“The ocean does not erase what people have experienced, but it can provide moments of peace, connection, and accomplishment.“
by John Christopher Fine, J.D., Instructor Trainer, Boynton Beach, FL
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WHEN MY UNCLES RETURNED from World War II, their attitudes were very different. The U.S. Army veteran could not wait to take off his uniform, bundle up everything, and throw it away. The U.S. Navy veteran kept everything. Many years later, he gave me his uniforms. His jumper fit me perfectly, though we enjoyed a good laugh when he tried to put it on again.
Those memories speak to the complexity of military service, especially during wartime. Every person reacts differently to the trauma, discipline, and demands of service. Some leave the military eager to move on. Others hold tightly to the identity, skills, and relationships formed during those years.
No matter the nation or branch of service, military experience leaves a mark. Discipline becomes part of behavior. Wounded veterans may carry physical injuries for life. Psychological scars may be even more difficult to understand or discuss.
For many veterans and active-duty service members, diving can offer something powerful: focus, calm, purpose, and a return to confidence in the water. The ocean does not erase what people have experienced, but it can provide moments of peace, connection, and accomplishment. Anyone who has helped a veteran or service member return to diving, learn to dive, or dive with family members understands how meaningful that experience can be.
Over the years, I have trained many divers and guided many more in the U.S. and around the world. On the island of Truk in Micronesia, now commonly known as Chuuk Lagoon, I was filming and taking underwater photographs for a book about the Japanese shipwrecks sunk during American air attacks in 1944. One day, a U.S. Navy veteran stopped me on shore after I finished working. He told me he had been part of the task force that attacked Truk Lagoon. He wanted to know what I had seen below.
I asked if he would like to see it for himself. “No, I can’t dive,” he said. “I’m too old now and in no condition.”
That did not end the conversation. I assured him that the next day I would get him a mask, a life jacket, and take him to a shallow wreck site we called the bow gun wreck. All he had to do was float on his stomach and look down. That simple experience lifted his spirits and gave him an unforgettable moment. It returned him to a place connected to his past, but in a way that brought peace instead of danger.
I write this after taking a U.S. Navy EOD, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, diver out aboard Kyalami, a dive boat operating from Jupiter, Florida. It had been years since he had been diving. He had just gotten his teenage daughter certified and looked forward to diving with her in the future. Despite his prior Navy experience, this was his first civilian dive experience in a long time.
Diving is not always like riding a bicycle. Returning to open water after years away requires reestablishing comfort, confidence, and the habits learned in training. Some former military divers may not want to be treated like beginners. Some may even resist civilian instructor supervision. Their experience may be extensive, but the transition back into recreational diving still requires care, respect, and professionalism.
On that dive, there were nurse sharks, Goliath groupers, a large lemon shark, tropical fish, coral, and warm, clear water. We drifted along at 80 feet, then topped the reef at 70 feet as this veteran returned to a place of comfort and peace. The Kyalami crew and divemasters made him feel welcome, using the same careful briefings and procedures that are part of their normal operation. That consistency created trust.
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In the Florida Keys, a group of veterans came together for a cleanup dive sponsored by a local supermarket. Mike Goldberg at Key Dives welcomed them, provided rental equipment at no cost when needed, and made sure the group had what they needed for successful, productive dives. Removing debris from coral reefs gave these veterans purpose, satisfaction, and an enjoyable day in the water.
For dive operators and retailers, veterans and military groups represent an often overlooked audience. Some are already trained divers who simply need a respectful pathway back into the water. Others may be interested in learning to dive with family members. Some may pursue professional level training through available military education benefits, scholarships, or outside sponsorship programs. Local businesses, civic groups, supermarkets, service organizations, and veterans groups may also be willing to support events, cleanup dives, adaptive programs, or community outreach.
This is not only goodwill. It is good business when done sincerely and professionally. Dive boats like Kyalami welcome veterans. Many operators already provide the support needed to help divers with disabilities participate safely. Adaptive scuba organizations, volunteer teams, and instructors trained in adaptive techniques can also help dive businesses serve this community properly.
For instructors, there is a special sense of accomplishment in helping active-duty service members, veterans, and their families enjoy diving for recreation, confidence, connection, and purpose. It is more than recognizing the sacrifice of service. It is an opportunity to use the ocean as a place of welcome.
For dive businesses, the takeaway is simple: do not overlook the people who have served. Invite them. Support them. Partner with local veteran organizations. Offer refresher opportunities. Create family-focused dive days. Build cleanup events with purpose. Work with adaptive scuba groups when appropriate.
There are forgotten heroes in nearly every community. Many of them may be ready to return to the water, or discover it for the first time, if a dive professional simply opens the door.
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