CAMERON CUSHMAN
FLYANGLER | FILMMAKER
US ARMY INFANTRY Ret. | HUSBAND | FATHER
@cameroncush
I was born in Vero Beach Florida but moved around a good bit while growing up between New England and Florida. I spent the majority of my free time and weekends fishing for bass with my father while growing up, which I contribute to my love for adventure and exploration. Currently I am living in Columbia, Missouri with my wife and four children. I work as a Visual Content Producer for the Marksman brand lane at American Outdoor Brands.
From a young age I was always in search of the next exciting adventure, and shortly after I began my creative career outside of high school I decided I wanted to join the service. I was set on starting my career out as an Infantryman in the Army. I joined in 2010 where I went on to complete my training at Fort Benning GA before heading to Fort Wainwright AK for my first duty station. A few short months later I found myself in Afghanistan where I would spend the next year within a QRF platoon. After returning from the middle east, I spend the next 5 years between Fort Wainwright AK and Fort Hood TX.
Mid 2015 I would have some severe gastrointestinal service-related issues begin, which led to several surgeries to include a surgeon cutting my vagus nerve by accident. This caused a multitude of problems to include stomach paralysis, severe hypoglycemia, memory loss, and more. Due to these conditions I was found unfit for duty and medically retired at 100% disability in 2016.
At the time I had three children and knew that I couldn’t live my life on a hospital bed, so I turned down the feeding tubes, all of the medications, and decided I would find my own ways to show my family that I wasn’t going to let some disease control my life. That is where my love and passion for fly fishing increased. I found peace and healing on the water and in the mountains. I would go on to travel all over the country in pursuit of native trout in the smallest of creeks that were tucked away in the deepest of mountain trails.
It was only fitting that I made a move to a more capable vehicle for all of my outdoor adventures, and that’s when I knew I needed to move to a Tacoma as it was a vehicle I always wanted. The Leitner Designs Active Cargo System was one of the first accessories that I knew I needed to fit my lifestyle and its been the perfect fit, allowing me to change my loadout for any of my adventures.
Now my love for adventure and the pursuit has led me to getting into the art of Archery, so hopefully I will be able to take my first animal this season to provide meat for the family.
I also work with a 501(c)3 nonprofit The Iron Freedom Foundation as the CMO and Director of Photography. This organization’s main purpose is to build a community of like-minded veterans by introducing them into the outdoors through programs such as kayak fishing and back country fly fishing trips. We not only bring the veterans on these trips but we fully outfit them with all of the gear they need to recreate those memories again.
