Sergeant First Class Vincent Fanning and SFC Brian Thomas from Fort Dix, NJ wanted to find a better way to help their soldiers returning from the war to recover from their injuries. Some had back and neck injuries from traumatic explosions and many have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute (ATRI), The Jalkanen Foundation, and Dr. Mary Wykle arranged scholarships for SFC Thomas and SFC Fanning so they could attend aquatic therapy training in Washington DC. This letter was posted on behalf of ATRI. (www.atri.org)
SFC Fanning later wrote:
Dear ATRI, It was with a bad attitude, and a suspicion that I would be learning nothing more than synchronized swimming, that I begrudgingly drove from New Jersey to DC for the conference. I was essentially "volunteered" to be there, and wasn’t happy about it.
But I'm a Soldier, and I do what I am told to do. That being said, I need now to apologize to you for my closed mind before I arrived.... and further, to Thank You so very much, for inspiring me, opening my mind, and giving me purpose and direction.
This purpose and direction has changed my belief that water was only a tool for recreation and personal hygiene! Yours was my first class, and in that two or three hours of lecture time, and during the instruction in the pool, you gave me a sense of belief, ...and wonder, ..and excitement.
And by the end of the first day, the most profound sense of inspiration. As the conference progressed, I began to put 100% into all of the aquatic exercises, so I could really test myself, if not convince myself, that it would work. It did.
There are few parts of my body that don’t hurt this morning. I'm not going to take any pain meds though, as I want the pain to remind me of my own lack of better physical fitness and use it to describe to my soldiers how I feel, and how using the water is definitely an excellent way to physical conditioning, progression, and maintenance.
I retained most of the exercises and training techniques conducted in the pool...captivated and motivated by the skills and abilities of the instructors, and the effects the exercises had on me, both academically and physically. These are the techniques we will use to help our soldiers.
Few people have inspired me. Unless they are in a uniform similar to mine, I hadn't much time for them.
Not out of disrespect or cynicism, but because what I do takes up what I believe is every person's most valuable resource...TIME. Without time, the intensity of life's other joys is diminished.
The time I shared with all of you in Virginia was priceless. My military time is nearly done.
And although I had some plans for life after the Army, I felt a nudge to travel in a different direction...Thank You.
With most sincere admiration and thanks,
Sergeant First Class Vincent P. Fanning
United States Army
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