Eagle Divers

[cudachaser]

I'm leaving for the Keys tomorrow to help with the "Eagle Divers" program. We teach soldiers injured in the Iraq/Afganistan war to scuba dive along with their families. We have 5 US Marines, 5 US Army & 5 British Commandos scheduled. It's a week long program sponsored by "Ocean Divers"

Joe

 

[pasley]

I wish you well. Should be a fun trip. SCUBA Diving for these veterans is so much more than just recreation, it is also therapy. Replacing memories of war with happy, restful, pleasant memories of their dives. Demonstrating to those with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI is the signature would of the war) that even with short term memory problems, they can learn and retain information. For those missing limbs, it is a clear message that life can continue at full throttle and they can do what they want to do. Here is a video of a USAF veteran Kelly, paralyzed saving another s life 30 years ago on active duty, telling what SCUBA means to her. Kelly The other person walked away from it, she hasn't walked since.

The Disabled Veterans SCUBA Project just graduated on May 2nd, 2010 a class of Iraq veterans who served in the USMC here in the balmy 52F waters of Southern California. Had a great trip.

For those interested the Disabled Veterans SCUBA Project is currently accepting applications for our next class in the Southern California area (West Los Angeles VA, Long Beach VA, Loma Linda VA and Camp Pendleton). Note the two wheelchair divers in the video are volunteers, one USAF veteran injured rescuing someone on active duty the other a patriot, both paraplegics and SCUBA divers. So far we have a veterans signed up for our next class with the following disabilities, blind (1), paraplegic (2) quadriplegic (1) and the usual TBI and PTSD to round out the rest of the class.

We are also seeking volunteers to help us start our program at other VA facilities throughout California. Here is a local news story on what we do at D.V.S.P.. Note, in the interview I mentioned our sister programs at Bethesda and Walter Reed (S.U.D.S.), Ft. Campbell KY (Underwater Warriors), Albequerque NM (Cody Unser's First Steps Foundation) and others.

Eagle Divers again good luck and have fun, I know you will. Wish I could be there to help out.

 

[c5diver]

keep up the great work guys!
i started diving in sept 09 as a quad and its been great.
only trick is finding dive ops at the next site that have accessable boats. so far i have done GA Aquarium, and Cozumel, with a Keys trip in hold for now(in oct. pending oil spill).

 

[pasley]

keep up the great work guys!
i started diving in sept 09 as a quad and its been great.
only trick is finding dive ops at the next site that have accessable boats. so far i have done GA Aquarium, and Cozumel, with a Keys trip in hold for now(in oct. pending oil spill).

Congratulations on your certification.

Contact Jim Gatacre at www.hsascuba.com he run trips specifically for adaptive divers and has done the work of ascertaining assessablity and as the founder of adaptive diving certifications knows what is needed.

If you want to do cold water (52-58F) diving, the Sundiver Express at http://www.sundiver.net has an open deck, low swim step and a fast boat to Catalina. Captain Kyaa is a Handicapped SCUBA Association (HSA) certified instructor so you know the crew knows what to do. If you need a dive buddy in Southern California there is a community of certified HSA dive buddies, dive masters and instructors here just give us a shout.

 

[HBO MD]

Great work guys!
If you need the assistance of a Hyperbaric, Critical Care doc in terms of medical support with the training, I'd love to get involved.

 

[c5diver]

hey cold water is no issue i am in michigan and i dive nothing but dry, even in the tropical water. if i make it west im in. all depends on the oil and the gulf

 

[pasley]

Oil is not a problem here in Southern California. Come on down the water is fine. Best diving Oct-Dec.