FREE OUTWARD BOUND EXCURSIONS OIF/OEF VETS
Outward Bound Wilderness Excursions for OEF/OIF Veterans
Outward Bound, an international non-profit outdoor education program, is offering fully funded outdoor adventure excursions to all OEF/OIF veterans. It doesn't matter what your current military status is (active, inactive,discharged, retired) - you're eligible to attend as long as you deployed in support of OEF/OIF combat operations while in the military. These five-day excursions offer adventure activities such as backpacking, rock climbing, canyoneering, canoeing, and dog sledding in beautiful wilderness areas in Maine, Texas, Colorado, California, and Minnesota. Scheduled courses from Sep 08-Feb 09 are listed below, and future courses will be scheduled soon.
All expedition costs for lodging, equipment, food, and instruction are completely funded by a multi-million dollar Sierra Club grant, including the participants' round-trip transportation between home and the wilderness site. The excursion is offered at no cost to the participant. To sign up for one of the pre-scheduled courses, please contact Doug Hayward at 1-866-669-2362, ext. 8387, or simply e-mail him at
obvets@outwardbound.org.To learn more about the OEF/OIF program, visit the website at
www.outwardboundwilderness.org/veterans.html.You can also contact two of the retired Judge Advocates, Joe and Amy Frisk, who are working for Outward Bound on this incredible program at
vetsor@outwardbound.org, or at (303)968-4420.
OPEN ENROLLMENT COURSES FOR 2008/2009
OUTWARD BOUND OEF/OIF WAR VETERANS EXPEDITIONS
Leadville, Colorado: Backpacking and Rock Climbing in the Colorado Rockies
* September 3-7, 2008
* October 4-8, 2008
Newry, Maine: Backpacking and Canoeing
* October 7-11, 2008
* October 19-23, 2008
Big Bend, Texas: Back packing and Cayoneering
* November 2-6, 2008
* November 15-19, 2008
Joshua Tree National Monument, California: Backpacking and Rock Climbing
* December 3-7, 2008
* December 14-18, 2008
Ely, Minnesota: Dog Sledding
* February 3-7, 2009
posted by Some Soldier's Mom @ 10:13 AM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Hi! I'm also starting up a blog for the soldiers. If you wouldn't mind, please mention the blog! The more support, the better!!!
www.strengthandsupport.blogspot.com
Thanks,
Janelle
ps - love your blog!
For those who try the OWB excursion at Leadville Colorado . . they will be backpacking and rock climbing in and around some great military history.
Camp Hale was up above Leadville and the base from which our 10th Mountain Division and Mountain Training Command in the '40's-'60's so ably trained our soldiers to fight in high altitude conditions. 10,000 feet in altitude and above!
My father was an instructor there in the early 50's.
Anyone who signs up for that should ask to backpack and rock climb around there!
Thanks,
Nina
We are asking for your help. As you may know, Outward Bound, a national non-profit, is offering free wilderness expeditions to OEF/OIF Veterans. When we announced the program in 2008, we had an overwhelming response. At that time we were unable to serve all those interested as we did not fully expect how many Veterans would be interested in the opportunity. Since then we have been able to acquire additional funding and are expanding the program. However, we are now having trouble spreading the word again and reaching these Veterans with the message that this is available again.
Because you have the ability to speak directly to the Veterans, we wanted to ask you if you would be able to include the attached information in your blog. We so desperately want to be sure Veterans know about this FREE service and opportunity to help create a smoother reintegration into civilian life and non-combat redeployment.
Please see more information below and contact me if you need more information or are able to help.
For anything you can do to help us spread the word – Thank you!
Kate
Kate Borgelt
Outward Bound
720/497-2372
kborgelt@outwardbound.org
______________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Kate Borgelt, Marketing and PR
Outward Bound
kborgelt@outwardbound.org
720/497-2372
OUIWARD BOUND EXPANDING FULLY-FUNDED NATIONAL REINTEGRATION WILDERNESS EXPEDITIONS FOR VETERANS
Non-profit organization seeking interested veterans nationwide
Overview:
Outward Bound, a 45-year old national non-profit outdoor, adventure-education
organization, is looking for OEF and OIF Veterans, interested in participating in fully-
funded reintegration wilderness expeditions. Adventures are physically, mentally and
emotionally challenging and work to build the self-confidence, pride, trust and
communication skills necessary to successfully return to their families and communities
following war time service.
Goals of the program are to provide a positive outdoor experiences for military veterans and their families that will enable them to experience the healing benefits of the natural world and benefit from quality environmental education.
Who: Available to all OEF or OIF Veterans who were deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan, pending medical screening
What: A 5-7 day Wilderness Expedition: may include backpacking, rock climbing, canoeing, dogsledding, sailing, sea kayaking and white water rafting
When: Dates available year-round
Where: Wilderness locations include: California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Alabama, Florida
How: What sets Outward Bound apart is that the goal is personal growth. The wilderness and the skills learned to deal with it are simply a vehicle for growth.
Cost: Veterans will not be responsible for cost of expedition including round-trip stateside transportation to course site. Funding provided by the Military Family Outdoor Initiative Project, a joint project of the Sierra Club and The Sierra Club Foundation.
To Enroll: Groups/individuals, please call 1-866-669-2362 ext 8387 (VETS)
Website: http://www.outwardbound.org/index.cfm/do/cp.veterans
I think the soldiers & vets will really enjoy the dog sledding in Minnesota.
It's peacful,and so beautiful up there.It's something they deserve..:)
Nice blog,and great article.
There should be more articles like this one in support of our troops.
Elizabeth in Minnesota
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home