A Healing Mission Beneath The Waves
On a sun-splashed morning off the southern edge of Florida’s coral-drenched Keys, a group of veterans slips beneath the waves. Their mission isn’t combat—but restoration: sealing life into shattered reefs and rediscovering purpose in their own lives.
This extraordinary project, a union of marine science and human resilience, unfolds each summer as wounded U.S. Army veterans partner with researchers to “re-skin” dying coral reefs—glueing lab-grown fragments onto devastated ocean structures. Yet beneath the waves’ serene surface lies a deeper story: of healing, hope, and new beginnings.
A Purpose Renewed Under The Sea
For many combat-injured veterans, daily life can often feel empty. Both body and mind carry deep scars—such as loss of limb, chronic pain, and PTSD. For 41-year-old Army veteran Billy Costello, getting involved in coral restoration has been much more than just marine work.
“They have been instrumental in my recovery, helping me learn what I can do after losing my leg,” he says. “It’s great for the heart and the soul… It is such a blessing.”
Year after year, these wounded warriors, many of whom are Purple Heart recipients, gather off the shore of the Florida Keys. Underwater, they scrub algae from the remnants of coral and apply epoxy to attach resilient, nursery-grown coral fragments.
This collaborative effort, supported by Mote Marine Laboratory and the Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge (CWVC), has resulted in over 200,000 corals being planted to date.
Mission Meets Healing: The Heart Of The Story
The emotional and therapeutic aspect of the initiative is crucial. CWVC Vice President Lt. Col. (Ret.) Andrew Lourake explains, “The coral planting gives the wounded a newfound sense of purpose. They help the environment and work as a team.
The challenge and camaraderie make it the highlight of the year for many.” This project highlights the intersection of mission and healing, allowing veterans to feel active and contributing by serving beneath the waves.
Science And Scale: Coral Reefs In Crisis
Florida’s reefs—part of the third-largest barrier reef system globally—are in dire straits. Disease, bleaching, and climate change have stripped over 90% of living coral cover over recent decades. In 2023 alone, a record-breaking marine heatwave delivered yet another devastating blow.
In May 2025, scientists from the University of South Florida and Florida Aquarium launched a major restoration drive: nursery-grown elkhorn corals—fast-growing and resilient—are being acclimated and planted across seven reef sites. Over 25,000 coral fragments, including more than 1,000 elkhorn juveniles, are being deployed in a collaborative effort spanning multiple institutions.
Meanwhile, globally, coral reefs face an existential threat. A January 2025 Reuters commentary calls the current bleaching event “the most extensive ever recorded,” affecting nearly 80% of reefs. A debt-for-nature swap in Indonesia and aquaculture support in the Philippines are among innovative efforts to fund reef preservation.
Weaving Stories Of Hope
Some mornings, the air on deck crackles with chatter—veterans recalling moments of loss, fear, and fragility, now replaced by purpose and pride. Retired Green Beret Sgt. 1st Class Billy Costello reflects: “It’s mission-based diving… we’re getting together with fellow veterans… we’re going out with a new mindset, a new mission, to help the environment.”
Retired Specialist Charlie Lemon, who lost both legs in Iraq, puts it poignantly: “It’s been a blessing because it’s really given us a mission—and being in the military, that was our number one priority: mission first.”
On the reef, these words gain weight. Their hands press coral to reef. Their hearts, once tethered by loss, beat with renewal. And perhaps—just perhaps—the coral they plant will endure, spawn new life, and stand as a living legacy of their courage.
The Bigger Picture: Restoring Reefs, Restoring Ourselves
This is not an isolated story. Across the globe—from Thailand’s coral breeding labs to Indonesia’s reef-focused debt swaps—scientists and communities are fighting reef loss with innovation, grit, and vision.
And yet, the story of veterans working under the waves pulses with something extra: the convergence of environmental action with personal resilience. In rediscovering purpose through coral restoration, these men and women embody the belief that healing—like coral—can grow slowly, blend in, and transform the landscape around us.
They prove that, even wounded, one can give; and in giving, one can thrive.
Sources:
Good News Network
Local 10
