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Todd in NY

Todd in NY
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Todd in NY

Todd in NY

Posted
Posted

I'm posting this with Chad's permission. Thank you Chad!

 

There is a fairly new and legitimate  veteran organization called OATH, Inc, which stands for Outdoor Association for True Heroes. It is free to join, and there are no membership dues. Membership is open to all veterans and active duty/reserve/NG military members.

 

OATH, Inc is a not for profit 501c3 organization that offers free hunting and fishing trips to it members, as well as other outdoors activities. These trips are donated to OATH, Inc by various charter captains, as well as fishing & hunting guide services.

 

Two of our members went on a fully funded moose hunt last year in Maine. All our members had to provide was their own transportation to the hunting lodge. Once there, all food and lodging was paid for. Both members each shot a moose, and the meat processing was provided for free as well.

 

There are deer hunts, maybe another moose hunt, and fishing trips planned for this year, as well as turkey hunts in May.

 

There is an application that must be filled out and sent to the NY OATH, Inc general manager Gary Romig. I will post his information below. There's no reason to not join OATH, Inc. It costs you nothing, and it can bring outdoor adventures to you that you might not be able to do on your own.

 

OATH, Inc web site

http://www.oathinc.org

 

OATH, Inc NY

http://www.oathinc.org/newyork/

 

The application link (it is a little lengthy, but you can blame it on all the stolen valor out there)

http://www.oathinc.org/ap/

 

Gary Romig

[email protected]

Or [email protected]

315-408-7351 (cell)

 

On Face book

https://m.facebook.com/oathnewyork/

  • Like 1
Todd in NY

Todd in NY

Posted
  • Author
Posted
26 minutes ago, NymphO said:

Awesome stuff. True hero's deserve more than what most business are willing to give. Kudos to OATH, keep up the good work ! I'm no charter, and can't guarantee any fish, but I'd take any vet out anytime!

Sent from my XT1650 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
 

 

Thanks, and I would do the same. I told Gary I would be willing to take vets out fishing on my boat.

Xxx

Xxx

Posted
Posted

We owe these guys for our freedom!! I’m very excited to hear of such a organization, to give these guys a chance to get out there!! This could be a life changing experience for some guys that are having trouble relating to the civilian lifestyle. My family was military, my dad was a Korean War Vet. All my uncles served. I couldn’t make it, because my hearing is bad, when I was a toddler I fell down my grandparents cellar steps and was KOed, as a result my hearing was bad ever since. I failed the hearing test for the Marines, we both were sad it didn’t work out!! My uncles and myself became friends with a guy from home who was in the service, a Vietnam Vet who struggles with society to this day, goes to the V.A. Every Thursday, we took him on his very first fishing trip 10+ years ago, he loved every minute of it. To this day my uncle David and Butch put a trailer over on the paper mill property right on the Oswegotchi river and Butch loves it there. So this is a true blue life changing experience for him, and now he’s part of our family, he told us no one ever gave him a chance to try something other than work, to keep his mind occupied. So I firmly believe in these organizations to prove to these guys there’s things out there that they might enjoy!!!

  • Like 1
Firechief48

Firechief48

Posted
Posted

Kudos to this organization and anybody that helps out our vets and military personnel.  Too often today you see the military being frowned upon and degraded. If not for past, present and future military we wouldn't have our freedom. God bless them all. 

  • Like 1
Todd in NY

Todd in NY

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the kind words Pap and Firechief!

 

OATH, Inc wouldn't be the organization it is without the support of the hunting guides and fishing charters who donate trips, and all the other people and organizations who donate time, money, and services. OATH, Inc is extremely grateful to all those who support the veterans, and the veterans are grateful to all those supporters as well. I have fished with veterans who either never fished before, or haven't fished since their dads took them as kids. It can be a truly healing and life changing experience for the veterans, regardless of when then served.

 

OATH, Inc also accepts vets who never saw combat. A vet is a vet, combat or no combat. It's a very unique organization.

stoneam2006

stoneam2006

Posted
Posted

Sounds like a fantastic orginization I have been researching getting my 6 pack licence just to be able to offer up trips for these bennifits and veteran tournaments I see come up. Plan to start the process this winter if all goes as planned. Would like to give back to the vetrans for what they do for us.


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garrymny

garrymny

Posted
Posted
Sounds like a fantastic orginization I have been researching getting my 6 pack licence just to be able to offer up trips for these bennifits and veteran tournaments I see come up. Plan to start the process this winter if all goes as planned. Would like to give back to the vetrans for what they do for us.


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What's a 6 pack?

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Todd in NY

Todd in NY

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, bandrus1 said:

You don't need a 6 pack to take people on your boat free

 

This.

 

I was told that OATH, Inc doesn't require you to be a charter captain to donate a fishing trip. OATH, Inc will still give you a form 501c3 to fill out for the donated fishing trip so that you can claim it on your income taxes, just the same as if you donated to any other 501c3 non-profit organization.

 

Gary Romig is the best point of contact for OATH New York. I guess that makes me the second best POC :thinking:

Edited by Todd in NY
  • Like 2
stoneam2006

stoneam2006

Posted
Posted
 
This.
 
I was told that OATH, Inc doesn't require you to be a charter captain to donate a fishing trip. OATH, Inc will still give you a form 501c3 to fill out for the donated fishing trip so that you can claim it on your income taxes, just the same as if you donated to any other 501c3 non-profit organization.
 
Gary Romig is the best point of contact for OATH New York. I guess that makes me the second best POC :thinking:
Thanks Todd I will reach out. I'd love to be a part of it. Can't guarantee fish but Id sure give it all I got and have a hell of a time doing it.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Lake Ontario United mobile app

sinkorswim

sinkorswim

Posted
Posted
I'm posting this with Chad's permission. Thank you Chad!
 
There is a fairly new and legitimate  veteran organization called OATH, Inc, which stands for Outdoor Association for True Heroes. It is free to join, and there are no membership dues. Membership is open to all veterans and active duty/reserve/NG military members.
 
OATH, Inc is a not for profit 501c3 organization that offers free hunting and fishing trips to it members, as well as other outdoors activities. These trips are donated to OATH, Inc by various charter captains, as well as fishing & hunting guide services.
 
Two of our members went on a fully funded moose hunt last year in Maine. All our members had to provide was their own transportation to the hunting lodge. Once there, all food and lodging was paid for. Both members each shot a moose, and the meat processing was provided for free as well.
 
There are deer hunts, maybe another moose hunt, and fishing trips planned for this year, as well as turkey hunts in May.
 
There is an application that must be filled out and sent to the NY OATH, Inc general manager Gary Romig. I will post his information below. There's no reason to not join OATH, Inc. It costs you nothing, and it can bring outdoor adventures to you that you might not be able to do on your own.
 
OATH, Inc web site
http://www.oathinc.org
 
OATH, Inc NY
http://www.oathinc.org/newyork/
 
The application link (it is a little lengthy, but you can blame it on all the stolen valor out there)
http://www.oathinc.org/ap/
 
Gary Romig
[email protected]
Or [email protected]
315-408-7351 (cell)
 
On Face book
https://m.facebook.com/oathnewyork/
Thank you for posting this. As an active duty Soldier and an avid fisherman on Lake Ontario its good to know there are local organizations out there reaching out to the military with offers of kindness. If I can help let me know. My boat is small, my equipment is cheap and limited and my fishing skills are crap but I can still help out....I think.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Lake Ontario United mobile app

NymphO

NymphO

Posted
Posted

Todd, I've been thinking about this more and more. Obviously we have a great bunch of fisherman on this site, that are more than willing to take a vet out, anyday. Is there something oath would be willing to put together for let's say each major port on the south shore, example..... Pick some dates, get some boats together, take some vets out all at the same time, maybe have a "derby" of sorts where there's also some prizes involved. I know it doesn't have the luster of a moose hunt or even a charter trip, but if there was enough vets looking to fish I think we could get a solid turn out of available boats. I also think it would be cool to have a good pack of boats heading out for the same great cause.

Sent from my XT1650 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

  • Like 1
Xxx

Xxx

Posted
Posted

That would be good idea as far as communication goes also if someone is struggling a phone or radio holler helps a bunch plus makes for a chance to get these guys on fish, not sure how that would be in a derby though:lol:.

NymphO

NymphO

Posted
Posted
That would be good idea as far as communication goes also if someone is struggling a phone or radio holler helps a bunch plus makes for a chance to get these guys on fish, not sure how that would be in a derby though[emoji38].
I hear ya, my thinking was that the Derby would be focusing on the vets, and I think for a second that any of us would lose that overly competitive attitude and lend a hand so we all get on fish. Either way, it's fishing and nothing is guaranteed. There's not a vet out there that's gonna pout for not "winning" and there isn't one of us here that won't try our best to get a jumby flopping on the deck.

Sent from my XT1650 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

  • Like 1
Fishnut

Fishnut

Posted
Posted

Give me a date and I’d be willing to take a vet or 2 fishing for a day. Would be my pleasure.
I’m no charter captain but I’m sure if the fish are willing we could pull a few over the gunnels. I’m in. [emoji14]


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Todd in NY

Todd in NY

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the great ideas and generous offers! I've been at work all day so I'm just getting caught up on the comments and feedback. I'll get with Gary Romig and see what we can put together.

 

We really need to increase our OATH, Inc membership throughout NY State. If you are a veteran, or in the National Guard or Reserves, or you know someone who is, get them linked up with Gary Romig. 

 

As far as an OATH NY fishing derby, it might be best to run it as a summer event, with winners for June, July and August, with separate trout and salmon divisions. At the end of August we could announce an overall "OATH Summer Slam" champion team. The monthly winners and overall winners could get an 8x10 certificate, just to keep it simple the first year.

 

Spreading it out over the summer will allow for OATH members who might be deployed for training or combat operations. It also keeps every boat owner and participant outside a specific "box" and allows for flexibility with weather and work schedules. This might also promote more participation than running a one weekend event. Boat owners would be responsible for weighing and/or measuring fish, and pictures of the fish caught and the OATH member or members who caught it.

 

Just throwing some first initial thoughts out there, and open to ideas.

 

Thanks again, you guys are awesome!

garrymny

garrymny

Posted
Posted

If you put it together, I am also willing to take a veteran fishing on my boat.

Todd in NY

Todd in NY

Posted
  • Author
Posted
5 minutes ago, garrymny said:

If you put it together, I am also willing to take a veteran fishing on my boat.

 

Thank you! I'm sure the list will be much longer as the fishing season gets going.

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