One Whatcom County veteran is striving to make a difference for veterans across the nation.
Ferndale resident David Libby founded Warrior Service, a nonprofit organization that takes veterans on fishing and hunting trips across the country, in 2014.
After medically retiring from the Army in December of 2013 and spending his entire career — over 20 years — in the military, he was unsure of what to do next.
Libby had always enjoyed hunting and fishing as hobbies, but couldn’t devote much time to them while in the service. After retirement, he decided to take a trip to Wyoming for antelope hunting with a few other veterans.
It turned into a regular trip, and after a few years, the group wanted to branch out and planned a hog hunting trip in Texas.
Over time, more trips were added to the yearly itinerary, including a salmon fishing trip in Whatcom County, which soon snowballed into an entire weekend of fishing and crabbing.
Participation grew. This year boasted a record turnout of 57 veterans and around 400 people attending the weekend-ending celebration lunch, where the seafood caught over the weekend is served.
“We go hunting and fishing, but that isn’t what these guys get out of it,” Libby said. “It’s the camaraderie.”
Libby recalled one veteran who joined a turkey-hunting trip after never having been camping or hunting before. Later, when Libby visited the veteran in Vancouver, Washington, the two stopped at the local Eagles Lodge Aerie, where the bartender asked Libby a question that caught him off-guard.
“What did you do to him?”
The bartender explained that the veteran had stopped drinking, and would instead come in, fresh-faced and with his hair combed, to order a Coke and share the story of how he hunted his first turkey to anyone who would listen.
“When I got out, I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Libby said. “You spend so many years in the military, they really become your second family. Then you get out, and you just don’t have that connection anymore, so this offers that opportunity for guys to get reconnected and learn about different benefits that become available.”
The organization works to remove barriers to participation, ensuring all veterans have a chance to take part.
“Some of them say, ‘Well, I’m in a wheelchair so I can’t go.’ We make it happen. We’ll figure out a way to get them involved in what we do,” Libby said, adding that the organization welcomes any and all veterans.
For the trips that offer a unique experience not available in many parts of the country such as hog hunting or salmon fishing, Warrior Service sets aside about a third of the available spots for veterans from outside the state.
Warrior Service also covers all costs, aside from travel, associated with participating, including fishing licenses, equipment, lodging and food.
The organization is entirely volunteer-run, and relies on community sponsors and raffles to procure funding, all of which goes directly towards helping make these outings possible for veterans.
Warrior Service is currently raffling a boat, with one lucky winner taking home a Marlon boat, a trailer, a motor, a fish finder, a tow package and two fishing rods and reels, donated from various organizations. Tickets are being sold at the American Legion Post 86, 4580 Legion Drive, and North County Services, 240 Birch Bay Lynden Road, Lynden, for $20 each. Just 650 tickets will be sold, with the winner being drawn on Dec. 5.
Libby puts in the work of a full-time job to keep things running. He said it’s worth it to see the impact it makes in participants' lives.
“They’re life-changing events for some of these guys,” Libby said. “At the end of the day, I also get something out of this, too. It’s my therapy.”
For more information about Warrior Service or to donate to the organization, visit warriorservice.org.
