Green Berets, Blue Water

The 2026 Offshore Experience program began with an exception group of warfighters.  The group consisted of five combat veterans whose entire careers spanned the Global War on Terror.  Men who had served in Special Forces for most of their careers traveled to Costa Rica in expectation of fun, camaraderie, and learning…and that’s exactly what they got.

Retired Master Sergeant Eddie D. was the cornerstone of this group.  He attended the Offshore Experience in 2025 and wanted to involve more men from his community, and so Freedom Alliance asked him to recruit new participants to begin our 2026 season.  Eddie served first as an Infantryman before deciding to try out for the famed Green Berets, where he spent 17 years before retiring. 

Chief Warrant Officer Ben was a fellow serviceman Eddie met while serving in the Infantry.  Like Eddie, Ben switched over to Special Forces after a stint in the Infantry and then deployed all over the world with 1^st Special Forces Group.

Jesse, Jesus, and John all served with Eddie in 7^th Special Forces Group whose area of responsibility is Central and South America, completing combat tours and training deployments in war zones and third world countries alike. 

In all, there was over 100 years of service among the five men.

Upon arrival, the group was shown into their homes for the week: two condos at Los Sueños Resort along the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica.  The condos, donated by William Mahaffey & Danny Esterline and Gerald & Virginia Lindholm provide every comfort needed for a successful getaway: plush spaces, stocked kitchens, and breath-taking views of tropical plants and flowers. 

That evening, Gerald & Virginia Lindholm were on their last day of a visit to Los Sueños and were able to treat the men to their first dinner in the tropics.

The next day began with a grueling hike (at least for their Freedom Alliance coordinator) located about 30 minutes from the resort.  The entrance to the hike is at the top of a mountain and the trail works its way through swtichbacks and steep paths to a 350 meter tall waterfall at the bottom.  Despite the high tourist season, we were alone on the trails and enjoyed the solitude of being in the jungle by ourselves, taking time to swim in a hidden hole among the canopied jungle.  Wildlife was spotted and the sounds of birds encouraged us on the hike back up to the exit.  For lunch, we stopped at a local roadside restaurant for a taste of traditional Costa Rican fare.

As we gathered for our next activity, each veteran was gifted a pair of sunglasses, polarized and perfect for offshore fishing, provided by our friends at Hook Optics.  Each veterans received two shirts with artwork donated by Steve Goione: one Tunaskin and one Anetik – companies that continue to support us with discounted pricing.

That afternoon, we gathered in the Mahaffey/Esterline condo to begin the first of our structured sessions about carrying the burdens of war.  Eddie was gracious enough to bring down our new workbook which was restructured and consisted of new materials learned over the last five years of the program. Throughout the duration of their time in Costa Rica, these sessions would help the men explore the lesser discussed topics that range from the history of warriorhood and its relation to the society that sends them to the moral complexities of combat…topics often unspoken yet experienced by those who endure combat.  The sessions are designed to strengthen connections, gain perspective, and help veterans understand the burdens war can give them.

The following two days were devoted to offshore fishing – an adventure and opportunity most never experience in their lifetimes.  Donating the first day of fishing was Chris Jessen who has been donating fishing days and supporting our programming year after year.  Captain Ben Horning took us out to the fishing grounds where it looked like we may have a slow day…but soon enough, we started getting bit by billfish.  With Chris in the cockpit among the deckhands, the men (many of whom this was their first time fishing offshore) learned the techniques and trade that make Fish Tank a top contender in tournaments.  We ended up releasing 15 sailfish and got to experience the rush of catching a blue marlin!

The next day, the group arrived at Max Bet, a 64’ Bayliss custom sportfishing yacht captained by Austin Robins and donated to us by frequent supporters, Matt & Kelly Weber.  Austin’s father served in the Army and one of the deckhands, Danny, was a Marine veteran…and so they put their all into the day.  Although Matt and Kelly couldn’t be there, Matt’s brother Anthony rode along and coached the men on technique during each fish we caught that day.  Although we didn’t expect it could get better, we caught 18 sailfish, two mahi, and Jesus (who we can call the “Marlin Magnet”) reeled in another blue marlin – one that put on quite a show of strength! 

The next morning, and their final full day in Costa Rica, our group drove out to Vista Los Sueños Adventure Park – a mere 10 minute drive from the resort – to enjoy an ATV ride through the jungle.  At the halfway point, we stopped at another waterfall to cool off, jumping from a platform into the pool before finishing up the tour.

That afternoon, we spent time finishing the final sessions in our workbook, stopping to have dinner and watch the sunset over Herradura Bay, before closing out the final session. 

Thank you to Los Sueños Resort for donating big discounts at their restaurants, as they have done for all our meals over the years while treating each group like VIPs.  Montecristo Golf Cart Rentals and Sales donated two carts for our group to get around during the week – as they also have done since Freedom Alliance first arrived in Costa Rica 13 years ago.  And lastly, we thank the Alterfors who once again have sponsored our yearly activities with a generous financial contribution.