The night before our warriors would arrive to the latest Offshore Experience, a storm battered the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, washing ashore a large sailboat from its mooring in Herradura Bay. Fortunately, the weather calmed by the next day when our guests reached their international destination: Los Sueños Resort and Marina, a premier luxury condominium resort that has been the home of Freedom Alliance events since 2013. The generosity of the community at Los Sueños is why and how we are able to host this much-needed program for combat veterans.
For much like that sailboat displaced by the storm, our soldiers—stoic and shipshape on the surface—must steer through emotional waves that sometimes come fast and high, sometimes low and slow. War-weary and careworn, they often feel either lost at sea or shipwrecked on a deserted island. Thus the Offshore Experience, which we developed to help veterans get their bearings, is like an anchor for the warrior soul.
We selected four combat vets to attend this event—three who served in the Air Force and one who served in the Army:
In the Air Force: Jeremy O. served 20 years as a medic and deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. John D., who also served 20 years, deployed 10 times, including eight deployments to combat zones. He had retired at the first of the month—good timing to engage in our program, which addresses how to carry the burdens of service after that service is done. Josh M. has served 20 years as an Air Force Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) and was technically still active duty (but on terminal leave) during the event.
Our fourth vet, Stephen, attended with his 17-year-old son, Nate. Stephen served in both Iraq and Afghanistan as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Technician for the Army but was shot by a sniper while in Iraq, paralyzing him from the chest down. Stephen had received an all-terrain wheelchair from Freedom Alliance and has since stayed in touch with us. He had been trying to get into our program for some time, but his doctors wouldn’t clear him for travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The three Airmen instantly bonded with Stephen and ensured his physical disabilities wouldn’t prevent him from enjoying any of the activities in Costa Rica (which doesn’t have the ADA compliancy we enjoy in the States).
The men arrived on Monday after the storm at the perfectly landscaped resort to check in to their homes for the week—condos provided by Gerald and Virginia Lindholm and Brennan O. The condos are consistently donated at no cost to Freedom Alliance—a blessing that allows us to host this program at Los Sueños. The resort restaurants contribute to our program too, giving us deep discounts on every meal. Gato Gordo Golf Rentals and Sales, owned by the Durman family, lends us Club Car golf carts for every event, allowing us to forego the burden of transportation around the resort.
Freedom Alliance supporter Bob Schwegler was in the country and offered to treat the troops to their first meal at CoCo’s Restaurante on Herradura Beach, just across the bay from the resort. Bob has financially supported our events in Costa Rica for years, lending us his condo when available or sponsoring meals like on this night. It was a fitting way to welcome the men and demonstrate appreciation for their sacrifices.
We were also visited by Stan and his new bride, Michelle, who were visiting Bob. Stan is a Special Forces veteran who attended our program in 2017 and has kept in contact with many of the Freedom Alliance donors he met. He regularly visits Costa Rica now and was thrilled to meet the vets who were experiencing this special part of the world for the first time.
The following day, we began with a half-day excursion to the Tarcoles River. Our friend Jose Eduardo runs Jose’s Crocodile River Tour, and it does not disappoint. Jose gives us a super discount and has even donated whole trips to us in the past. The tour involves a flat-bottom boat and a cruise down the river to view the local wildlife: a plethora of bird species, the occasional monkey troop, and best of all, monster-size crocodiles! In equal parts horror and amazement, the group watched as Guido, one of the trained staff, exited the boat to dangle raw chicken in front of these wild, toothy creatures.
The remainder of the day was spent discussing the recovery model of Dr. Edward Tick, psychotherapist and author of War and the Soul and Warrior’s Return. Freedom Alliance worked with Dr. Tick to create a workbook for the Offshore Experience that hits many of the key themes in these books about carrying the burdens of war—burdens such as moral injury and identity issues after service. After each day’s activities, we would gather in the condo for an evening of deep thought and discussion, learning about other warrior cultures and their pursuit of life after war.
Stephen wrote: “We had been trying to make this happen for a couple years now. Prior to arrival, I was uncertain as to what to expect from the experience. Who are the other veterans? Would they understand what I am dealing with? Or was it just me? I battle with my demons more often than not. Some days I can hold my own, and other days I am digging deep not to lose the battle. Meeting Josh, John, and Jeremy on our experience was life-changing. I never met any of them, but the camaraderie and sense of brotherhood was instant for me. We all bust on the other branches, but at the end of the day, we are a multi-branch brotherhood that bleeds the same color blood and carries the burdens of war together. Spending the time together in sessions as well as the other structured activities was important and impactful for me. Although we all complained about structure in the military, it’s probably one of the things we miss after our service. I know I do.”
That night the men received swag bags with all sorts of fantastic items to use during the event: a long-sleeve performance shirt by Tunaskin, with artwork by marine wildlife artist Steve Goione; a Tunaskin neck sleeve; a long-sleeve performance hoodie by Anetik; a hat donated by Georgia Leonard of CR Primo Plus; and a new pair of high-quality sunglasses, courtesy of Hook Optics, with lens cloth and neck sleeve. Each of these companies have worked with Freedom Alliance to keep our costs at a minimum while providing the participants with first-rate gear for offshore fishing!
On Wednesday, we were greeted by Captain Dave Mothershead on the 50-foot G&S custom sportfishing yacht Brown Eyed Girl. The day was donated by the boat owners, David and Fayebeth Ball, who have supported our program since they brought their boat to Costa Rica in 2017. Captain Dave is a veteran himself, having served as a Corpsman, or medic, for the Marine Corps Second Reconnaissance Battalion.
Minutes after leaving Herradura Bay, Captain Dave found a grass line—unusual for Costa Rica but very attractive to mahimahi! Each veteran took turns reeling in these delicious fish. Later in the day, we came across a pod of dolphins, signaling that tuna were in the area, as they eat the same baitfish. Jeremy and John caught tuna, and Stephen fought one for a long time, but it broke off just as it reached the boat. The men caught a few more mahi before we called it a day.
The next morning, we arrived at the 58-foot Viking yacht MAYA, courtesy of a new donor, Myles Reis. Captain John LaGrone offered to pilot the boat for us at no cost to Mr. Reis. Captain John has supported our program in various ways, and his skills as a captain are legendary.
After catching some bonita for live bait, we searched the area for billfish. Unfortunately, a red tide (algae bloom) covered the usual fishing grounds, making conditions unfavorable. We ended up chasing another school of tuna that were leaping into the air to catch flying fish and other bait—thrilling to see, but several boats had already pressured the tuna, and we had no luck ourselves. John was determined, though, and found a submerged log that created an ideal environment for mahi. Once again, it was “Fish on!” Each of the veterans caught some before we cruised back to Los Sueños in triumph.
That night, Andy Shapiro treated us to a huge buffet of fish at a local venue. When Andy is in Costa Rica, we can count on him to cover a meal outside the resort. Andy always expresses his deep and genuine appreciation for our military and toasts to their sacrifices.
On their final day in Costa Rica, we treated the men to an excursion to Isla Tortuga, a picturesque island in the Gulf of Nicoya. The tour was courtesy of Jim Kitchell, owner of Costa Cat Cruises, who donates spots on his catamaran cruise to Freedom Alliance. The day consisted of snorkeling, hiking, a freshly cooked traditional lunch, a banana boat activity, but best of all, a no-stress environment to relax in and watch the blue waters lap the sandy shores.
This day was particularly significant because Josh was celebrating his first day of retirement after 20 years of service. What a way to commemorate his high-paced deployments with a day of rest and tranquility!
That evening, Chef Randy Diaz came to the condo to prepare a final meal for the men. For an appetizer, he prepared a bowl of poke, using the tuna they had caught while on Brown Eyed Girl. Next, he served a rice bowl with teriyaki chicken and beef and vegetables.
After dinner, we engaged in our final session of the program. Here we discuss how warriors can bear their burdens moving forward, providing a few practical ways to continue the model upon returning home … not to mention a few gifts to remind them of their time with us.
Stephen said, “It is amazing—the support from the donors: the boat owners, boat captains, condo owners, and donors … who are responsible for providing us this healing process.”
Just as the event began with a storm, it was looking like it would end with one too. A tropical storm was quickly whipping into full hurricane force on the Atlantic side, with a trajectory to pass through our area on the last night of the event. Thankfully, Hurricane Bonnie passed in the night without much fuss. The morning was a bit cloudy but wouldn’t interrupt the warriors’ travel home. It was smooth sailing.
Josh sent in a thank-you message after the event: “I could not be more thankful than I am for the people who made the Costa Rican Offshore Experience happen. The donors, the boat owners, captains, crews, gracious homeowners, and the Freedom Alliance give us veterans a chance to connect the dots between ourselves and our fellow veterans and really truly show each and every one of us that we are not alone. Through a guided experience of new memories and heartfelt communication, this trip brings out some of the best in each of us, and for that I am forever grateful.”
Jeremy said, “I was lucky enough to be selected for the Offshore Experience, and it truly was an amazing experience! It wasn’t just the trip to Costa Rica, or the fishing, but the group sessions we had showed just what the company is striving for. To give back to those who volunteered and sacrifice for the Freedom that they cherish so much.”
Stephen wrote after the trip: “Thank you for your time and dedication to do all the background collaborations that manifest into a true Offshore Experience.”
This article was originally published at: https://www.faoffshore.com/news/2022/7/21/anchor-for-the-warrior-soul
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