Hook, line and sinker DCMA employee combines love of fishing with patriotism

Courtesy Photo | Boats line the shore during the 3rd annual Take a Warrior Fishing event. More than 30 boats were used to provide 60 soldiers an opportunity to enjoy a day of fun on the water.  

SEATTLE, WA, UNITED STATES

11.16.2011

Story by Matthew Montgomery 

Defense Contract Management Agency

SEATTLE - For Mark Jones, Defense Contract Management Agency Boeing Seattle administrative contracting officer, supporting the warfighter doesn’t stop when he leaves work. As vice president of a bass club, he has found a unique way to incorporate his love for fishing and his devotion to country.

“I mentioned the idea of taking wounded warriors out fishing when I became vice president of the club about three years ago,” said Jones. “The response was unbelievable – everyone was extremely supportive.”

Mark’s vision resulted in the Take a Warrior Fishing event conducted by the Evergreen Bass Club. The club is a non-profit organization with the purpose of sharing good times on the water, promoting the sport of bass fishing and enjoying competition through tournament activities.

Jones has been a member for more than five years and his wife and father-in-law, a retired Army officer, are both tournament directors for the club.

“My wife and I have always been supportive of our troops,” said Jones. “This was an opportunity we thought everyone would enjoy and so far it has been very successful.”

Jones said his original idea has grown considerably in a short period of time. This year the tournament included 30 boats, 60 soldiers, T-shirts, five hours of fishing, and a barbecue meal at the end of the day.

“Each year we have grown a little more,” said Jones. “This year we joined forces with the Cast For Kids Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on taking disabled children out fishing. It ended up being a great experience for both the children and our military personnel.”

As the program has grown, the club has opened it up to include veterans returning from deployments. Jones said it has provided a unique opportunity for service members to reconnect with their families after being oversees.

“We’re already planning for a bigger event next year,” said Jones. “We have plans for a trout pond, games setup for the kids and a number of additional activities to make the event even more family friendly.”

Jones said working with soldiers during the fishing tournament has given him a better appreciation for the importance of his work for DCMA. He started working for the agency through the Keystone Program 10 years ago and currently oversees the Foreign Military Sales for the Airborne Warning and Control System program.

DCMA Boeing Seattle actively supports the Wounded Warrior Program. The purpose of the program is to provide recovering soldiers the opportunity to maximize independence. This is accomplished through learning, developing, restoring, and maintaining abilities related to both life and work skills. In addition to DCMA, the Warrior Transition Battalion, located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, currently has partnerships with various federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations and educational institutions which support the program.

• Date Taken: 11.16.2011
• Date Posted: 11.16.2011 12:50
• Story ID: 80112
• Location: SEATTLE, WA, US