Barry Kitterman (above right) of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship accepted a certificate of appreciation from Nancy McPherson, founder of Underwater Warriors, for a contribution in support of the rehabilitation work this non-profit center offers soldiers recovering from injuries sustained in the Iraq and Afghanistan war.

Underwater Warriors is a charitable and educational non-profit created to provide scuba diving as therapeutic recreation for injured servicemen and women. Armed with adaptive skills, injured soldiers are now defying gravity, liberating bodies confined to wheelchairs, and finding freedom once again in an underwater world.

McPherson, who has worked tirelessly to establish this program, attended the Unitarian service Sunday morning to personally thank the congregation for their support. Underwater warriors is a scuba diving program that allows wounded soldiers and their family members (over age 10) to participate in a unique form of water therapy and exercise.

For more information on the Underwater Warrior program, contact McPherson at Underwater Warriors, P.O. Box 2117, Fort Campbell, KY 42223.

Photo Credit: Debbie Boen

The benefit luncheon is offered on the first Sunday of every month by Monell owner Michael King. The meal features home cooked family-style food. The August event drew patrons from across Middle and Western Tennessee, and soldiers participating in the program were on hand to meet their supporters for this unique program.

Underwater Training is held at Fort Campbell, and family members over age 10 are encouraged to share this training and learning experience with their wounded soldier in the safe environment of a pool. Discover Scuba classes are the first step toward certification in this activity and allows soldiers to “test the water” and the world of scuba before committing to open water dive training and certification.

The Discover Scuba course teaches the fundamentals of scuba including adaptive techniques for overcoming any disability. Underwater Warriors can continue therapy through additional underwater education including specialty certifications and professional accreditation regardless of their disability. IAHD (International Association for Handicapped Divers) certification will be offered in September.

Underwater warriors take a “green” approach to their blue water dives, using techniques that minimize the impact of dives on reefs and marine life.

Underwater Warriors Foundation was recently featured in Scuba magazine. For more information, call Monell’s at 615-790-6998 for more information or directions. No reservations are needed for this event; simply arrive, and be prepared for great food and good conversation.

For more information on Underwater warriors, visit their website at www.underwaterwarriors.org.

Soldier Sunday will be held for the first time on Sunday, August 5, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Monell’s Restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee, with proceeds benefiting the Underwater Warriors program at Fort Campbell.

Underwater Warriors Foundation Inc. provides scuba diving as mind, body, spirit therapy for severely injured soldiers. Underwater Warriors is part of a feature article, Fighting back, in the August issue of Scuba Diving magazine.

“Our warriors, every single one of them, are coming home injured”, says Nancy MacPherson, founder of Underwater Warriors, a Fort Campbell-based scuba diving program that has an optional therapeutic component soldiers can apply for. McPherson created Under Water Warriors a year ago as a non-profit organization.

Michael King, owner of Monell’s Restaurant (located just off the town square in Franklin) plans to host Soldier Sunday on the first Sunday of every month to benefit this unique program. Some program participants will be on hand to meet with guest, including Bryan Price, a Fort Campbell soldier, who is featured in the Scuba magazine article.“Along with loss of limbs and other physical injuries, soldiers are experiencing short term memory loss and TBI, traumatic brain loss. And they are very angry. They already know that no one wants to hear about their anger. If someone does want to hear their story, the soldiers are very careful about who to talk too. They don’t want to be used by anyone for any reason.”

McPherson said the soldiers of today are “honest, patriotic and intelligent. But what do they do with their stress injuries, anguish and anger if no one can help them deal with it?” Such feelings are internalized, stuffed down inside and suffered, endured in silence. The soldiers suffer, and their families suffer because of it, McPherson said. She explained that returning soldiers come home to welcoming families but are withdrawn, experiencing outbursts of anger and no longer know how to re-adjust and reset purposes in their lives.

McPherson started Underwater Warriors as a way to help these soldiers “find something that is fun, challenging, and healing.” The program’s result have exceeded her expectations. The water is soothing, has therapeutic properties. Being in the water helps her soldiers “reduce stress.”

“The water has a way of healing the anger that has welled up inside,” she said. “This activity casts no judgement … it gives them the challenge that they need in their life.” They are still warriors, she added. They do battle with their ailments, taking on the diving as a warrior would. Even missing limbs, they are stronger than most students she has. Diving is a challenge, and they “thrive on it.”

You can contact Underwater Warriors at 615-373-2879 or by logging into their website at www.underwaterwarriors.org.

No reservations are needed for the Soldier Sunday event, but those wanting more information or explicit directions can call the restaurant at 615-790-6998.