OPERATION HEALTHY VETERANS: Operation Amped Storms the Beaches of Zuma

The veteran was standing on the hard sand, looking out to sea, watching about two dozen of his brothers and sisters in arms paddling surfboards, diving under waves, taking off, wiping out, getting to their knees, wiping out and getting back up – if they were able. If they weren’t there were many helping hands close by. The veteran had both of his arms and both of his legs, and they all were encased in a rubber wetsuit. Under one arm, the veteran had a blue Soft Top surfboard, about nine feet long and still dry. The veteran watched all the surfing and splashing and heard the cheers from the water and the beach and he leaned forward, made that crack about D Day and headed for the water.

Everyone within earshot who heard that joke cracked up, and a dozen people cheered as the veteran dragged the surfboard to the water’s edge, flopped down on it and flailed out into the deep and dark blue ocean to bathe his battered brain in the liqueurs or adrenalin and endorphins.

The surf line in front of Tower 12 at Zuma Beach was pretty crowded for a Thursday morning at the end of May, three days after Memorial Day. There were more than 40 people crammed into a hundred yards of breaking waves. About half that number were soldiers, sailors and marines, the veterans of wars from Vietnam to Iraqi Freedom. These veterans had all been injured in some way, and they were brought down to the beach by the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration, in a foreword-thinking program to improve their health and their spirits.

Some of these veterans were missing arms and legs. Others couldn’t walk and had to be transported to the edge of the beach in special chairs. Many of the veterans had suffered traumatic brain injuries – shot in the head, or hit by shrapnel – and if you looked close you saw a lot of big, jagged scars on a lot of shaved skulls. Many of these veterans were gung ho Marines and soldiers who had gone to the Middle East to win, and they came back shot up and nearly killed. After months and years in hospitals and rehab, they were glad to get out in the fresh air, in the sun and the chilly water, and get some exercise.

Out in the water were a lot of volunteers who felt good about what they were doing: giving something back to the veterans who had risked their lives. Skylar Lasky Peake of Sicky Dicky was one of the instructors, and he had come to the beach with a truckload of surfboards and wetsuits, towels and booties. Skylar was joined by pro surfers Ken Bradshaw, Garrett MacNamara, Jamie Sterling, Allen Sarlo and Pat and Tanner Gudauskus. These guys were all big-wave surfers, who had done battle with giant waves and showed the kind of charge the machine gun nest courage that the soldiers and Marines could appreciate.

After setting up and introductions and group photos and words from Shaun Tomson about how surfing helped him deal with the loss of his son, everyone hit the water at around 9:30. Those who had both arms for paddling and both legs for standing made it outside of the surf line, where they were pushed into waves and left to fend for themselves.

Those who had lost the use of their arms or their legs were helped onto boards and pushed into waves to enjoy a thrill they never thought they would experience: “I didn’t think the waves would be so fast,” said ????, who had lost the use of his legs in a training accident. “After I was injured I started doing all the things I hadn’t done before, and surfing is one of them. I can ride a bodyboard out there and it’s all the same to me. The water and the exercise just feel good.”

The first surf session lasted for two hours and then everyone came into shore for a lunch provided by Duke’s Restaurant in Malibu. Event organizer Tom Tapp said some words, and introduced big wave surfer Ken Bradshaw who talked about the courage that surfers and soldiers have in common. Newly-elected Malibu city councilman Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner welcomed everyone to Malibu and then everyone raced down to the water’s edge for another two-hour session.

Up on the sand, another Sergeant Rock lookalike was taking a breather. Dirk Ortega was in the Army and training to go to Iraq and put out the oil fires of 1992 when he was injured in a fall from a deuce and a half. He had participated in Operation Amped in the fall of 2007, and it changed his life: “My mom saw me on TV and found out where I was,” Ortega said. “I was pretty messed up for about seven years and lost contact with my family, but my mom found me after seeing me surfing on TV. We met for Mother’s Day and that is all going great. And I bought a 7’ 2” and surf Venice whenever I can. I can’t live without it now.”