Veterans jumping for a purpose
Published 9:58 pm Wednesday, October 12, 2016
A group of wounded servicemen and women will have the opportunity of a lifetime this weekend. On Saturday, 10 armed forces veterans and five sponsors will go skydiving at the Skydive Suffolk facility.
“Most veterans are thrill seekers in some capacity,” said Jason Redman, founder of Combat Wounded Coalition.
However, Redman says, several veterans are intimidated by the idea of extreme events like skydiving due to their injuries.
“They may think they can’t do the things they did before,” he said. “But, I will prove them wrong. If you can do this, you can do anything.”
Redman, who served as a Navy SEAL for more than 21 years, was wounded in action in 2007. He had a round shot into his face and two rounds shot in his left elbow.
During his recovery, he met with other wounded veterans who told their stories, which motivated him to start his organization. The coalition offers an array of programs, events and services focusing on wounded veterans who are Purple Heart recipients and the families of fallen veterans.
Jumping For A Purpose, one of the coalition’s flagship programs, began in 2010. Redman eventually teamed up with Skydive Suffolk a few years later and started hosting sessions at the facility. Skydive Suffolk owner Mike Manthey is also an armed forces veteran, having served more than 20 years in the U.S. Navy.
“It’s an amazing event,” Manthey said.
To date, the program has had 250 participants, according to Redman.
During the 2013 event, 91 participants jumped in one day, Manthey said. However, for the Saturday event, Redman wanted to limit the amount of participants to make the experience more intimate for the veterans.
“We want to share time with them and hear their stories,” Redman said.
At the conclusion of the jumps, Manthey said it is refreshing to see the reactions of the veterans.
“It’s like the weight of the world has been lifted off them,” he said. “The energy they have afterwards is awesome.”
Skydive Suffolk donates a portion of its proceeds to the coalition. Manthey said for every member registered through the organization for a skydive session, $10 will be donated.
Additionally, since 2014, the program has featured as a part of the Patriotic Festival at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.