Hard catch when fishing for benefits from the bureaucracy

I'm a long-time Kodiak salmon crewman, working aboard some of the top boats for 20 years now, and heard about the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance money for retraining or college credits. I've tried twice to get TAA money, but those in charge always seem to have some hoops to jump through that makes the whole process a bunch of BS. Perhaps that is why so few of us have gotten anywhere - and fewer fishermen even try.

We're wonderful at playing the fishing game because that effort "only" requires hard work, knowledge, courage, dedication and a willingness to work ungodly long hours. However, most of us aren't too good at playing the paper-chase game because it always seems to require some bureaucratic qualification we lack. Maybe the premise of TAA money is like the promise of Exxon money - a mirage on the water wonderful to behold but difficult to believe in.

Douglas Herman, FV Shawnee

Kodiak