An Epic Day of Diving
FORCE BLUE
Luminox has long supported the Navy SEALs through partnerships with several groups in their organization as well as officially partnering with the Navy SEAL Foundation. It is built into our brand DNA. Over the years, we, at Luminox, have had the pleasure of meeting many SEALs - those on active duty and veterans as well. In these conversations, we have heard stories of bravery and courage, many worthy of a Hollywood movie script.
We have also learned of tragedy and sadness and the loss of fellow comrades. Each story is different in its own turn. Earlier this year, we were so inspired by a new story that we wanted to share it with you.
FORCE BLUE is a group of Special Operations Veterans who have come together to link their technical and unparalleled diving skills with ecologically sustainable projects that require their unique capabilities.
Celebrating the launch of the Luminox Pacific Diver Chronograph, we literally joined forces with the Force Blue team for a coral reforestation project harvesting and “planting” nursery grown deer antler corals in collaboration with Miami University in an effort to re-establish the coral reef system in Key Biscayne, which has been devastated by hurricanes, pollution and factors related to global warming.
This wasn’t the first time these veterans have been on a mission like this one. The project kicked off in Miami during Superbowl LIV.
Over a day of diving, Luminox joined FORCE BLUE and Miami University divers and observed the attachment of the new coral to the reef. In conversations on our boat ride and during the dive breaks, what we learned from the FORCE BLUE team was a sense of purpose this new mission provided them. Being with other Special Operations veterans, Miami University educators and students and our Luminox team, a new community was created to help these heroic veterans along the healing process.
One FORCE BLUE member explained it to us: “Many of us suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PSTD) from our military tours and imagine it like this…you are in constant pain from a pinched nerve or severe, chronic back pain. The work we do on these FORCE BLUE diving trips are mission driven dives that create small pauses in the pain cycle. The longer the pauses the greater the peace we are able to achieve and that is when the healing happens.”
We’ll never forget our dive, we made friends for life, and we helped nurture these reefs.
