The Post Newspaper Veterans Consultant
The sun is shining more and more which means the water is getting warmer, too. This St. Patrick’s Day driving down the Seawall, people were spotted on the beach and families were bicycling and fishing. It made me want to get out of my car and jump into the water. I had been to a business meeting, so I wasn’t ready to do that, but I can feel Spring coming.
That’s when I remembered learning of a program run, here in these parts, by Instructor SSG Jeffrey Pickard U.S. Army (Ret.), called WAVES.
WAVES’ Mission is to offer the unique opportunity of experiencing SCUBA Diving to our wounded American veterans.
“The unique properties of this aquatic environment enhance interventions that are ideal for combat wounded veterans as they rehabilitate from various injuries received in combat such as amputations, spinal cord injuries, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injuries, along with a host of other injuries received in battle. Scuba diving takes the advantages of the properties of water, including weightless and limited audio input, allowing combat wounded veterans to exercise in a therapeutic environment. Underwater, there is the soothing sound of breathing through your regulators as your bubbles float effortlessly to the surface. Movements are slower, gravity is sapped of its strength and muscles move more freely. The disabled diver underwater is now equal to his or her able body dive buddy!” https://www.wavesproject.org/2021/09/28/waves-project-texas/
Doesn’t that sound great? I think it does. So, I wanted to share as soon as possible so you can sign up and be ready to go when Summer gets here. The training includes specialized equipment needs like webbed gloves, diver propulsion vehicles and other customized gear.
WAVES Instructors are both PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) and HSA (Handicapped Scuba Association) trained.
Just visit the website shared above to learn about the project and fill out the online application or print it out and submit it. Jeff will call you back. He’s been doing this a very long time and is passionate about his service.
If you are already into SCUBA or supporting veterans and want to help, there’s a few ways:
1. Volunteer.
2. Donate.
3. Shop: WAVES Gear Shop allows veterans to purchase SCUBA gear at reduced prices and the general public may purchase items with all profits from the sale of any SCUBA gear or apparel going directly to support our programs for wounded veterans.
It’s a win-win!
Hope you have a great week.
Dorothy
Dorothy Meindok is the Veterans Consultant for The Post Newspaper. She served in the United States Navy and is currently a lawyer advocating for the rights of our nation’s veterans. Her column appears on Sundays.
