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 Foundation. John Doolittle served in the US Navy for 25 years, however he feels as strongly about doing occasions equivalent 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 final word sacrifice being the mother and father, spouses, and youngsters of these which can be left behind.”
Doolittle reported that the 2023 occasion was a large success, and he feels that in addition to being a dad of three children, it’s one among his best contributions to be part of an occasion equivalent to this.
“Seeing these households interacting with their beloved one’s teammates and those that served when these family members had been nonetheless round is nice. The enjoyment it could actually convey 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 task 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 the US Naval Academy. They really declined him, so he shifted to the US Air Drive Academy as a substitute.
“I wished to attempt that. I wished to be a pilot,” he mentioned. Considered one of my swimming coaches helped me get in.”
Nevertheless, as a result 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 among his mentors, 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and 200-meter world report 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 will be the start of a profession that lasted so much 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 constructive distinction in a variety of lives, together with his personal. After going by way of 13 orthopedic surgical procedures due to his service, he wanted a solution 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 follow.
Doolittle defined that KAATSU is a non-invasive technique of utilizing blood circulation to enhance both recovery and performance. KAATSU is Japanese for “added stress.”. Every time the compression is utilized, it’s somewhat stronger. This was initially accomplished manually, however know-how 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 over and over so it may be utilized in a passive mode,” he defined. “You possibly can put them in your higher arms or higher legs, and the machine places somewhat little bit of air stress within the band. No matter how excessive you go, you don’t occlude blood move.”
The follow 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 solution to the Western world and Europe in recent times. Doolittle may be seen in his yard doing exercises whereas sporting his KAATSU bands regularly. He notes that KAATSU totally different than the everyday blood move restriction that many weightlifters and athletes follow in the present day.
“It was what I used for my bodily remedy to get well from my final two surgical procedures,” he defined. “That was how I bought launched to it, a few yr earlier than I retired.”
At this time, Doolittle is the Chief Income Officer for KAATSU, and he serves as an advocate of the follow to assist fellow veterans like himself in addition to people who may gain advantage 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 solution to have higher high quality of life” he said. “For instance, whenever you meet a man that had used opioids and alcohol to sleep, and you may current one thing to that person who’s not a drug, they usually can come off ingesting 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 equivalent to kids of Gold Star households, Doolittle realizes that there’s a new era getting ready to take the reins, and he hopes that many others will be a part of him in efforts to organize 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 children 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 comply with them on Instagram @kaatsu.
