These Veterans Are Fighting A New War, This Time Against Attacks on South Florida’s Coral Reefs
By Alejandra Martinez
WLRN Miami/South Florida
A new group is using what they learned in the military to fight threats to South Florida’s coral reefs.
After Jim Ritterhoff saw many of his veteran friends struggling with the difficulty of adjusting to life outside of a war zone, he decided the men needed a new life mission to give them purpose. He founded the non-profit Force Blue to work with marine scientists using the advanced diving skills learned at the military for important restoration work. The team is focused on saving the coral reef in South Florida, but their duty is as much about environmental conservation as it’s about the well-being of veterans.