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The Tampa Bay Frogman Swim is an annual fundraiser that works to extend consciousness of the Naval Particular Warfare group. It additionally helps the Navy SEAL Basis. John Doolittle served in the US Navy for 25 years, however he feels as strongly about doing occasions resembling this as he did when he wore the uniform.
“This 12 months, we had our highest attendance of Gold Star spouses. Our aim this 12 months was to hit $1 million for the SEAL Basis to assist Gold Star households,” he stated. “I consider the last word sacrifice being the mother and father, spouses, and youngsters of these which might be left behind.”
Doolittle reported that the 2023 occasion was a large success, and he feels that in addition to being a dad of three children, it’s considered one of his biggest contributions to be part of an occasion resembling this.
“Seeing these households interacting with their beloved one’s teammates and people who served when these family members had been nonetheless round is nice. The enjoyment it could actually carry them is like nothing I’ve ever skilled.”
Participating in occasions just like the Frogman Swim and others is one thing that Doolittle not solely may do, however ought to do. Like many who’ve performed a task in defending freedom, the job of constructing the world a greater place doesn’t finish on the retirement ceremony. He feels that every day that passes is a chance to assist make somebody’s life higher.
“There are such a lot of individuals struggling on the market proper now, man.”
Doolittle was raised in Northern California. He and his sister had been avid swimmers. Initially impressed by the preliminary “Prime Gun” movie within the Eighties, Doolittle had initially deliberate on serving in the US Naval Academy. They really declined him, so he shifted to the US Air Pressure Academy as an alternative.
“I needed to strive that. I needed to be a pilot,” he stated. One among my swimming coaches helped me get in.”
Nevertheless, attributable to cutbacks that had been made within the early 1990’s, solely the highest third out of his graduating class of 92 individuals would transfer on to Underground Pilot Coaching. He was unable to interrupt that threshold. Not sure of what he needed to do subsequent, he reached out to considered one of his mentors, 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and 200-meter world report holder Mike Troy for recommendation.
“He was my coach in highschool, and I referred to as him. He stated ‘get out of the Air Pressure, go into the Navy and be part of the Seal Groups.’”
After preliminary contemplation, Doolittle took his recommendation. The identical day he graduated in his Air Pressure parade uniform, he became his Navy choker whites. That might be the start of a profession that lasted loads longer than he could have initially thought.
“The overwhelming majority of my time within the Navy was on the Seal groups.”
In 2017, Doolittle hung up his uniform for the ultimate time, however he discovered one other profession that has helped him make a optimistic distinction in loads of lives, together with his personal. After going by way of 13 orthopedic surgical procedures because of his service, he wanted a solution to begin feeling higher bodily. It was by way of his seek for cures that he found KAATSU, an organization that shares the identical title because the observe.
Doolittle defined that KAATSU is a non-invasive technique of utilizing blood circulation to boost each restoration and efficiency. KAATSU is Japanese for “added stress.”. Every time the compression is utilized, it’s a bit stronger. This was initially performed manually, however expertise has superior over the a long time, and KAATSU now has each private and medical gadgets that may do the work for them.
“It’s not tourniquets or a typical BFR band. They’re elastic and pneumatic bands. It’s managed releases over and over so it may be utilized in a passive mode,” he defined. “You possibly can put them in your higher arms or higher legs, and the machine places a bit little bit of air stress within the band. No matter how excessive you go, you don’t occlude blood circulate.”
The observe was found and created by Dr. Yoshiaki Soto, and it was practiced in Japan going again to the early 1970’s, but it surely had solely made its solution to the Western world and Europe lately. Doolittle may be seen in his yard doing exercises whereas sporting his KAATSU bands frequently. He notes that KAATSU totally different than the standard blood circulate restriction that many weightlifters and athletes observe at the moment.
“It was what I used for my bodily remedy to get better from my final two surgical procedures,” he defined. “That was how I received launched to it, a few 12 months earlier than I retired.”
Right this moment, Doolittle is the Chief Income Officer for KAATSU, and he serves as an advocate of the observe to assist fellow veterans like himself in addition to people who may benefit from implementing it into their lives.
“What KAATSU is doing for individuals with residual limb points or ache, neuropathy points, phantom limb ache is a tremendous solution to have higher high quality of life” he said. “For instance, if you meet a man that had used opioids and alcohol to sleep, and you’ll current one thing to that individual that’s not a drug, and so they can come off ingesting to sleep, that could be very particular.”
Whether or not it’s bodily well being by way of his efforts at KAATSU or contributing effort and time to serving to future generations resembling kids of Gold Star households, Doolittle realizes that there’s a new era making ready to take the reins, and he hopes that many others will be part of him in efforts to organize them to serve by serving to them keep match and ready to defend freedom as he did for a quarter-century.
“With a suicide epidemic and psychological well being points coming to mild, it’s loopy what these children are coping with. All of us must do higher for them.” To study extra about KAATSU, go to www.kaatsu.com . It’s also possible to comply with them on Instagram @kaatsu.
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