Every Thursday, a different group of veterans wander down to the banks of the Green River. Some are hindered by prosthetic limbs, some struggle to see, a few have limited hearing. Yet others are plagued with bodies altered by intense stress.

All of these participants of war contemplate the flowing water with eyes that have witnessed unexplainable atrocities.

When they climb from a fishing boat two days later, their eyes seem to crinkle a little more often in laughter. Even though they started the excursion as strangers, they now hug one another as friends.

Any combat vet is invited to participate in one of these free excursions sponsored by Rivers of Recovery, a Park City-based nonprofit that is dedicated to pioneering a therapy that will help veterans overcome obstacles caused by war.

Dan T. Cook left his career as a Wall Street energy trader to help vets. Cook is convinced that fishing is healing and that there are curative properties associated with nature. Every summer weekend, Rivers of Recovery contracts with Old Moe Guide Services in Dutch John to lead trips through the Flaming Gorge Recreation area on the Green River.

“They get their hands on a rod and reel,” said Cook, ROR executive director. “Helps them turn away from the scars and memories of war. They’ve seen awful things. Fishing is healing.”

Cook has fished all over the world. For him, a place of natural beauty is a sanctuary and an ideal spot for fighting pain and mental stresses.

The river guides from Old Moe donate several days a year to ROR. Terry Collier has led groups through rivers for over 31 years. He owns Old Moe and feels honored that his company can take 70 to 75 boats of vets out every year.

“It’s a real comforting feeling to see the satisfaction they get out of catching,” Collier said.

Several of the Old Moe guides echo the feelings of their boss. They feel honored to be associating with “heroes.”

Dan Bolton is one of those who is grateful for the opportunity. Originally from western Pennsylvania, Bolton has spent 12 years guiding down the rivers of the West. His father and his younger brother are both vets and he knows firsthand the sacrifices made by those who serve their country.

“It’s a pretty special deal,” Bolton said. “It is 180 degrees opposite from guiding your standard angler.”

Bolton explained how most of the veterans that come are not fisherman and teaching them to fish is heartwarming. What Bolton enjoys the most, however, is seeing the soldiers unwind in unstructured time.

“Most of these guys haven’t done anything but military regimen. Their time has been structured for a long time,” Bolton said. “Even when they are in the VA (hospital), they have things to do. Then we put them in the middle of God’s county with no agenda. ‘Do what you want to do,’ we tell them. It changes them. They come out completely relaxed. They look at things differently. War changed their whole outlook on things.”

Bolton suggested that his eyes are opened every week that he takes a new group out.

“They show up, and they don’t know each other,” he said. “They came from different military backgrounds. The first night at dinner everyone is sort of quiet, but the last time we have dinner together, when everyone is leaving, they’re giving high fives and hugging. When that happens something good happens.”

Every river guide tries hard to make sure the three days were special. This often requires that the guides row upstream to re-fish previously visited “hotspots.”

“That one does qualify as a lot of work,” Eric Pietz said. Pietz has been guiding on the Green River for over 20 years. He makes certain that accommodations are made for any of the vets that come with physical or psychological needs.

“Whatever the problem, we can work around it,” Pietz said. “But often we see amputated legs on prosthetics and they are functioning perfectly well, like nothing is going on.”

Pietz is from a military family. His father was in the Marine Corps and fought in three wars.

“I’m glad to give back a little to the vets,” Pietz said. “It’s heartening. They come with a lot of worries and issues. When you’re trying to catch fish, you really have to focus. They focus on catching the fish and quit thinking about their problems and issues.”

Mitch Kirwom has been guiding for 18 years and feels that everyone, veterans and nonveterans alike, are “renewed” by being on the water.

“You can definitely tell a difference in people after they’ve been out between the canyon walls for a while,” Kirwom said. “These guys come and soon there is a whole new level of relaxation and appreciation for the world they are in.”

Kirwom admitted that days of guiding are often exhausting, but he feels rejuvenated interacting with the vets.

“Introducing them to the whole world of drift boat fishing recharges me sometimes,” the guide explained. “You can definitely feel them loosen up and relax as they get into a good environment.”

Cook is convinced that the expeditions will help veterans, but he has also taken pains to document whether there is a lasting improvement in self image, social skills, optimism, resiliency and self-determination.

There are presently 17 openings for upcoming trips.

“We’re hoping to get local guardsmen that have seen combat, or any other combat veteran that would like to go,” Cook said.

Anyone interested is encouraged to call his direct line at (303) 801-8022 or visit the website www.riversofrecovery.org. Click on the contact link and send an e-mail. Trips run until the first week in October.

RESEARCH SUPPORTS BENEFITS OF FISHING

By ViAnn Prestwich

Contributing Writer

Meeting the unique needs of veterans has become a passion for Dan T. Cook. Cook is the founder and executive director of Rivers of Recovery, a nonprofit group that takes veterans on fishing expectations.

Cook strongly feels that fishing on the Green River is one of the best therapies for those who have dealt with the rigors of war. He is now establishing the statistical data to support his preferred therapy.

“It doesn’t feel like therapy,” said James Patterson, a vet from Spanish Fork.

Patterson was deployed for 17 months. During that time he received injuries to his back and head. For a time he wondered if he would spend the rest of his life on disability.

“I did some counseling at the VA (hospital),” Patterson said. “It was OK. They are doing good things, but we would go in and it was like, OK, now we have to share our feelings. It didn’t seem natural. On the river, that was all very natural. We were sharing stories and experiences with other vets because we wanted to.”

Patterson has been fishing with Rivers of Recovery twice. He now has decided to volunteer his service to help other vets receive the benefits he has felt.

“I’ve improved so much,” the father of three said. “I’m not on medication for depression and very little medication for pain.”

Speaking with participants produces copious amounts of anecdotal evidence that outdoor expeditions produce positive changes for those who have dealt with war zones. But Cook wants to support these personal stories with scientific data.

Research was conducted in 2009, a year after the program started, by scientists at the University of Southern Maine, the University of Utah and the Salt Lake City VA.

Program participants underwent repeated psychosocial assessments of mood, depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms of stress across three time periods, corresponding to two weeks prior to the fly-fishing excursion (baseline), the last day of the fly-fishing retreat, and a six-week follow-up assessment.

Additional psychosocial assessments of perceptual stress, PTSD symptoms, and sleep quality were administered during the baseline and follow-up periods. Participants also underwent repeated physiological assessments of stress responding during the fly-fishing retreat via sampling of salivary cortisol, urinary catecholamines and immune function (salivary immunoglobulins).

The findings strongly suggest that the fly-fishing retreat was linked to significant improvement in perceptual stress, PTSD symptoms and sleep quality. There was also reduction in anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms of stress.

“It’s not mandatory to be in the study,” Cook is quick to explain. “But it really is very non-invasive. We just have them spit in a tube and donate urine.”

This year the study will be more robust and thorough than last year.

Cook is determined to show that the $400 million therapy budget for vets could be better spent.

“A lot of that money goes to arts and crafts,” Cook said. “And a Wii. We want to show that rivers work better.”