1st Battalion, 5th Marines Reunite in Costa Rica

Ramadi, 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. 

Freedom Alliance invited five veterans from 1/5 to attend our Offshore Experience program at Los Sueños Resort & Marina in Costa Rica. Since these men had shared the battlespace of Ramadi in 2005, this event was a reunion of sorts. But amid the festivities of reuniting warriors, the program added a therapeutic component to help these warriors carry on after combat. 

The selected participants included Bill Dunning from Texas, Travis Armenta from Nevada, Freddie Cavasos from California, and Jason Black from Arizona. Bill served in 1/5 Charlie Company as a machine gunner at the same time as Travis. Jason served on several deployments with Charlie Company, then switched to Headquarters where he served in a Jump platoon. Freddie first served in the late 1990s; then he re-enlisted in 2004 and switched to combat arms, serving in Weapons company in Ramadi as a battalion-level Quick Reaction Force. Freddie and Travis continued serving in 1/5 afterwards and deployed to Afghanistan together.

We invited Mike Walker to return as co-leader of the event. Mike, also a 1/5 Marine who served in Jump platoon with Jason, has participated in several Offshore Experience events and has become a role model for the success of carrying war trauma. He has co-led a couple other events with Freedom Alliance, but this one was different. These were his fellow Marines who intimately knew the same battlespace.

He said, “It’s one thing to talk about your trauma to other warriors, and it’s another thing to talk about the trauma knowing the listeners all experienced the same event.”

Upon arrival in Costa Rica, the men were all smiles and immediately began the friendly banter and ribbing that exemplifies brotherhood. After they got situated in their condos, donated for the week by grateful Americans, we gave them swag bags that included shirts from Anetik and Tunaskin, necksleeves for sun protection, and more. The icing on the cake came from Hook Optics, which donated a pair of sunglasses for each warrior. Freedom Alliance supporter John McLean joined the group for dinner to welcome them to the “neighborhood” of Los Sueños Resort.

To begin the fun activities, we headed south along the coast the next day to Rainmaker Conservation Park, which is 1,500 acres, featuring a hiking circuit complete with suspension bridges, waterfalls, rivers, and miles of untouched rainforest. The men of 1/5 enjoyed the unique setting and sometimes daunting trek, crossing suspension bridges along the jungle canopy. At the base of the mountain trail, they didn’t hesitate to take advantage of a swimming hole that was stirred by a small waterfall.

Fearless, Mike used a rope to climb partway up the rock and then plunge into the pooling water. It was contagious, and soon everyone was climbing the rope and jumping into the cold water. Other water attractions awaited along the hiking path, and we would occasionally stop for a few minutes to drink in the beauty. 

After arriving back at the resort, we began to explore the workbook that focuses on warriorhood and its costs. Taking examples from history and mythology, the program teaches that warriors today are not very different from the warriors of older times: they suffered the same trauma of combat. The first night’s session set the framework, and every night after, we would return to build upon it.

For their first day offshore, we were greeted by Captain Brandon Walton as we boarded the 64-foot Viking yacht, aptly named War Party—a generous donation from the owner, Paul Lokey of Florida. We caught three sailfish, saw some whales, and then decided to look for tuna. It was late afternoon, and we only had about 35 minutes left in the day, when we found a school. We got to see a great feeding frenzy right behind the boat, but the tuna weren’t hungry for our bait. The vets had a great experience, and Captain Brandon and his crew treated the men like royalty. 

The next day, the group took a break from fishing to relax at Isla Tortuga, a scenic island with white sand, blue water, and palm trees. This day was a treat from Jim Kitchell, owner of Costa Cat Cruises, who runs an island tour company. On Tortuga, the men enjoyed swimming, snorkeling, and hiking and were served lunch by the Costa Cat staff. That evening, Freedom Alliance supporter Andy Shapiro and his friends from New Jersey treated the men to dinner at a beachfront restaurant. 

We enjoyed a second day of fishing on Maya, a 58-foot Viking, captained by John LaGrone. That day, we found some floating debris that had created its own ecosystem and pulled in several sailfish, nine small wahoos, and one large 40-pound wahoo, among several other species. The men were reeling most of the day. 

On their sixth day in Costa Rica, the group began with a morning hike that included a stop at a favorite overlook Mirador, which is a half-constructed hotel that overlooks Jaco Beach. Then they continued up the mountain to a spot that overlooks both Jaco and Hermosa Beaches. After lunch and showers, the men were treated to massages at Serenity Spa. The facility is part of Villa Caletas, a boutique hotel on a ridgeline overlooking the Pacific Ocean. That night, we finished our workbook sessions and prepared for their departure. 

At the end of the week, Mike said, “Because I faced that fear of facing these guys [who] knew the truth, I was terrified of how this was going to go. I opened up to them about everything, and I got so much peace and clarity from it. It’s the impact of [the] lessons that got me to a place where I could do that… I was so worried that I would leave there wishing I had said more or addressed something, but I don’t at all.”

Jason wrote a long note after returning home: “Truly amazing week with Offshore Experience in Costa Rica! This trip far exceeded my expectations on so many levels. From the beautiful resort, to the exceptional condos, fine-dining, private island, awesome hikes/waterfalls, multi-million-dollar fishing boats, and all the wonderful locals/donors, I was literally blown away every single day.

“The trip was expertly organized and orchestrated by Pepper Ailor, a good man who genuinely cares about our nation’s vets, maintains strong relationships with the locals, and [is] a true pleasure to be around. Not a penny, minute, or single opportunity was wasted, and each event was well-planned, down to the smallest detail. I made memories and friends here that’ll last a lifetime, and this experience definitely taught and reminded me the importance of meaning, purpose, warrior spirit, camaraderie, and continued service to others.

“I’m truly grateful to Freedom Alliance and its amazing donors, recommend this charity highly and without reservation, and look forward to supporting them in the future.”

Bill said, “The workbook and structured sessions were very helpful. They opened my eyes to a new outlook on recovering from the emotions of war. The accommodations were amazing, beyond generous. To see the donors was very rehabilitating, knowing civilians still care about vets that much. My whole experience was incredible and truly life-changing. Thank you for the invitation, and please keep in touch.”

Travis sent his feedback about the program: “I believe the workbook was a huge contribution to the program. I love the approach to keep the warrior mentality in the forefront; it definitely changes the dynamic thought process when it comes to reintegration into society. It revitalizes the belief that we are not broken members of society. We need to stop thinking we are. I believe that in order to maintain a healthy mindset, we need to change the way we think, and that will, eventually over time, with a lot of practice, change the way we feel. This workbook does a fantastic job in that regard.”

Travis continued: “I can’t say enough good things about the benefits of Offshore Experience. Everyone we met was caring and made us feel welcome. The resort was top-notch—it may be one of the most amazing places I have been. Jimmy welcomed us into his home, such a great gesture. Considering [that] all of us knew each other, or at least of each other, [it] was a huge success. No need for ego measuring… It set the bar for future veteran experiences.”