I began my career in 1984 fresh out of college and wanting to make a difference by supporting the Department of Defense, specifically as part of the space programs. I didn’t come from a military family but many of my friends at the time were young 2nd Lieutenants at Sp...

I’ve been part of Diving with Heroes since their first excursion in August 2014. I went on that first trip as a volunteer, thinking I was going to be helping wounded or injured veterans to scuba dive as a means of rehabilitation or recuperation. Boy, was I wrong!

I foun...

Diving with Heroes is a truly amazing program that changes the lives of all veterans that have participated, including myself. Jill and her team are all incredible people that have the best intentions at heart of giving back to the program. Not only did I get to do my...

Diving with Heroes is one of those organizations that you never knew we all needed. Jill and her team are amazing people on top of everything they already do. The trip I went on (Little Cayman 2018) was an instant de-stress from my day-to-day life. From the moment I go...

As a combat veteran, you always look for that something that takes the edge off. I love the adrenaline rush of downhill mountain biking but when it comes down to easing the demons, there’s nothing better than scuba diving. Scuba diving gives me the peace of mind, even...

In a search for self-discovery, I set out November 10, 2018, to link up with eight fellow injured veterans and veteran advocate Jill Hottel, of Diving with Heroes (DWH), on a trip to the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) on Little Cayman. Nervously I sat at Dul...

I’ve had the opportunity to participate in two events with Diving with Heroes (DWH). My initial experience diving was at the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) in the Cayman Islands in 2017. This was a fantastic experience where I was able to meet and dive with...

As a retired Army veteran of 21 years and many deployments, I was struggling to keep control of my life. My PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) had gotten progressively worse and I was having great difficulty dealing with life as a civilian. Then in 2015 I discovered...

This past weekend a small group of divers from Diving with Heroes gathered at a volunteer’s house for a relaxed evening of food and fellowship. As the evening came to a close, we huddled together to watch a highlight video one of the fellow hero divers had put together...

A diver’s open water certification is merely the gateway to a lifetime of learning, not a final destination in itself. The best way for a scuba diver to continue their education is to make a plan and dive their plan.