Wounded Warriors Find Healing, Fun When SUDS Comes To GTMO
(March 4, 2011) |
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| GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (Feb, 28, 2011) - More than a 1,000
miles away from Walter Reed Army Hospital, Army Sgt. Matthew
White stood at the edge of the water, letting the surf of
Guantanamo Bay's Hidden Beach crash over his legs. |
U.S. Army Sgt. Mathew
White, prepares to hit the waters of Guantanamo
Bay's Hidden Beach, Feb. 20, 2011. White and
several other wounded warriors participated in
the Soldiers Undertaking Disabled SCUBA, a
program designed to help improve the lives of
injured veterans returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan. |
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“I always wanted to learn how to scuba dive,”
White said. “After I lost my leg, I never
thought I would be able to.”
White was
with the Army's storied 82nd Airborne Division
in Afghanistan's Arghandab River Valley when an
improvised explosive device took the bottom half
of his left leg.
“I was supposed to get
stationed in Hawaii,” he said. “I planned on
learning to dive when I got there.”
While rehabbing at Walter Reed, White learned of
the Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba
organization. He said he knew right away he
wanted to be a part of the program.
“Water is the great equalizer,” said John
Thompson, SUDS president, in a 2009 |
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Washington Post interview. “When you get them in
the water, they don't have to deal with gravity.
The pressure on prosthetics and the pain goes
away.” |
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Founded in 2006, SUDS has helped more than 300 wounded
warriors obtain scuba certification. The group's website
notes “by training the warriors in a challenging and
rewarding activity, it can help facilitate the
rehabilitations process and promote mobility.”
A
recognized 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, SUDS makes two
trips, with up to six wounded veterans, to Guantanamo Bay
yearly. Joint Task Force Guantanamo Trooper and certified
dive instructor Army Capt. Sarah Cleveland wasn't on hand
for the first trip in 2008 but she has worked with the
program since the second visit.
“This is one of the
most rewarding experiences here on the island,” Cleveland
said. “It's such a good feeling watching these guys go from
being nervous about diving at first to accepting it and
really enjoying it.”
Along with serving as one of the
instructors, Cleveland and members of the Reef Raiders Dive
Club and Ocean Enterprises Dive shop spearheaded the
logistical efforts needed to bring the Soldiers to
Guantanamo Bay.
“We had nearly 100 volunteers from
all over donate their time and effort to help this all
together,” Cleveland said.
Volunteers cleaned up
beaches, move scuba equipment and assisted the wounded
warriors in and out of the water.
“Everyone has been
so supportive of our efforts,” Cleveland said.
The
SUDS crew arrived on Guantanamo Bay, Feb. 17 and began
earning their scuba certification. However, the process
began before the soldiers even stepped off the plane.
“There was a whole bunch of online courses we had to do,
work in the pool and medical clearances we had to get before
we could come here,” White explained.
Sitting on the
beach on Saturday morning, White said he learned a lot from
his dives on Friday and was implementing some of the
adjustments for his upcoming dives.
“The split fins
really make a difference and I'm working out some of the
kinks with the prosthetic,” he said, explaining the varying
degrees of pressure from the different depths affected his
prosthetic differently.
“This has totally been worth
all the effort put it in,” White said. “I plan on going back
and telling all of my friends this is something they should
do.”
Staff Sgt. Stefanie Mason echoed White's
remarks.
“Standing here above the surface, you just
can't imagine what it's like under the water,” she said.
Mason has limited use of her right leg and suffered a
mild traumatic brain injury due to a vehicle accident while
serving with the 352nd Civil Affairs Command in Afghanistan.
“Having all these people out here, helping us, it's made
it really enjoyable,” said Mason.
The trip to
Guantanamo Bay is the first time since her accident she has
been away from her nonmedical care giver, her mother for an
extended period of time.
“My mom was really worried
about me coming out here,” she said. “But I'm going to have
so many stories to tell her, it's just been amazing.”
The warriors will dive from the shores of Hidden Beach
twice before heading to Cable Beach for a party with all the
volunteers who helped bring the event together.
The
following day the crew of seven divers and all their
instructors will take to the boats for an open water dive,
their final set of underwater exploration before heading
back to the United States.
Of the many volunteers on
the beach Saturday was JTF Guantanamo commander, Rear Adm.
Jeffrey Harbeson.
“It's simply inspiring to see what
these men and women have done and accomplished,” the admiral
said.“This is really going to open some doors for them and
it's just an honor to be here.”
“This is something I
will keep with me for all my life,” said Mason. “All the
challenges I've had to overcome to finally get certified in
Cuba!” |
Article and photo by Army SSgt. Benjamin Cossel
Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs
Copyright 2011 | |
Provided
through DVIDS
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