Operation Nasiriyah

Saturday, 27 May 2023

As the sun rises over Nassau, our staff members wake and prepare to begin setting up onboard the Morning Star for this year’s Valkyries.  A few staff members head to the dock early while the others remain at the hotel to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and spend more time getting to know our Valkyries. You can already tell this group has bonded and many feel comfortable with one another. Coming in on Friday allows them all a chance to rest before boarding and explore some of the tourist sites on the island. Many even had dinner together. 

The past 48 hours have been spent traveling and preparing for what we hope will be a week of growth and healing.  For staff, this is one of the more stressful days as we have a lot to accomplish – we ask Chaps to pray for the safe travel of all, that connections are made, and that the hearts and minds of our participants are open to the week in front of them.

The arrival of Veterans on the dock is a mixture of emotions, most are excited though some are apprehensive of being at sea for a week. For some, this is the first time they are traveling without the assistance of a loved one, others are leaving the country for the first time since they returned home from combat.  All are out of their comfort zone.  We strive to make everyone feel welcome and work through the process of transportation from the hotel, to the docks, loading onto our Vessel, and departing for the Exumas.  Paper work, bunk assignments, more paperwork, issuing gear, verifying certifications, and of course lunch, all before we can depart.

Before lines are tossed and the boat can leave the harbor, we once again address a couple of false truths with this year’s group.  One is the idea that this program, or any program, can completely heal a Veteran.  While most share common themes in their trauma, it is still unique to each individual and how they process those events.  While these men will receive more counseling in a week than many traditional programs offer in 6 months, we cannot return a Veteran to who they were before their trauma.  This program is meant to serve as a pivot point for an individual who is not satisfied with the status quo… for someone who is looking to change the trajectory of their life.  We lay the groundwork for that one degree of course correction and the impact that makes over time. We are going to address hard concepts and difficult topics.  We may challenge their ideas and understanding of trauma.  But if they can have faith in our process and, if only for one week, be vulnerable enough to go all in, we promise them that their life can be changed.

Once everyone has boarded safely, crew and staff introductions are complete, and safety briefings finished, we depart Nassau harbor for the crossing of the Yellow Bank towards the Exuma Cays.  Chaps prays for the group’s success this week, for a safe week at sea, and for those still in harm’s way in distant lands.  We are blessed to once again be in this amazing place where real healing can begin.

Sunday, 28 May 2023

I guess you could say I experienced a diver’s redemption and I dialed in my buoyancy. Having experienced an anomalous and horrific dive accident years ago that left me blind and a quadriplegic, I chose then in the moment to be resilient. In the years following, I was blessed with miraculous healing and I used that resilience to find purpose and serve others.  Deep Sea Valkyries has provided me the opportunity to take that resilience and now turn it inward! Although my body had healed, my mind and soul had not. Going forward I will use this to be an example of RESILIENCE to others. 

Today I really saw everyone for the first time. I experienced going ugly to people I didn’t really know and I was ok with it. I learned that it is ok to be vulnerable and it doesn’t change how people view you. I felt exhilarated, confident, and a connection I haven’t had in years. I found/rediscovered the exhilaration of diving. I found confidence in my neutral buoyancy and I found connection in my new Band of Brothers!

I will continue to hold myself accountable to the positive change that I know is possible. I WILL become a better husband, a better father, and a better friend. I will be BOLD and COURAGEOUS in my FAITH! I will channel my inner David and seek more opportunities to serve and empower my calling. I will report for duty whenever and wherever God calls me. 

Shark + Rain + Plane + Gorgeous Sunset = contentment of my soul…. I will become a champion of DSV, a supporter, and an alumni willing to volunteer any way I can to pay it forward!

Monday, 29 May 2023

What a day! Today I saw Veterans acting like Veterans with vulnerability and valor…..and oh so many sharks! It was amazing to realize that with everything I have been through, I can still experience genuine fear…..

Everyone was getting their gear on to jump in.The crew had been chumming the water so a few smaller sharks could be seen. No one had jumped in yet and I was excited to be the first one in the water until one of the crew women at the gate yelled “captain, we have a big tiger!” As I stood with my toes on the edge watching the 10 foot shark swim right under, an old but familiar sensation rocked me. I was scared, and honestly, I started shuffling backward. Every seasoned diver on the boat yelled with excitement but I backed away. I felt a hand on my shoulder and a voice say confidently in my ear “go, go, go” so I went. As soon as I could see through the bubbles I was staring this tiger shark in the face. He wasn’t more than 10 feet away. When the next diver hit the water the shark turned hard and circled around. This flood of emotions was comparable to the fear that came over me during our sessions. Like Vets do, we feed on the courage of those on our left and right. I knew if I jumped I wouldn’t be alone. 

Monday was an eventful day for sure, the DSV staff and crew celebrated my completing my certification. Felipe reached his 1000th dive and we both got “caked” by Captain Morgan. Pretty cool too that Felipe learned to dive when he applied to DSV in 2019 and is a scuba instructor now. This week was Captain Morgan’s first solo week as captain and today he caught a prized Wahoo! He was stoked.. Drew is really enjoying getting to fish, enthusiastically casting out lines and reeling them in. He has a contagiously positive energy and was a delight to have around and in our group.

This experience has been extremely life affirming for me. I have decided to let God define me and not my past traumas. A few years ago I committed my life to Jesus Christ and I hear other Veterans describe the pain they struggle with just like I did…and sometimes still do, I feel a great sense of peace wash over me and my decision to follow Christ and and try to be the kind of man I am designed to be. 

Friday, 2 June 2023

Friday morning comes too soon as always. It was a unique week of firsts not just for our Valkyries but for the staff as well. Deep conversations were had with our resident pigeon that stayed on the boat for an entire day. An injured crew member required a mid-week run back to Nassau for medical attention (he’s fine). In order to not lose more dive time, we adjusted and overcame as we always do. Prevailing winds allowed for us to dive on the other side of Paradise Island and we dove sites that none of the staff had ever seen in our almost ten years of retreats! And there is nothing Veterans like better than some good old-fashioned hazing of the new guys. We managed to convince the two new crew members that they needed to calibrate the boat’s radar which resulted in a good hour of hilarious shenanigans. 

But on a more serious note,  here are some raw numbers of our week at sea to reflect upon:

One week ago, 18 Veterans and one Hasi Pupsi traveled from across the US to the Bahamas for a week of friendship and fellowship and  in search of healing. During this time, more than 264 cumulative hours of counseling and devotions were conducted. We conducted 241 combined dives resulting in a total combined depth of 12,096 feet or 2.29 miles (1.99 nautical miles). We had a bottom time of 10,422 minutes or 201.6 hours which equates to 8.5 days underwater. We consumed 241 cylinders which is 13,164 cubic feet or 493,683 pounds of air while traveling more than 138 nautical miles. 

We represent more than 303 years of service to the United States and have spent more than 51 years deployed in support of combat operations, humanitarian aid missions, and disaster relief efforts. The participants of Op Nasiriyah represent the greatest aspects of America - not just volunteers willing to step into harm's way, but men who are resilient, willing to continue missions even after their time in service is complete. While this chapter, like many others, comes to a close, we know that these men are better prepared to continue writing their next one.

On behalf of the Veterans we serve, we sincerely thank our sponsors who make these counseling retreats possible.  Whether corporate or individual, this program could not succeed without your continued support and commitment.  We are humbled each and every year by the Veterans that place their trust in us, becoming members of our own tribe and who inspire us to find ways to give even more. 

Until next time,

From the staff of Operation Nasiriyah - Josh, Neysa, Travis, Jay “Chaps”, Felipe and Dobson.