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 USA Navy for 25 years, however he feels as strongly about doing occasions comparable to this as he did when he wore the uniform.
“This yr, we had our highest attendance of Gold Star spouses. Our aim this yr was to hit $1 million for the SEAL Basis to assist Gold Star households,” he mentioned. “I consider the last word sacrifice being the dad and mom, spouses, and children of these which are left behind.”
Doolittle reported that the 2023 occasion was an enormous success, and he feels that in addition to being a dad of three children, it’s certainly one of his best contributions to be part of an occasion comparable to this.
“Seeing these households interacting with their liked one’s teammates and people who served when these family members have been nonetheless round is nice. The enjoyment it will probably carry them is like nothing I’ve ever skilled.”
Collaborating in occasions just like the Frogman Swim and others is one thing that Doolittle not solely might 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 individuals struggling on the market proper now, man.”
Doolittle was raised in Northern California. He and his sister have been avid swimmers. Initially impressed by the preliminary “Prime Gun” movie within the Nineteen Eighties, Doolittle had initially deliberate on serving in the USA Naval Academy. They really declined him, so he shifted to the USA Air Drive Academy as an alternative.
“I needed to attempt that. I needed to be a pilot,” he mentioned. Considered one of my swimming coaches helped me get in.”
Nevertheless, as a consequence of cutbacks that have 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 certainly one 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 mentioned ‘get out of the Air Drive, 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 Drive parade uniform, he turned into his Navy choker whites. That may be the start of a profession that lasted lots 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 constructive distinction in a number of lives, together with his personal. After going by 13 orthopedic surgical procedures because of his service, he wanted a solution to begin feeling higher bodily. It was by his seek for cures that he found KAATSU, an organization that shares the identical title because the apply.
Doolittle defined that KAATSU is a non-invasive methodology of utilizing blood circulation to reinforce each restoration and efficiency. KAATSU is Japanese for “added stress.”. Every time the compression is utilized, it’s just a little stronger. This was initially achieved 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 again and again so it may be utilized in a passive mode,” he defined. “You’ll be able to put them in your higher arms or higher legs, and the machine places just a little little bit of air stress within the band. No matter how excessive you go, you don’t occlude blood move.”
The apply was found and created by Dr. Yoshiaki Soto, and it was practiced in Japan going again to the early 1970’s, nevertheless it 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 completely different than the everyday blood move restriction that many weightlifters and athletes apply right now.
“It was what I used for my bodily remedy to get well from my final two surgical procedures,” he defined. “That was how I obtained launched to it, a couple of yr earlier than I retired.”
In the present day, Doolittle is the Chief Income Officer for KAATSU, and he serves as an advocate of the apply 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 an incredible solution to have higher high quality of life” he said. “For instance, while 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, they usually can come off ingesting to sleep, that may be very particular.”
Whether or not it’s bodily well being by his efforts at KAATSU or contributing effort and time to serving to future generations comparable to youngsters 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 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 gentle, it’s loopy what these children are coping with. All of us need to do higher for them.” To study extra about KAATSU, go to www.kaatsu.com . It’s also possible to observe them on Instagram @kaatsu.
