Postcard from the front
Dear FLW Outdoors,
I am a member of the U.S. Special Forces presently deployed in Afghanistan. Members of my unit were the first Americans to enter the U.S. Embassy in Kabul in 12 years. I was there, and I brought along my Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League sticker so FLW Outdoors and all of its members could be a part of it as well.
I know there are members of FLW Outdoors who were directly affected by the Sept. 11th attacks. In fact, I would have to say there are not any true Americans who were not affected in some way by the attacks.
I just happened to be fishing the morning of the attacks and heard the news after pulling my boat out of the water. I felt so guilty, for some reason, about being out there enjoying myself while people were suffering from what happened. It took me awhile to get over that.
I did not deploy until Oct. 6 and actually got the call while pre-fishing Kentucky Lake with a friend. I rushed home and departed that night. Even though I did not want to leave my family, it was my duty and an honor to go.
I just would like to finish by asking you to pass on to all of my fellow FLW Outdoors members that we are doing our best, and I hope they are pleased with the results they have seen so far. I have lost three members of my unit while here, and I can promise you they will be missed. They died as heroes while liberating the oppressed like they were trained to do.
Life as we knew it will come back. For me, walking into the U.S. Embassy and raising the U.S. flag after 12 years helped a lot. Enjoy the picture and tell all the members they were there when we took back the embassy and a little part of America.
Take care and thank you for a great organization like FLW Outdoors and the Wal-Mart BFL. Maybe next year I can do a little better than 32nd place overall.
– Frank
This photo of Frank Flack was taken at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul on Dec. 7, 2001. Flack, 36, is a member of the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky. He lives in Adams, Tenn., with his wife, Teresa, and fishes as a boater in the Wal-Mart BFL’s LBL Division.
Flack’s 18-year military career has allowed him to fish in many different places around the world from Alaska to Africa to the former republics of the Soviet Union. He started seriously fishing for bass in 1986 and a few years later started fishing tournaments. Today, in addition to his military responsibilities and tournament participation, Flack writes a fishing column for his base newspaper, reports on local lake conditions for Kyfishin.com and co-hosts a local outdoors show on WKAG-TV in Hopkinsville, Ky.
In 2001, Flack missed qualifying for Wal-Mart BFL regional competition by just two places despite his limited time on the water. With any luck, he will be back home in March ready to conquer the tour.
Godspeed, Frank.