Our Team

Robert Whatley is Veteran of the US Army. He served from 1992-1996 in the 82nd Airborne Division. His father is a 2 tour Vietnam Veteran that instilled in him at a young age, a love for the outdoors and a strong support of all the military. For the past few years I have worked with different organizations to help get Warriors into the outdoors. His goal is to help get as many Warriors outside to enjoy what God has provided. Peace can be found while watching a cork float on the water.

Rich Hastings, a US Navy Veteran, has lived in North Carolina for 9 years and has made it his permanent home.  He especially enjoys Trout fishing in the NC mountains along with kayak and surf fishing.  Rich is an outdoor enthusiast who often combines kayaking, camping, and fishing.  He knows how fishing can wash away the daily stress and wants to share that experience with our warriors.

Kevin grew up in South Florida where fishing has always been a passion. After 20 years of active-duty service Kevin retired from the US Army. He currently resides in the Roseboro area of Sampson County. Kevin has worked with other organizations to get Warriors on the water, and my goal is to get as many Warriors out into the outdoors because fishing heals.

Andy King is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served from 2000 to 2004. He was born and raised in southwest Michigan and after returning in 2004, now shares his love of the outdoors with his wife, son, and dogs. 

“After returning home I often felt lost, bored, empty, and disoriented. I began adventuring out to fish local rivers and ponds.  The more time I spent out fishing,  the more I realized that I was searching for something inside of myself. With every cast I gained something, a sliver of something. It’s almost impossible to describe, but it feels like I’m meditating and the whole world around me melts away. I learned that fishing and being outdoors is truly a form of therapy and comfort.  In 2005 I bought my first boat, a 14-foot Jon boat with a 15 hp Merc and began fishing every weekend and most days after work. It truly felt like I was healing myself with every cast.

As a Warrior Ambassador my goal and hope is to provide veterans and active-duty service members opportunities to experience those same moments of adventure, comfort, and healing as I did.”

Fishing truly is healing!

Mike Powers grew up in Colfax NC outside of Oak Ridge, NC and joined the US Navy at the age of 17. Went to Great Lakes for boot camp and then to Millington, TN for A school .  Stationed at  NAS Whidbey Island, WA in 1990 then Deployed during the Gulf War 91-93. While living in Washington state he fell in love with fishing and hunting and many other outdoor activities that the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

After being medically retired from his service in Iraq, Mike and his young family returned to NC in 2000. He brought his first bass boat in 2016 and has been broke due to buying fishing gear and tackle ever since. He’s been involved in fishing tournaments since 2018, anywhere from club tournaments to Carolina Anglers Team Trail, 5 Alive Team Trail, and all the way to fishing the MLF Phoenix BassFishing League. But he’s recently discovered a true passion for taking other people fishing. Whether it’s a friend, a family member , and sometimes a complete stranger. That’s why he decided to be part of TAWF, to be able to give back to other veterans like himsel.  

Thil served on active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1980 to 2000, retiring as a Senior Chief Petty Officer (MACS) with tours in Operations Desert Storm and Noble Anvil in support of NATO. He was a qualified Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist and Master Training Specialist with tours as an anti-terrorist/force protection training officer, personal security detail for the Secretary of the Navy/Chief of Naval Operations and primary technical advisor to the Head of Law Enforcement programs at NCIS. After his military career, he completed an undergraduate degree at East Carolina University and then continued serving his country as a local police officer and retiring as a federal law enforcement officer (GS-12). 

Thil has always been committed to community service having previously served as a volunteer firefighter/EMT, Little League Baseball coach, Pee Wee Football manager, Cub Scouts den leader. Take a Warrior Fishing, Inc. is exactly what Thil now wants to do with his free time by matching his passion for saltwater fishing and camaraderie with others who have served their country.”  

Andrew is a U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Veteran from Wisconsin whose passion for the outdoors has become a lifelong source of purpose, peace, and connection. Whether he’s chasing bass on Wisconsin lakes or introducing someone to their first day on the water, Andrew believes fishing has a unique way of bringing people together and creating conversations that might never happen anywhere else.

After his military service, fishing became more than just a hobby. It became a way to slow down, clear his mind, and reconnect with what matters most. The quiet moments between casts, the excitement of a fish on the line, and the friendships built in the boat have all played an important role in his own journey.

As an Ambassador for Take A Warrior Fishing, Andrew is committed to helping fellow veterans experience that same sense of camaraderie and healing. He believes that while a day of fishing may seem simple, it can have a lasting impact—reminding veterans that they’re never alone and that there’s an entire community ready to welcome them aboard.

David was raised in Merkel, Texas, and joined the Army as soon as he was eligible. During his military career, he served at several locations, including Fort Bragg, Fort Hood, and Korea, and he is a Desert Storm veteran. After leaving the military, he settled in North Carolina and worked in the logistics industry until retiring in 2025. He has been happily married for 43 years to the love of his life and fishing partner. David has fished all his life, to include fishing on the Rio Grande, Red River, Brazos River, Pecos River, Colorado River, and Arkansas River, as well as many smaller rivers and lakes in other states. His passion for fishing has never faded, and in retirement, he hopes to spend as much time on the water as possible. Fishing has brought calm, peace, and happiness back into his life.

Darrell Sammons was born and raised in Doerun, Georgia.  In 1999, he joined the U.S. Army as a Cavalry Scout and retired after 20 years of honorable service to his country in 2019. Throughout his distinguished military career, he deployed three times and traveled all over the world, always keeping his deep passion for angling alive by casting lines in international waters from Hawaii and Australia to Okinawa, Japan, and across the United States and the Caribbean. 

Darrell’s journey with fishing began at just seven years old under the guidance of his grandfather. Those early days on the water taught him the fundamentals of the sport and instilled a lifelong devotion to being an avid fisherman. After retirement, Darrell was able to go fishing with his grandfather often until he gained his angel wings in 2025 at the age of 98. Today, he channels his global angling experience and his understanding of military brotherhood into helping fellow service members heal, guiding wounded warriors on therapeutic retreats where they can find peace and camaraderie out on the water.  He also shares his passion with his grandchildren and last year was able to take his oldest granddaughter in various events to instill the same fundamentals and passion. 

Darrell has been married to Laurie Sammons for 22 years, who he met in the military during his first deployment to Iraq.  They have four children and eight grandchildren. 

Bailey Weger grew up in Palestine IL. He joined the US Army in March of 2018, and completed BCT at Ft. Sill OK. AIT was down at Ft. Huachuca AZ, and after that was sent to Ft. Bliss TX where he deployed to Kandahar and Bagram Afghanistan in 2020. After returning home in 2021, he moved to Ft. Bragg NC. He then ended his service after 6 years and moved back home to the woods of southern Illinois.

Growing up, Bailey was always outside. Fishing in the spring, summer, fall, and chasing whitetail in late fall into the winter. After his military service, fishing has been something he used to get away from everything going on in his head. 

“I have always loved helping others so to join TAWF and get the opportunity to help as many veterans as I can has become a big passion of mine”