![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() With one day of fishing already under their belts and some tutelage from Dave and the mates, the Marines felt confident enough to hook the fish themselves. The next day, we boarded Mjolnir, a 70-foot Viking yacht, owned by Jim Smith and captained by Dave Harris. By the time we docked back at the marina at sunset, a total of 28 sailfish had been caught. Richard snagged a smaller yellowfin tuna, which was prepared as sashimi for lunch. “It was way bigger than me!” he exclaimed. Captain Victor Julio and the crew provided a friendly and thrilling day on the water. Take, for example, the fishing adventure our four Marines experienced.Ĭarmen Galati, of Galati Yacht Sales, and John Sercu, owner of the 55-foot Viking yacht Tag Team II and Army Ranger, treated the men to a day of offshore fishing. Good people donate to Freedom Alliance-financially and in other ways, as you will see-and we find the veterans who need what these donors can give. ![]() Now, with the Offshore Experience, we want to take it one giant step further-we want to change veterans’ perspective on their post-war life. For over a decade, our outdoor recreational expeditions and once-in-a-lifetime vacations have been what sets us apart. Since 1990, Freedom Alliance has earned its reputation for providing events, services, grants, and scholarships to military veterans and their families, as an expression of appreciation for their service from our generous donors. This two-part program is framed inside five days at the Los Sueños Resort and Marina in Costa Rica. Ed Tick, the author of Warrior’s Return: Restoring the Soul after War. We combine an offshore fishing adventure with structured, therapeutic conversations, outlined by Dr. They sacrificed their comfort and safety to serve our country, but now they must endure nightmares, insomnia, negative thinking, survivor’s guilt, and hypervigilance, to name a few.īut the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience is designed to counter these symptoms of so-called “post-traumatic stress disorder” (PTSD). He deployed with James to the Sunni Triangle of Death.įor these four, as well as countless other combat veterans, the war continues at home. Mike joined the Marines as a warehouse clerk, but the Corps determines its own needs and reassigned Mike as a security gunner on a bomb technician squad. Indeed, the injuries forced Richard into early retirement, but James deployed again. James recalls the agony of watching his friend leave the battle space bloodied, knowing he would not be coming back to fight another day. In 2004, they were both wounded in a blast that led to a partial amputation of Richard’s hand and peppered him with shrapnel. Richard, a machine gunner, served with James, a Scout Sniper. In February, Jacob, now medically retired from the Marine Corps, made the journey to Costa Rica from his home in south Texas to join three comrades from Chicago, who also served in Iraq. Seven years later, he was injured again, losing a leg to an enemy’s explosive device. For this battle, he earned a commendation medal for valor and a Purple Heart for wounds received. During Operation Phantom Fury, Jacob saw his close friends killed in Fallujah. He served three deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan. This humble sergeant possesses a heroic record of service. But it was much more than that,” Jacob would say at the conclusion of the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience. And what we hope will become a new way of life for these warriors. For these veterans, who fought overseas and returned not in one piece, this balcony is their initiation into Pura Vida-the pure life. It’s the same act, same scene every time, which is why we make this summit outlook our first stop on the tour. No one who comes here can resist capturing this image on their smart phones. ![]()
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