Diving in: Soldiers take 'feet first' approach to healing

FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Scuba diving was once used as a method to sink battleships during war, but has evolved into a less destructive activity: providing a peaceful underwater escape for many, including today's wounded warriors.

In 2009, about 20 Fort Drum Soldiers embarked on a mission to find a fitting activity for not just other Soldiers, but for wounded Soldiers in the Warrior Transition Unit.

The Soldiers, some wounded warriors themselves, donned diving gear and submerged themselves in the task, measuring their pain from beginning to end -- from entering to exiting the water.

Two Soldiers, Staff Sgt. Daniel Altig, a member of the WTU cadre, and Staff Sgt Juan Carrasco, who is no longer at Fort Drum, are credited with implementing the program.

Altig, an avid scuba diver, pushed for the program because he knew scuba diving involved deep breathing aspects and a weightless feeling, both of which can have therapeutic effects -- especially for someone with mental and physical injuries.

"Ninety-five percent of the pain went away while (the Soldiers) were in the water," Altig explained.

After that, they knew the program would be worthwhile for Soldiers with amputated limbs, post-traumatic stress disorder, and lower back and body injuries.

Scuba, an acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, sees nearly 500,000 new divers certified yearly in the United States.

At Fort Drum, program participants earn their certification through National Aquatic Service, a scuba diving school in Syracuse.

Diving school instructors travel to Fort Drum each Friday for seven weeks, offering three-hour sessions to Soldiers and civilians, with the prospects of certifying as many divers as they can -- about 60 individuals since the program's inception.

Mike Druce, owner of National Aquatic Service, said they decided to provide the program to WTU Soldiers because it seemed like a "perfect fit," since divers experience little stress while underwater.

"It seemed like a good program for Soldiers who needed an outlet, and it's something we can easily provide for them," he explained.

Soldiers start out slow the first two weeks, by building confidence and learning basic skills in the shallow end and familiarizing themselves with the equipment on land, Altig explained. The equipment and gear is provided by WTU and National Aquatic Service.

After a few weeks of integration, the soon-to-be divers jump in the deep end, where they work on the same skills they learned the first couple of weeks.

"It's repetitive so (participants) not only gain physical memory, but also muscle memory," Altig explained, noting these skills teach the divers how to react in an emergency situation.

Once participants near the end of seven weeks, they familiarize themselves with the dry suit, which divers wear in cold water.

"A lot of people need more than seven weeks. Some people do it in six weeks. But seven weeks is the test-out period," Altig said. "It is kind of a crawl, walk, run situation."

Once divers are comfortable with the equipment and diving, they participate in open-water dives in Skaneateles.

During this time, those who went through the training can become certified scuba divers.

Altig said many Soldiers, once they earn their certification, will continue to dive with other Soldiers on weekends in local water, such as the St. Lawrence River and Alexandria Bay.

"It's a good, clean activity. Most of us divers want to take it easy. We're just looking to go out and float around in the water where there are no phones ringing," Druce explained.

Not only are Soldiers learning to scuba dive -- a skill set they can take with them wherever they go -- but they also gain camaraderie with their fellow Soldiers, he said.

"Now they have more of a common interest, so they'll go out and do stuff together," he added.

Altig agrees, noting that diving gives WTU Soldiers something out of the ordinary to do while they're going through the transition process.

"It's just another avenue or outlet for them to use," he said."(WTU Soldiers) find that it's more comfortable than anything to be out on open water."

"It's just a very peaceful environment to be in. When you add the weightlessness of being underwater, it's just a very calming time," Druce added.

Not only has the program benefitted WTU Soldiers, but it also has helped other Fort Drum Soldiers.

Although Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Haapala, WTU platoon sergeant, had a desire to learn to scuba dive since he was 8 years old, the program also helped him with another craving: alleviate a noncombat-related injury.

Haapala, who has a leg injury, once led an active lifestyle. As time progressed, he found it difficult to do the things he loves -- hiking, biking and skiing. He said scuba diving has allowed him to remain active without putting strain on his injured knee.

"Being in the water is aqua therapy. There's no strain on my joints," Haapala said."It's very tranquil, serene (and) relaxing under the water," he said. "It's a great sport."

For others, scuba diving is a release -- a way for them to return to a time before the mental and physical anguish set in.

"(Scuba diving) takes my mind completely off of what's going on. It kind of makes me feel like I'm back to my old self," said Pfc. Cody Brown, a WTU Soldier who just completed his certification.

Brown, who stepped on an improvised explosive device while deployed to Afghanistan a year ago, endured a foot injury and a traumatic brain injury.

Scuba diving has helped him cope with the physical and mental trauma left behind after the event.

"When you're in the water, you're weightless and sitting there just floating. It doesn't take too much energy to use your legs," he explained.

Although Brown sometimes feels a bout of claustrophobia while in his wet suit, which divers wear in warmer water, he said he believes that it's important for him to push past his limits as part of the healing process.

Not only is it a new hobby for Brown to pursue, but it's also an activity that he can enjoy locally with his comrades.

"We can relate to each other while diving. We have more to talk about than just our injuries," Brown said. "We're doing more and seeing more than just being part of our injury."

Information for this article came from http://marinebio.org/oceans/scuba/.

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