Mark Wiedmer"I spend a lot of time by myself, not doing anything," said Alicea, a 43-year-old Army veteran who was disabled (including via a traumatic brain injury) in Iraq. "I'm pretty much a hermit."
Added Michel, a 37-year-old Navy veteran who suffered similar injuries while stationed in Japan: "Due to my experience, a lot of my trust was broken. I'm alone most of the time. I don't go out much."
Not this week, though. Thanks to the Adaptive Sailing Camp for Veterans at Privateer Yacht Club on Chickamauga Lake, Michel, Alicea and 11 other disabled veterans are getting a crash course in sailing from a host of experts, including Betsy Alison, a member of the Sailing Hall of Fame who will coach the U.S. Paralympic sailing team at this summer's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
"The goal is to have them keelboat-certified by the end of the week," said James Macrellis, founder and CEO of ROVER (Regional Outreach Veterans Engagement Resources), the organization staging the event. "Some will go on and learn to race and some will just be cruisers (relaxed sailing), but we hope they'll all come to love sailing."
The term "Adaptive Veteran" is actually trademarked. It describes a veteran who has moved on from his injuries or illness and found new ways to enjoy life and engage with friends and family again.
"It's adaptive sailing, but it's also adaptive education," said Macrellis, also a disabled veteran. "In these camps, they're with other veterans. They don't feel like they're being judged. They're free to be themselves in their new norm."
For Alicea, who had never been in a sailboat before Tuesday, that might mean eventually taking his girlfriend Marcie Hardesty and her two sons Zane, 12, and Zander, 7, out on the water.
"For me, it's peaceful and relaxing," he said Wednesday morning before his second day of sailing. "You can forget about everything else when you're on the water. You just want to catch the wind and keep going."
Michel, who has been sailing a bit longer, said her joy on the water comes from "getting together with other service people."
"There's a shorthand we share," she added. "We understand each other. When I'm with them, I feel comfortable, welcome and supported."
That's certainly the goal. Whether it's the 4-month-old ROVER organization or Alison's longtime dedication to reaching out to the disabled through sailing, the sport has a way of equalizing physical inequities.
"You tend to leave your disability on the dock," Alison said. "Out on the water, it can be very hard to distinguish between those who face physical and intellectual challenges and those who don't."
Participants came from everywhere and all branches of the service for this week's camp. Michel lives in Maine, for instance. There's a Navy SEAL in the group. And a Green Beret. And a Marine Raider.
Michel also took part in camps in New York City, Fort Myers, Fla., Galveston, Texas. They're an opportunity "just to laugh," she said.
"You have a sense of team. I'm pushing myself to do things I didn't think I could do," added Michel, who's so hooked on sailing, she plans to take an all-female trip to the British Virgin Islands in June.
Not that the four-day camp, which ends Friday, is as relaxing as it may sound. Each session begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m. The adaptive adage also comes into play with equipment as it pertains to making a boat friendly to those with disabilities.
"Specifically built equipment could be expensive to build and maintain," Alison said. "We're hoping they can find something in their garage to serve their needs. We're a little bit engineer, a little bit tinkerer, a little bit coach."
For example, one wheelchair-bound veteran needed a bench that moved from side to side in the boat. Alison and ROVER used an Igloo cooler on wheels.
After one day of camp, Alicea seemed bitten by Alison's DIY approach.
"I like old things from the past," he said. "I have a book about building boats. Maybe I'll build my own one day."
Maybe one day one of these veterans will captain the America's Cup. Or maybe we'll merely see more of them on the water each weekend, cruising with family and friends, catching the wind.
The depth of their passion isn't what's important, Michel said It's only important that they participate.
"I look forward to these trips more than anything," she said. "I think (this program) basically saves a lot of our lives."
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.