After having dreamed of becoming a professional bass angler while on active duty in Iraq, Army Maj. Cody Roberson decided to make his dream come true when he formed ArmyBassAnglers with his friend and comrade Sgt, 1st Class (retired) Don Bailey. In doing so, they decided to combine their love of fishing with a desire to raise money for fellow soldiers returning home from combat zones.

The team, sponsored by Skeeter Performance Fishing Boats, is made up of eight pro staff anglers and three reservists — all on active duty in the army — and participates in team tournaments such as Bass Champs and the Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail. The team runs three Skeeter ZX225 and one 20i-Class bass boats.

Since its inception, ArmyBassAnglers has raised $150,000 for the Fishing for Freedom and Returning Heroes Home charities. Through Fishing for Freedom, the ArmyBassAnglers team helps soldiers interested in fishing pair up with anglers. Through this charity, the team will support Take A Solider Fishing Tournament events in Texas this October, where local boaters will pair up with wounded soldiers for competitive bass fishing.

Through Returning Heroes Home, ArmyBassAnglers helps to raise money to fund such projects as the 12,000-square-foot rehabilitation center in Fort Sam Houston’s Brook Army Medical Center near San Antonio, which is currently under construction. With the team’s aid, the charity hopes to construct other similar facilities across the country in the near future.