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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 america Navy for 25 years, however he feels as strongly about doing occasions resembling this as he did when he wore the uniform.
“This yr, we had our highest attendance of Gold Star spouses. Our objective this yr was to hit $1 million for the SEAL Basis to assist Gold Star households,” he stated. “I consider the final word sacrifice being the dad and mom, spouses, and youngsters of these which are left behind.”
Doolittle reported that the 2023 occasion was an enormous success, and he feels that moreover being a dad of three youngsters, it’s one in every 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 will probably deliver 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 job in defending freedom, the job of creating 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 folks 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 “High Gun” movie within the Nineteen Eighties, Doolittle had initially deliberate on serving in america Naval Academy. They really declined him, so he shifted to america Air Pressure Academy as an alternative.
“I wished to strive that. I wished to be a pilot,” he stated. One in every of my swimming coaches helped me get in.”
Nonetheless, as a consequence of cutbacks that had been made within the early 1990’s, solely the highest third out of his graduating class of 92 folks would transfer on to Underground Pilot Coaching. He was unable to interrupt that threshold. Not sure of what he wished to do subsequent, he reached out to one in every of his mentors, 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and 200-meter world document 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 a 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 might 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 quite a lot of lives, together with his personal. After going by way of 13 orthopedic surgical procedures due to his service, he wanted a strategy to begin feeling higher bodily. It was by way of his seek for treatments that he found KAATSU, an organization that shares the identical identify because the observe.
Doolittle defined that KAATSU is a non-invasive methodology of utilizing blood circulation to reinforce each restoration and efficiency. KAATSU is Japanese for “added strain.”. Every time the compression is utilized, it’s somewhat stronger. This was initially executed manually, however expertise has superior over the many years, 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 again and again so it may be utilized in a passive mode,” he defined. “You may put them in your higher arms or higher legs, and the machine places somewhat little bit of air strain 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 strategy to the Western world and Europe lately. Doolittle could be seen in his yard doing exercises whereas sporting his KAATSU bands frequently. He notes that KAATSU completely different than the standard blood circulate restriction that many weightlifters and athletes observe in the present day.
“It was what I used for my bodily remedy to recuperate from my final two surgical procedures,” he defined. “That was how I bought launched to it, a couple of yr earlier than I retired.”
At this time, 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 folks who may benefit from implementing it into their lives.
“What KAATSU is doing for folks with residual limb points or ache, neuropathy points, phantom limb ache is an incredible strategy to have higher high quality of life” he said. “For instance, once you meet a man that had used opioids and alcohol to sleep, and you’ll current one thing to that person who’s not a drug, and so they can come off consuming 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 technology getting ready to take the reins, and he hopes that many others will be a part of him in efforts to arrange 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 youngsters are coping with. All of us must do higher for them.” To be taught extra about KAATSU, go to www.kaatsu.com . You too can observe them on Instagram @kaatsu.
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