Mothers and sometimes fathers have long tried to curb their sons’ desires to join the military by nudging them toward a less risky career. And if that fails, they will perhaps encourage the Air Force as the safest option. But there are several jobs in the Air Force of which parents remain ignorant and which can offer an aspiring warrior the action they desire: the Combat Controller, Pararescueman, and Tactical Air Control Specialist.
Read MoreRamadi, Iraq, in 2005 was a den of insurgency. For the Marines of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines (1/5), this meant constant patrols in areas where the enemy blended in with the local populace. The confusion this creates in the psyche—that anyone could be an enemy in disguise—is haunting.
Read MoreAs International Women’s Day was incoming, four women arrived in Costa Rica for the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience. Each year, Freedom Alliance hosts dozens of events that include combat veterans, but this one is dedicated solely to women who wore the uniform and engaged in combat.
Read MoreWithin the Air Force are several communities that operate within the Special Operations sphere, to include Combat Controllers and Pararescuemen (better known as “PJs”). Combat Controllers are highly specialized warriors who get attached to special operations teams like SEALs, Delta, Special Forces, and Marine Raiders. They have communications with air assets and call down the munitions from the air craft to aid in missions. PJs are a breed of warriors who work closely with Combat Controllers – sharing much of the same training but specialize in rescue missions in hostile or unreachable areas.
Read MoreFreedom Alliance’s Offshore Experience program recently invited five combat veterans who had fought in the early years of the war in Iraq. Among them were two Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) technicians, Brian C. and Eric S.
Brian is a Marine “mustang”—meaning he was initially enlisted and later launched through the officer pipeline—who served 30 years. He completed seven deployments, including Operations Desert Storm/Desert Shield, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan).
Read MoreThe group selected for December had a common experience of fighting in Afghanistan during the hard-fought years of 2010–2012. With the controversial withdrawal of troops in 2021, we felt this was a group that deserved our focus.
Read MoreJay P. served honorably when our country drafted him to fight in Vietnam. He entered the Army in 1969 as an infantryman and returned to the States by way of Japan after being wounded. Once Jay came home to Virginia, he didn’t leave again…until he was invited by Freedom Alliance to return to the jungle once more. This time, however, it was a different jungle and a different mission.
Read MoreThe night before our warriors would arrive to the latest Offshore Experience, a storm battered the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, washing ashore a large sailboat from its mooring in Herradura Bay. Fortunately, the weather calmed by the next day when our guests reached their international destination: Los Sueños Resort and Marina, a premier luxury condominium resort that has been the home of Freedom Alliance events since 2013. The generosity of the community at Los Sueños is why and how we are able to host this much-needed program for combat veterans.
Read MoreOn occasion, Freedom Alliance will gather a group of war fighters who fought in the same battlespace; this commonality provides instant connectivity and group cohesion. In my opinion, those who fought in Ramadi during the early years of the war in Iraq deserve our focused effort.
Read MoreWhen examining the female warrior identity, psychologist Edward Tick points out the dichotomy between the historical position of women as “life-givers” and the warrior role of “life-takers.” This contrast produces a complex duality for women who have experienced the trauma of war. As such, women warriors must learn to reconcile the two identities to achieve harmony. And probably more than anything, they need each other.
Read More“First There” is the motto of the United States Air Force Combat Controllers. Combat Controllers are part of the Special Operations community and act as an attachment to other specialized teams like the Navy SEALs, Delta, Special Forces, and others. They are trained in a variety of skills that include scuba diving, parachuting, snowmobiling, and air traffic control. In the fight, they call down air assets to help control the battlespace. In peacekeeping or humanitarian missions, they set up and operate incoming and outbound aircraft. Those who make it through the selection and rigorous training earn the scarlet beret. In February, Freedom Alliance hosted a group of six red berets—Combat Controllers—to the Offshore Experience program in Costa Rica.
Read MoreWar produces a bond like no other—one that is hard to imitate afterwards. Shared hardships, common experiences, and the necessity of trust combine in a life-or-death environment to forge friendships that make other relationships seem dull.
At Freedom Alliance, we’ve found that camaraderie is one measure of success that can’t be ignored, and we work hard to put together small groups with the best chance of cohesion.
Read More“Going to war is easy,” said Daniel M., a combat veteran who recently participated in the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience with two other veterans.
“Coming home is much more complicated.”
Daniel’s sentiment is exactly why the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience is so important. We not only treat combat veterans to a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in Costa Rica, but we teach them how to live with their burdens from war in an intentional and structured series of sessions.
Read MoreWhen a service member joins the armed forces, they commit to a life of service. Continuing to serve others is important to the warrior’s journey, especially after the war’s end. And yet, the current policy is to classify our veterans as “disabled” and pay them to stay at home. To the warrior soul, this debilitation is especially destructive.
Read More“The flight out there started with a mix of feelings: excitement and fear,” said Courtney S., one of four participants to attend the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience in June.
“The excitement was obvious,” he continued. “It was going to be the amazing trip, experience, event, and time away I expected. The fear component was the program aspect. It was the unknown of what we were going to do, what would I have to say, and what demons would I be forced to confront….
“But that fear was alleviated in the very first session we did. I instantly knew this program was not going to be like anything else I have ever encountered.”
Read MoreAs Costa Rica ushered in the “green season”—when it rains frequently but the abundant foliage grows lush and verdant—four combat warriors made their way to Los Sueños Resort to participate in the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience.
Read MoreIn 2019, Marine combat veteran Mike Walker attended the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience at Los Sueños Resort in Costa Rica. It was the beginning of a long, and at times painful, journey of the heart.
Read MoreThree warriors journeyed to Costa Rica in February to attend our latest Offshore Experience. (We were slated to host four, but Mother Nature interfered, and our soldier from Texas got caught in the unusual snowstorms. We have arranged for him to attend a future event in April.)
Chris, who lives in Florida, was the first to arrive. He served in the U.S. Army for three years as an indirect fire infantryman, which included two deployments to Afghanistan. D. J., a Marine Chief Warrant Officer, arrived with Ed, a retired Captain in the Army.
Read MoreIn late February, we wrapped up the first Offshore Experience of 2020, not knowing it would be the last in-person event for many months. The borders of Costa Rica closed in March and were not opened again to the United States until November. But early this month, we finally recommenced the important work of the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience—a program designed for small groups of combat veterans to enjoy offshore fishing in Costa Rica while engaging in meaningful healing work and group sessions.
Read MoreCorporal Jeramie Green and Sergeant Kevin Gatson bonded while healing from amputations and other injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. The ups and downs of recovery forged a deep friendship between the two soldiers.
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