I served in the Army during the Viet Nam era as a Paratrooper in the Infantry. When I got back to the states I relocated to Florida. Although it was not called “PTSD” back then ....I was in pretty bad shape and needed something to replace the near insane lifestyle I had lived in the Army. There was a dive shop around the corner from my apartment. I walked in one afternoon and introduced myself to the owner. He in turn began telling me all about SCUBA. I was taken immediately by his description and within a couple weeks I took the Open Water course, which back then was the equivalent of Basic and Advanced Open Water.
Long story short, I ended up going back to college and became a Paramedic and Radiology Tech. During that period of time I went onto be a SCUBA Divemaster (PADI). I wrote to the Cousteau’s and asked them if they accepted “outsiders” on expeditions. At first I got no answer but finally one day the letter came and I was invited to dive with the Cousteau Team. It was a dream come true. I was invited back a second time the following summer.
I concluded my “active” diving in 2008 with over 20 years as a Divemaster and well over 1000 logged dives ....
