn to
war or struggles, rarely does anyone
offer specific advice. They just listen,
offer encouragement, or share an ex-
perience that might help. Just being ish and a splash. Seven of us huddle
there with them is often enough.
Other veterans understand what the highlights of the past few days.
youre going through, so you can
share things in a way you cant with
others, says Noone. This landscape
is stunning, but its not always easy grizzlyclearly as startled as we
being out here. Something special
happens when you share all of that
adversity and beauty with others
who have also fought for this coun-
try. That companionship and cohe-
sion comes right back.
Watson knows the impact of these
trips is immeasurable, but he isnt
content with lifting up his brothers
and sisters in arms for only a week.
I see this happen on every trip. Vet-
erans get together and form a high-
functioning team that can achieve
any goal. But, more importantly
they also form bonds that last well
beyond the river we float or moun-
tain we climb, he says, citing count-
less examples of veterans who stay
in touch.They go climbing or fishing
together without me, without VetEx.
They call each other in times of need.
They know they always have some-
This is our greatest success: building
a strong community that continues to
support veterans long after weve re-
turned home from an expedition.
Return Home
Its still bright out at 11 P.M. at the
end of our tripa fact none of us can
get over yet. Weve made camp on yet
another magical beach exploding with
magenta fireweed, and tracks herald-
ing the presence of wolves, bears, and
moose. Spawning sockeye turn the
water red and every once in a while,
one breaks the surface with a flour-
around a modest campfire, reliving
And then, amid our laughing Nick
shouts, Bear! Just 100 feet and a
short creek crossing away, a blonde
areteeters on the forest edge. Be-
fore anyone can even grab a camera,
he disappears like a whisper on the
wind. We had all but given up hope
on seeing a bear, but nature gives us
one final gift before we greet the re-
turn to reality.
Chris Kassar wrote this story in loving
memory of Nick Watsons father Rich-
ard (Dec 26, 1948-July 20, 2014), a
Vietnam veteran who caught more fish
than anyone on VetExs inaugural 2013
journey to the Togiak with Mark Ruth-
erford and Wild River Guides. Richard
Watson cherished the chance to spend
time in the Alaskan wild with his son,
whose work and integrity made him so
incredibly proud, and he frequently car-
ried a photo album of the adventure.
flyfisherman.com 45