Warriors dive in to new project

Published May 2, 2012
By Sarah Olaciregui
66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- More than 60 wounded warriors from all branches of the armed forces and their family members took a dive into Hanscom's pool April 27 to take part in the Warrior Scuba Project.

Two of the founders, Todd Jones, a retired Army captain, and Steve Snyder, an Air Force veteran, along with a team of instructors, embarked onto the base with a mission of introducing New England wounded warriors to a scuba environment as part of a warrior orientation dive program.

"We started the scuba program late last year as a way for veterans, including physically and non-physically wounded, to get together and take part in scuba events as part of their individual growth and healing," said Jones.

The non-profit, which operates from Chicago, is looking to branch out to other regions of the country and the power of social media led them to the Boston area.

"One of the divers we met in Chicago is from this area," said Snyder. "We took him out diving and he posted some photos on Facebook. There was a lot of interest. He made some connections, so we decided to come to Boston."

Both Snyder and Jones said that although Massachusetts may have a small veteran population, there are many strong veterans programs available. They think the Warrior Scuba Project would make a nice addition to those programs.

During their visit, they met with the commonwealth's Secretary for Veterans' Services Coleman Nee and told him about their visit to Hanscom.

"Our goal is to start a chapter in the region," said Snyder.

The group also explained the many benefits of scuba diving.

"More is possible than people thought before," Snyder said. "There are therapeutic values. We've worked with vets confined to wheelchairs. We've worked with a blind diver before."

The group operates from fundraisers, grants, advertising and donations to make it a free experience for wounded warriors. They also partner with local dive shops and dive gear companies to offer discounts for scuba gear.

One such company, Oceanic, just debuted a "USA" scuba gear line. Seven percent of the sales from this new line of gear is donated to the Warrior Scuba Project. Any veteran who purchases from this line will receive a $250 credit, according to Joe Stellini, Oceanic northeast regional account manager.

"There is also a mentorship element to this project," Snyder said. "It's not just about getting in the water. It gives these warriors an environment of camaraderie and challenge. They can then take it all the way to being certified scuba divers. We hold them accountable for their gear. They can bring in their battle buddies and ascend the ladder of responsibility for helping them."

Derek Cloutier, a former Marine medically discharged from the service, was one of first warriors in the pool. He brought his brother, Brandon Corey, to share the experience with him.

Cloutier runs an online group for veterans and saw something about Warrior Scuba Project on the Internet.

"I saw it online and contacted Todd," he said. "He asked if I knew other vets in the area. I put it out there to my group and got it rolling."

Cloutier said the experience was great.

"It was good to come out with all the other vets," he said. "We'll talk about it when we leave. Being underwater - it was relaxing."

After scuba diving, the veterans gathered at the Minuteman Commons for a cookout. They were officially welcomed to Hanscom by Col. Juan Gaud, 66th Air Base Group deputy commander, who spoke about the importance of active duty members supporting all veterans. It was yet another way for them to bond and establish camaraderie, commitment, responsibility, respect and support.

From here, members of the Warrior Scuba Project will work to establish more partnerships with veterans' services, dive shops and other organizations to create a permanent presence in the New England area. And they hope to come to come to Hanscom and take advantage of the facilities again.

For more information about the project, visit warriorscuba.org.