FORT FISHER, N.C. — The Wounded Warrior Project is helping veterans who have left military service rebuild camaraderie through a program to teach them to surf and paddleboard.

Daniel Ray retired from the Air Force after eight deployments, including to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq. Ray, like many veterans, said leaving military service can lead to a loss of the sense of being part of a team. 

“I think it's something we all miss. You know, you have it every day in the service and take advantage of it," Ray said. "So when you're out, when you're retired, like I said, or get out of the service, your civilian jobs aren't the same.” 

The Wounded Warrior Project is looking to bring camaraderie back to veterans' lives through surfing and paddleboarding lessons that took place Thursday and Friday near Fort Fisher and Carolina Beach.

Ray, who took part in the program both days with a small group of fellow veterans, said the sense of being part of a team is important for their mental health.

“Basically, the camaraderie, the teamwork aspect of meeting new people, a lot of us have anxiety and depression and stuff like that, so it's easy to back out,” he said.

Research suggests 14% to 16% of U.S. service members deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq have post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, according to the National Institutes of Health. The Department of Veterans Affairs reports 1.7 million veterans received treatment in a VA mental health program in the 2018 fiscal year.

Ray said the program has helped improve his psychological well-being. 

“It allows me to work on my coping mechanisms that I work on with my therapist and stuff because it is outside your comfort,” he said. 

After this experience, Ray said he wants to share the program with his veteran friends. 

“I think the big thing, too, for me is just bringing it back to other people and sharing the news,” he said.