2024: New Year, New Possibilities Hello Pirates! Happy New Year! We hope this message finds you well and that you had a wonderful holiday season. As we begin 2024, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on our fundraising activities, new recipients, new chapters, and opportunities to join us on our 20th adventure in…
Booty is a breeze in the Big Easy! Current and new Members have a chance to win a trip! Hello Pirates! As you know membership is very important to the crew, as it cements your loyalty and pays for the dive equipment and the training for our recipients and their buddies. So last year we…
Former Lance Corporal Kenta Otawa, USMC Kenta began his military career right out of high school and after basic training studied at a Marine Corps culinary school. During the 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, he was deployed to the island nation and supported the humanitarian effort by coordinating food service for his fellow Marines. It…
Former Corporal Jason Kelley, USMC credits an ultimatum from his grandfather as the motivation to get after his life. He told Jason “Get a job, go to college, or join the military!”. At the time the high school graduate wasn’t too interested in sitting in a classroom, jobs were scarce, so he went to sign up…
Retired Sgt. Joshua Hamilton, US Army Josh Hamilton knew from a very young age he wanted to serve his country and follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, and uncle, he just never guessed there were going to be so many obstacles in the way to reaching that goal. Diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma as a child, the military…
Retired United States Marine Corps Jim Roos found the Dive Pirates through the Denver Divers chapter and couldn’t wait to get certified after a Try Scuba session. His wife and dive buddy Joanne is a PADI certified diver and has helped Jim get into diving. A strong swimmer all his life and with a love…
Jared Davis of Springville, Tennessee was 20 years old at the time of his injury. While asleep in the back seat of a car, the driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed the vehicle. The wreck blew out Jared’s C-4 and C-5, paralyzing him from the neck down and confining him to a wheelchair.…
Retired Sgt. Derrick McMillon, US Army Sergeant First Class Derrick McMillon is a man who doesn’t like to be slowed down. A former Army Ranger and proud veteran, Derrick has adapted to his injuries well and stays as active as possible. Now, Derrick is taking on a new challenge; scuba diving with the Dive Pirates.…
Former Sgt. Kamron Lopez, USMC Kamron of Las Vegas, Nevada joined the Marine Corps after High School, the sixth member of his family to join the Armed Forces. He wanted to see new places and people and experience combat while defending his nation. During his service, he was stationed in Japan, the Middle East, Africa, and…
Scott Wilson Scott comes from a military family, and after he graduated from high school his plan was to work a year or two in the oilfield to get some money behind them and then join the marines. He had all of his paperwork in and was three weeks from leaving to begin his military career when…