Patriot Anglers is a non profit corpo-
ration which takes military servicemembers and their families out on
fishing trips in the majestic waters of
Colorado, but it’s also so much more
than that. It is a community of veterans, active duty servicemembers, and
military family members who share a
passion for giving back to the military
community. People who, through
their own firsthand experience, have
experienced the sense of peace and
well being the outdoors and an
activity like fishing can provide, a
feeling they struggle to find elsewhere.
Here are their stories.
Burt Franklin is a Veteran and an avid fisherman. He has been fishing almost as long as he has been walking, starting out at the age of 3 with his dad, uncles, and grandparents. For Burt’s family, fishing wasn’t just
a relaxing activity, it was a way of life. They supplemented their diet with the fish they caught.
In March of 1967, Burt joined the military. He went through basic training at Ft. Bliss, TX, and after training
at several other forts, was finally sent to Germany with a signal company which was preparing to go into
Vietnam. While in Germany, Burt continued to fish whenever he could find the time. He deployed to
Vietnam as a Communications Lineman, doing the forward com set up ́