Rob is a lifelong resident of McFarland, Wisconsin, and Co-Founded Take-A-Vet Fishing in 2012 along with his son, Justin Blanchar, and Jay Garstecki. Their mission was to provide a day of giving back to the veterans who served our country. A Veteran’s fishing event in which guides were provided to take our Military Hero’s fishing for a half day followed by a recognition ceremony and luncheon that included the veterans, their families, guides, and numerous volunteers. It is also the same format that we use today as Take A Vet Fishing events expand from state to state.

 

Rob is a Retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant. He was an Aircraft Engine Mechanic Supervisor for the F-16C/D and is an Iraq Combat Veteran having completed three tours of duty with the 115th Fighter Wing at the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing located at Balad Air Base Iraq. In addition to performing supervisory duties for 12 to 14 hours a day while in Iraq, he volunteered at the Balad Theater Hospital, a level 1 Trauma Center with combat-wounded American soldiers, Iraqi soldiers, and Iraqi citizens. While volunteering at this capacity, he performed many duties including transporting the wounded from the helicopter pad to the Emergency room along with working in the Intensive Care Unit and Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility (CASF).

 

Rob is a Vietnam Era Veteran. His military career began in 1974 while serving in the United States Marine Corps. Corporal Blanchar was an Aircraft Engine Mechanic working on the OV-10 Bronco and the F-4 Phantom. During this time, he was stationed at Camp Pendleton CA, Kaneohe Bay HI, and Iwakuni Japan. After his discharge in 1978, Rob worked in the private sector for six years. In late 1984 Rob enlisted in the Wisconsin Air National Guard as a Federal Civil Service Aircraft Engine Mechanic where he worked full time until his retirement in July of 2011. His career consisted of 31 years of military service during which he was the Hush House supervisor for over 10 years and the Propulsion Shop Supervisor for an additional ten years during which time he was responsible for maintenance completed by over 45 Aircraft Engine Mechanics on a fleet of twenty-one F-16’s insuring Mission ready aircraft.

 

Throughout his career at Truax Field he deployed numerous times prior to 9-11 throughout Europe and the Middle East. His deployments after 9-11 included: Active duty at several location including Langley Air Force Base in as an Aircraft Engine Mechanic Supervisor responsible for all engines that flew Combat Air Patrol over Washington DC, Qatar in 2004 in support of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and three deployments to Balad Air Base in Iraq in 2006, 2007 and 2009; all in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a Combat Veteran.

 

Rob is an avid angler and is active in his community as a volunteer. He served on the Public Safety Committee for 25 years for the Village of McFarland, is a member of the McFarland American Legion post 534 where he held the position of the Historian and was Captain of the Color Guard for 18 years and is a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4256 Madeira Beach Florida. He is on the Board of Directors for Operation Healing Heroes Foundation and Take A Vet Fishing. Prior to retirement in 2011, he and his son Justin started Vibrations Tackle, a fishing lure which is a Made in USA manufacturing business. He has been married to Sherry Weber Blanchar since1979. He is the father of three children Justin, Lacey, and Brittany and the grandfather of seven grandchildren whom he loves to spend time with on and off the water.


- Rob Blanchar

To the veterans who have served and those who are serving. Brave men and women; I am very grateful and appreciative for your commitments in serving and protecting our beautiful country.

 

           To the communion of fishing guides and volunteers. Thank you for setting your time aside to work at our events and behind the scenes. You are the driving force that makes the Take A Vet Fishing (TAVF) organization possible. I consider all of you a part of our TAVF family.

 

           Every great organization contains a story of its beginnings. I feel that it’s important for you to have the knowledge of how our events began. In simple terms, the right people came together at the right time. As a co-founder, the following is my story of how and why the TAVF organization began from my perspective:

 

Veteran Fishing Experience & An Idea Is Born

       In 2011, my dad was nearing a 31 year career in the military when he was selected to attend a fully guided Canadian fishing trip for military personnel. This was perfect timing as he was incredibly stressed out. After coming home, we headed out fishing on our local waters. He never stopped talking about how great his guided experience was. He had a level of excitement that I have never seen before.

           

     In early 2012, our tackle company committed to becoming a sponsor for a local musky tournament. The tournament trail seemed to be dwindling with low team signups the previous couple of years. I made a call to the tournament director and shared my concerns that many families could be financially struggling due to the current state of the economy. This could especially affect out-of-town teams as they attempted to make financially responsible decisions with families in mind; expenses of a tournament can add up including entry fees, food, gas, lodging etc. Even if anglers placed in the top three positions of the standings, they may barely break even due to the low number of teams signing up and the need to split the winnings with their partner. 

 

     After giving the dilemma thought, I dreamt up the idea to focus our efforts at teams taking local veterans fishing for the day. Then teams coming up for the fishing tournament could combine their weekend into part tournament and part to showing veterans that we are very thankful for their service in protecting our country. I know how a guided fishing trip impacted my dad as I had witnessed, and was confident that it would do the same for other veterans. A phone call was made to my dad and he was onboard immediately. He was the perfect partner because first he is my dad and second, he had a solid network of military connections that had the capability to help establish the great organization that Take A Vet Fishing has become today. 


Military Family Life

      Being raised in a military family certainly presented its challenges as they do for many. An extra level of stress was always added to our family and especially for my mom. Despite the difficulties we experienced, I always had the utmost respect for him, his job and our great military men and women that serve and protect our county. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. When my dad was home from work, we enjoyed fishing as often as we could.

Taking his comrades fishing has bonded us together with a hobby that we both enjoy. The experience has been nothing short of a humbling experience. The idea of honoring veterans by fishing stemmed straight from my heart.

 

  In closing, our organization will continue honoring veterans in years to come and hopefully continues to expand. We have been blessed with generous sponsors and a large pool of volunteers making operations at events possible. Lastly, I can’t thank the men and women enough for serving and protecting our beautiful country, the United States of America.

 

         Sincerely,

                 Justin Robert Blanchar 

                                          “IN GOD WE TRUST”

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