From The Director
 

A young man dropped by the office last week, neatly dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and baseball cap. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties. As I stood to greet him, he walked across the room with a well-disguised limp. He wanted to join CCA. He said he’d been to three sporting goods stores in Mobile asking how he could find out about joining our organization. Finally, at McCoy’s, a sales person told him about the CCA office around the corner.

 

He spoke for a minute or two about his love for coastal fishing, and as we talked, I noticed an irregular scar on his forehead. He said he hadn’t been able to fish around here for a while—he’d been out of town. I asked where he’d been. “In Iraq,” he said.
 
I wanted to know more about the limp and the scar. He wanted to know more about CCA. As I explained the $25 annual dues the thought raced through my mind “Should I give him a complimentary membership? Should I pay for his membership out of my own pocket?” “I want to give more than $25,” he said. “And I want to buy some CCA stuff.” He bought some “CCA stuff,” and I learned a lot about the war in Iraq.
 
On the highway from the airport to downtown Baghdad, military vehicles have to travel at speeds of about 70 miles per hour. If they slow down or stop they run the risk of being hit by a car bomb or rocket-propelled grenade.
 
Jeffery Lloyd’s Hummer was traveling that road when the Bradley Armored Vehicle ahead of him was hit by an “RPG.”Jeffery’s Hummer struck the Bradley, and he was seriously hurt. His hip had to be replaced, and he suffered several other injuries in the crash.
 

After the operation, the Army sent him home for physical therapy and a few days rest. He will soon return to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for clearance before returning to his unit. He can hardly wait to get to his next duty station.
April 2008 Red Snapper Rules
December 2007 Illegal gill nets found-- bulging traps were just loaded with fish
September 2007 Life Membership Campaign
all news stories>>>
Home
From The Director
Chapters
Articles
Click Here to Join!
Report Violations
Links
May 1, 2008 (Thu)
North Alabama Shrimp & Crawfish Boil
May 8, 2008 - Birmingham Crawfest

May 9, 2008 - Mobile Spring Fling
P.O. Box 16987
Mobile, AL 36616
Ph: 251.478.3474
Fax 251.476.5214
eMail Us:
ccabama@aol.com

“Did you get to go fishing in Iraq?” I asked. “Yeah,” he replied. “I caught some kind of goofy-looking fish in the Euphrates River.” “What did you catch ‘em on?” “Cut-up hot dog wieners. I’d like to give CCA a hundred dollars. What kind of caps and T-shirts do you have?”

Jeffrey Lloyd gave us a hundred dollars for membership and an extra fifteen for a cap for his brother. I gave him a T-shirt, some huggers, some copies of TIDE magazine, and a couple of stickers. I believe our budget can stand it, especially when we consider what and how much Jeffrey Lloyd has given.

It took a war and a trip halfway around the world for Jeffrey to fully appreciate the magnificent resources we enjoy here along the Gulf Coast. I believe he would advise us never to take for granted this marvelous part of coastal geography that is ours to enjoy and conserve.

If you pray, pray for special grace for Jeffrey Lloyd. My prayer is that he will return home safely, to coastal waters teeming with fish he helped conserve. Not goofy-looking fish that eat hot dog wieners.

For the fish,

Ed