Chaplain Steve Dunn with the 2-1 Infantry battalion said he has more than 75 businesses, organizations and individuals from Fairbanks and around the country that have faithfully kept in touch with the battalion throughout the units’ deployment and extension.
He said soldiers have appreciated every care package, piece of mail, bag of candy, and variety of toiletries and other items. But who would guess the Alaska Trappers Association would provide soldiers with some of the most coveted items in the form of the 2006-07 Alaska hunting and fishing regulations. Dunn said the magazines, like Field and Stream and trapping journals from the group are lined up on the handcrafted wooden benches that serve as pews in the 2-1’s chapel and are quickly snatched up when he gets packages from the ATA.
But since the extension, when many soldiers discovered they would missing salmon fishing and moose hunting season, the stack of hunting regulations have been poured over and scrutinized, trying to find what hunt soldiers can take part in as they anticipate a December return to Alaska.
“They don’t care if it’s going to be 50 below,” Dunn said. “They just want to get out there when they get back.”