Established as a 501c3 nonprofit organization, FORCE BLUE seeks to address two seemingly unrelated problems — the rapidly declining health of our planet’s marine resources and the difficulty returning combat veterans have in adjusting to civilian life — through one, mission-focused program.
By uniting the community of Special Operations veterans with the world of marine science and conservation, FORCE BLUE has created a transpartisan model of caring, cooperation and positive change ... Read More
Established as a 501c3 nonprofit organization, FORCE BLUE seeks to address two seemingly unrelated problems — the rapidly declining health of our planet’s marine resources and the difficulty returning combat veterans have in adjusting to civilian life — through one, mission-focused program.
By uniting the community of Special Operations veterans with the world of marine science and conservation, FORCE BLUE has created a transpartisan model of caring, cooperation and positive change with the power to restore lives and restore the planet.
FORCE BLUE’s Veteran Training Program accomplishes this mission by recruiting from the most highly skilled, highly trained individuals within the veteran Spec Ops community, retooling them under the tutelage of esteemed marine scientists and conservationists and then redeploying them on missions of preservation and restoration around the globe.
Since 2017, FORCE BLUE has executed four (4) cycles of the Veteran Scientific Diver Training Program, successfully training dozens of veterans who now serve as active FORCE BLUE Scientific Divers. This intense training program is designed to give these incredibly skilled operators a fresh take on the underwater world. The idea is to teach them how to think about the ocean - not as work or something to be overcome - but as an interdependent community of life, currently under threat, that needs their help to survive. In addition, the program instills in them the basic preservation and restoration training they’ll need to join the FORCE BLUE community and embark on marine conservation deployments around the world.
Veterans begin their training, and introduction into the organization, in a setting that mirrors a military-style schoolhouse where these recruits are instructed by a cadre of the best minds in the fields of marine science and conservation. It is here where they are taught how to properly ID fish, marine reptiles, and mammals, how best to combat invasive species, what is required to successfully grow and transplant different types of coral, the importance of preserving mangroves and seagrass, how to install protective mooring buoys, remove ghost gear and marine debris, as well as how to effectively survey shipwrecks and artificial reefs. In addition to training veterans as American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) divers, the program outcomes center on restoring aspects of their quality of life that may have been lost upon leaving the service. This includes but is not limited to, fostering a renewed sense of purpose, increasing confidence levels, creating a deeper sense of community, and the opportunity to join in the fight for a cause greater than themselves.
Interpersonal relationships are a key aspect to program success and FORCE BLUE veterans are actively encouraged to foster connections with their peers, providing mutual support within the community. Additionally, veterans are empowered to actively seek out further opportunities for personal and professional growth within the veteran community, thereby contributing to their overall well-being and success.
The precision combat diving expertise of this skilled team is indispensable, enabling FORCE BLUE to undertake and accomplish numerous critical conservation initiatives including,
· Coral Restoration & Rehabilitation
· Coral Disease Response
· Marine Debris Removal
· Underwater Survey Work
· Shipwreck Mapping
· Invasive Species Eradication
· Marine Mammal & Reptile Rescue
· Shark Tagging
· Scientific Research & Development
· Hurricane/Disaster Recovery
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