Help Veterans Save Coral Reefs

Help preserve precious coral reefs and rehabilitate returning combat veterans. One tank of air provides one hour of dive time for a veteran to restore coral reefs.

On April 23, 2017, a group of 7 Special Operation Forces (SOF) veterans embarked on their first Force Blue expedition. Their mission? Restore damaged and dying coral reefs in the Cayman Islands. And in the process, restore themselves.

Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan experience an incredible amount of pain and trauma, made worse by a feeling of "separation from service" and lack of a positive mission going forward. At the same time, rising water temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution, overfishing and overdevelopment have brought our oceans, rivers and lakes to the brink of destruction. That is why Force Blue is creating a modern-day team of SOF veterans with the aptitude and ability to achieve great things on the marine conservation front.

In the coming year, these carefully selected and trained veterans are planning to restore coral reefs, remove invasive species, assist with humpback whale migration, and much more. However, these veterans - and coral reefs - need our help to make these critical missions happen.

You can help. Join Force Blue's One Team, One Fight. Help create purpose and honor of service for returning Veterans. Help restore and protect our oceans, bays, rivers and streams. As one Force Blue veteran explained, this program "finally shows [me] the way home".

Report From The Field

April - May 2017

With your help, Force Blue embarked on their first mission to restore coral reefs in the Cayman Islands. Selected SOF veterans worked to tag, transport and transplant 100 Staghorn Corals on the degraded reef site, strategically placed to promote genetic diversity and to increase the corals' reproductive success. Force Blue will continue to be active in the maintenance, monitoring and measuring of the reef site.

FORCE BLUE is a non-profit 501(c)(3) that seeks to unite the community of Special Operations Veterans with the world of coral reef conservation for the betterment of both. FORCE BLUE gives former combat divers and SOF veterans an opportunity to experience and explore one of the most critically endangered ecosystems on the planet and to adapt their training and teamwork to aid in its protection.