Alaska is truly the Last Frontier, filled with expansive beauty, bountiful wildlife, and boundless adventures. Every year for the past 11 years, our Purple Heart Heroes have traveled to Seward, Alaska to partake in several days of world-class fishing, sightseeing, exploring, and more at WWIA’s Alaska Halibut Fishing event. This is a unique and unforgettable experience for our combat-wounded Veterans. On this latest episode of the WWIA Podcast, WWIA Founder and CEO, John McDaniel, welcomes the Host of this stellar event, Mr. John Moline.

John is the owner of Current Affair Charters and Kenai Fjords Bed and Breakfast in beautiful Seward, Alaska, where he expertly navigates the local waters to give people an elite and memorable fishing experience. John is also a modest but outstanding cook, as he often prepares delicious meals for his guests with some of their fresh catches of the day. He is a proud veteran of the Armed Forces, having served primarily in the U.S. Navy and also in the U.S. Army Reserves. During his time in the service, he worked on electronics, communications, and navigation systems, and developed a love and skillset for fishing the coastal waters of Alaska that soon turned into a fulltime profession that has continued for more than two decades. This is an outstanding episode that we’re excited to share with you.

Takeaways:

• The WWIA podcast highlights the importance of healing and connection for combat-wounded veterans.
• John Moline, a veteran and charter captain, shares his passion for fishing in Alaska.
• The Alaska fishing event provides veterans with unforgettable memories and a sense of camaraderie.
• The podcast emphasizes the role of community support in enriching veterans’ outdoor experiences.
• John Moline discusses the significance of serving veterans and the joy of fishing.
• Listeners learn about the best fish for eating and fishing techniques in Alaska.

We could not accomplish our mission of bringing Honor, Connection, and Healing to America’s combat-wounded Purple Heart Recipients without having such an incredible group of patriotic supporters throughout North America. The generosity and selfless efforts these individuals, communities, and businesses offer in support of WWIA and our Heroes is simply remarkable. Our special guest today on the WWIA Podcast is a shining example of one of the many supporters and friends that we are honored to have as part of our WWIA family. On this latest episode, WWIA Founder and CEO, John McDaniel, proudly welcomes Mr. Trent McCall. Trent is the Co-Host of the Truxton Turkey and Trout Event in Truxton, NY, in collaboration with Co-Hosts Ed and Laurie Poole, and guides Zeb Leach and Josh Streichert.

Their event recently celebrated its 3rd year of honoring and serving Purple Heart Heroes in the historic Finger Lakes region. Trent is a husband to his beautiful wife, Jennifer, and a proud father to his beautiful daughter, Gabrielle. His vocation is a woodworker and manager at One Source Millwork, and he is also the owner of4-LeafCustom Calls, a hobby and side business that he started in 1995, going on 30 years this coming spring. These beautiful turkey calls are designed, hand-crafted and field tested by Trent, and are all made from premium hardwoods. We’re excited to share this wonderful episode with you, so without further ado, let’s join John and Trent now.

Takeaways:

• The WWIA podcast aims to bring honor, connection, and healing to combat-wounded veterans.
• Trent McCall, the guest, shares his journey of supporting Purple Heart heroes through hunting events.
• The importance of community support and teamwork in organizing events for veterans was highlighted.
• Trent emphasizes the emotional impact of providing healing experiences to combat veterans.
• The conversation explores how woodworking and crafting turkey calls became a passion for Trent.
• Trent's experiences reflect the transformative power of nature in helping veterans heal.

4 Leaf Game Calls: https://www.facebook.com/4LeafCalls/

On this latest episode of the WWIA Podcast, WWIA Founder and CEO, John McDaniel, welcomes a longstanding friend and supporter of the Foundation, Mr. Kenny Thompson. Kenny is a part of Mighty Team MO-KAN, an exceptional group of supporters who have been honoring and serving our combat-wounded veterans through two outstanding annual events, the MO-KAN Ducks, Bucks, and Trapping Event, currently in its 15th year, as well as the MO-KAN Catfishing Event, now in its 7th year. Kenny is an avid and seasoned outdoorsman, having hunted and fished since he was a young boy, and has traveled across the globe in pursuit of his bow hunting passion. Kenny is an integral part of the leadership team at Basys, a leader in the payments processing industry and currently serves as Executive Vice President of Partner Relations. We are honored to spend some time with Kenny and hope you enjoy getting to know more about him and his story.

Takeaways:

• The WWIA podcast is dedicated to honoring, connecting, and healing America's combat wounded Purple Heart heroes.
• Kenny Thompson, a longtime supporter, shares stories of his hunting experiences and contributions to the foundation.
• The Mocan event, supported by Kenny, is one of the most requested events by Purple Heart recipients.
• Basis, the company Kenny works for, raised over $10,000 for the Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation.
• Kenny's father has instilled a love for hunting in him, which he now shares with veterans.
• The podcast emphasizes the importance of community support and engagement in helping wounded veterans.
• Kenny's story about hunting a grizzly bear highlights the thrill and challenges of bow hunting.
• The WWIA Foundation provides outdoor experiences to help veterans find healing and connection.