I became a Handicapped Scuba Association Instructor through a course organized by the Disabled Veterans Scuba Project (I am a PADI dive instructor as well). I have assisted in SCUBA training for disabled American veterans which will lead to their dive certification. The sense of achievement on the part of the participants is well matched to the enthusiasm of the volunteers.
It has been emotionally rewarding working with veterans with disabilities and seeing the change this program has made to them. I have seen withdrawn veterans become more outgoing and enthusiastic about life.
The Disabled Veterans SCUBA Project came into my life at the perfect time. I had a scuba diving club that needed a new mission. I wanted to do something with the Veterans' but I did not know how to couple that potential project with scuba diving. To start with, we built interest in the concept of teaching and assisting those with various handicaps, to scuba dive. A group of 4 from the club went through training and certification from the Handicapped Scuba Association. Stage 1 was complete and now we needed to get involved with an organization benefiting our veterans. We solved that issue by assisting the Disabled Veterans Scuba Project with their students. As certified dive instructors and divemasters with various diving organizations and the Handicapped Scuba Association, we are able to work with injured veterans' in hopes that they realize their desire to become certified to scuba dive. Diving is therapeutic to all of our soldiers but even more so, it gives them the opportunity to expand their social network and to get away, albeit for only a short time, from hospitals and the confinements of being disabled. Underwater, in our scuba gear, we are all become weightless. To see the face of a brave warrior as he/she gets to toss their wheelchair aside for a short time is well worth any effort I've put into the program. To hear a thank you for providing the services we do from someone who has given so much to their country is all the motivation we need to keep providing the training. If I could encourage anyone to stand with us to continue to provide our hero's with continued training, I will promise you the feeling of joy, pride and a sense of happiness for as long as the program is in place. I thank those that made this possible for me.