Retired US Marine and law-enforcement particular investigator seems ahead to constructing his first two customized fishing rods
James Tannahill of Mont Belvieu, Texas radiates love and gratitude. Talking with him, one would don’t have any clue they had been having a dialog with somebody who struggles with Publish-Traumatic Stress Dysfunction each day.
“Issues obtained so tough, I got here very near being a statistic,” says Tannahill, who lately retired from a army and law-enforcement profession spanning over 30 years. “Folks don’t notice how far-reaching PTSD is; it’s significantly prevalent within the army and law-enforcement communities, which have the very best suicide charges of all occupations, however it may affect virtually anybody and have quite a lot of causes.”
Tannahill, 54, was born right into a army household and attended Texas Tech to play basketball. His life’s path rapidly shifted when he broke his leg. “I ended up transferring to UNLV, and I’ll inform you, Las Vegas is a troublesome and distracting place for a youngster to attempt to attend faculty. After I struggled there and ended up dropping out, my father gave me some good recommendation, and I enlisted in the US Marine Corps. My sister did, too. It was an excellent choice, and it modified my life for the higher.”
Tannahill obtained married whereas within the service. “When my enlistment was over, my spouse and I couldn’t get stationed collectively, so one in every of us needed to go away,” Tannahill remembers. “She held the next rank, so it was me who left.”
Tannahill would go on to earn bachelor’s and grasp’s levels from Midwestern College later in life, however on the time he retired from army service, he says there weren’t too many profession selections for an ex-Marine. “Legislation enforcement appealed to my sense of public service,” Tannahill says. “I turned a cop and liked it instantly, as a result of I actually loved serving to others.”
Inside the subject of legislation enforcement, do a superb job and also you’ll find yourself getting recruited. That’s what occurred to Tannahill.
“I labored for 4 totally different departments between 1999 and 2018,” Tannahill says. “I developed a ardour for monitoring down lacking youngsters and ended up working the final 5 years of my profession as a Particular Investigator for the Texas Division of Household and Protecting Companies. It turned out to be the hardest job of my life,” says Tannahill, who took an early retirement final 12 months. “For sure, the job took a toll on me as a result of circumstances I labored. Apart from saving kids, the job was not nice, and I skilled trauma from the issues I noticed and was pressured to take care of.”
Within the months since his retirement, Tannahill has sought out and obtained care and remedy from the VA. “Due to my Workforce on the VA, I’ve finished a reasonably good job bettering my religious, psychological, and bodily well being thus far,” experiences Tannahill, who has misplaced an incredible 75 kilos. “I’m nonetheless engaged on my monetary well being,” he chuckles. “The VA takes quite a lot of criticism, so I really need everybody to know the way extraordinarily priceless it has been to me. My docs have persistently gone what anybody would take into account above and past in serving to to deal with and heal me. The standard of care I’ve obtained on the Houston VA has been superb.”
Tannahill’s docs really helpful he take into account beginning a brand new pastime. “I already had fishing,” Tannahill experiences. “My household obtained me into inshore saltwater fishing a number of years in the past, and I used to be hooked after my first redfish. My time within the service gave me an appreciation for top-quality tools, so I’ve grown to turn into an enormous fan of St. Croix rods. I went up and visited my brother in Wisconsin just a few years in the past and there have been three issues I needed to see throughout my journey. One among them was the St. Croix Manufacturing unit in Park Falls. I’ve all the time admired St. Croix as an American fishing rod producer and the standard and efficiency of their merchandise. And after touring the manufacturing unit and seeing the care that goes into each rod, I’ll be a fan for all times.”
A few months in the past, Tannahill noticed a video on customized rod-building. “It captivated me, so I began doing a little analysis and got here throughout Anglers Useful resource proprietor Invoice Falconer’s movies. He defined issues so nicely that I assumed, ‘that is one thing that I wish to strive.’ I really like fishing a lot and simply assume will probably be an excellent craft to be taught. From what I’ve heard, rod-building has additionally confirmed to be useful remedy for some veterans affected by PTSD. I’ve no clue, however I wish to strive!”
Tannahill reached out to Rod Geeks – St. Croix’s rod clean enterprise – and requested in the event that they provided a army low cost. “To my shock, they did, however additionally they needed to listen to extra about my story and thought it might be fascinating for different people who find themselves enthusiastic about stepping into rod constructing to observe my journey as a starting rod builder,” he says. “So, they requested what sorts of rods I needed to construct and graciously despatched me two blanks. I really like fishing a popping cork, in order that they despatched me an XC733 clean of their X-COMP Sequence, which I plan to construct right into a spinning rod. I additionally wish to construct an all-around casting rod for delicate plastics, in order that they despatched me a CARBON2 INSHORE Sequence C2SW76MLF.”
Whereas Tannahill has his blanks, he additionally wants elements like reel seats and guides, supplies like epoxy and thread, a winding jig, and another primary supplies earlier than tackling his first two builds. He reached out to Anglers Useful resource, and Invoice Falconer himself is making suggestions and serving to Tannahill get the opposite supplies and tools he wants.
“I can’t wait to get began!” Tannahill says. “Invoice at Angler’s Useful resource and Rod Geeks have been nice, and Invoice is already a hero to me. The thread-wrapping and tying elements appear a bit intimidating to me, however I’ve been watching Invoice’s movies and I do know I can handle it as soon as I get the tools; it’s not that costly. Invoice says he will even assist me with information spacing, reel seat placement, and the best way to discover the backbone of the blanks. I’m tremendous excited to get began.”
Tannahill’s first two builds will probably be chronicled in a future article. The retired investigator says he additionally plans to start out his personal YouTube channel to chronicle every thing he does and learns. “If I might help only one different individual, this will probably be price it,” he says. “That’s why I’m doing this; I wish to encourage and assist others… from a complete layman’s viewpoint. I do know there are quite a lot of actually nice YouTube channels with seasoned customized rod builders, however there’s nothing I’ve discovered from the attitude of a complete newbie. I wish to present what I be taught, but in addition share how constructing customized fishing rods could be a optimistic and therapeutic expertise. If it helps me, then it may additionally assist different folks affected by PTSD.”
About Rod Geeks
Delivered to you by the folks, experience, and expertise of St. Croix of Park Falls, Inc., Rod Geeks has delivered handcrafted, high-performance fishing rod blanks to customized rod builders since 2014. Backed by over 75 years of expertise in designing and constructing one of the best fishing rods on this planet, we personal and function fashionable, state-of-the-art fishing rod factories in Park Falls, Wisconsin and Fresnillo, Mexico the place we mix one of the best uncooked supplies, tools, applied sciences, experience, and skilled craftsmanship to provide 1000’s of uncompromising fishing rods and blanks each week. No matter your subsequent journey or undertaking, belief Rod Geeks to supply a basis in your ardour and creativity that’s worthy of your skills.
About St. Croix Rod
Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Greatest Rods on Earth” for 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with expert craftsmanship, St. Croix is the one main producer to nonetheless construct rods completely from design by manufacturing. The corporate stays family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing amenities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With standard trademarked collection corresponding to Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all kinds of anglers from around the globe.
