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In a classic pincer movement, roughly 100 soldiers from Fort Richardson in Anchorage will storm the Kenai River today, but not as part of a maneuver or siege. These military crusaders have already seen combat and are taking to the aquamarine water for a little rest and relaxation.

"Everything is being taken care of for them, so everyone is pretty excited about it," said Bob Hall, a public affairs officer at Fort Richardson.

The day of free king fishing -- primarily sponsored by the Kenai River Professional Guide Association in conjunction with Eagle Claw (fishing tackle manufacturer) -- is being conducted for the Wounded Warrior Transition Unit and other combat veterans, according to Hall.

"A good percentage of them are from the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), part of the 25th Infantry Division that recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan," he said.

According to Hall, the wounded warriors suffer from a variety of injuries -- physical and mental -- which they sustained while on active duty. The have been placed together to focus on healing their bodies, minds and souls.

"The Wound Warrior Transition Unit allows them to spend their full time on recovery, so they can transition back to their regular unit or back to civilian life," he said.

As such, the day of fishing will have therapeutic value since some of the soldiers recovering from injuries cannot participate in strenuous activities. A relaxing day of fishing may also benefit soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Hall said the day of fishing will also be a new experience for many of the soldiers, since the vast majority of them were only recently stationed in Alaska, rather than being raised here.

"A lot of these guys didn't have a chance to do anything. They just got assigned to Alaska and then they deployed. They never got a chance to enjoy outdoor Alaska and a lot of them have never been salmon fishing," he said.

Mike Fenton, of the Kenai River Professional Guide Association, said the soldiers' lack of piscatorial prowess won't be a problem, since they'll all be accompanied by sages of salmon fishing.

"We have about 40 boats, so they'll all be going with professional guides that will be donating their time. We'll probably take two to three guys per boat," he said.

Having guides motoring the wounded warriors onto the honey holes, explaining the basics of the fishing equipment and how to set a hook and land a fish, and teaching the proper fish handing techniques for releasing salmon and keeping one for the cooler, the soldiers should have better than average chances for success.

But even if a few go home empty handed, Fenton said the day will still be a good one in his opinion.

"Getting them out and on the water, and sharing in some camaraderie, that's more important than catching a fish," he said.

Of equal importance, Fenton said, the soldiers will have received a gift from the local community, to reaffirm that their efforts in the theater of war were not in vain.

"It's a way to show our veterans that we appreciate everything they've done and all the sacrifices they've made," he said.

Joseph Robertia can be reached at joseph.robertia@peninsulaclarion.com.