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Note: This article was printed in the August edition of DSUSA’s Challenge Magazine. DSUSA/Warfighter Sports one of the  top two national beneficiaries Tee It Up for the Troops donates to for services to our veterans and their families.

In the military community, ‘alive days’ are important anniversaries, commemorating the day a warfighter is severely wounded in battle. They memorialize a day that went from just another day on the job to the day when a new normal began. Retired Air Force Staff Sgt. Dan Acosta has celebrated 11 alive days since December 2005 when he was injured by a bomb while on patrol, losing his left arm and suffering significant damage to his legs.

Acosta joined the Air Force in 2002 knowing that he wanted to be an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Technician. This job is open to all four military branches, and to enlisted members and officers alike, but the training is so difficult that it has an 80 percent failure rate.

Acosta said he was drawn to the challenge of it. “It had the academic challenge, the physical challenge, the mental attitude challenge. It pushes you to the limit where you have to commit. You have to be all in – it’s 100 percent or not at all.”

After successfully completing EOD training, Acosta was sent to Baghdad, Iraq. His life there was similar to the 2010 Academy Award Best Picture winner “The Hurt Locker,” which follows an EOD technician dismantling explosives in Baghdad.

“Every single one of those situations in that movie I’ve seen or been in a lot worse,” Acosta said. “The scene where they’re called to a roadside IED – that was like four or five times a day for me and my team.”

On Dec. 7, 2005, Acosta was called to a ‘routine roadside bomb.’ While routine and roadside bomb don’t seem to fit into the same sentence, this is regular duty for EOD specialists. That day, Acosta and his team found and successfully disarmed two devices.

“I had a gut feeling that there was a third one there and I wanted to find it and disarm it,” he said. “I started to do a little courtesy sweep where I thought it might be and, sure enough, I found it.”

Acosta stepped on a pressure plate with 30 pounds of explosives attached. In addition to losing his arm, the bomb sent sand and dirt coursing into his skin at high pressure, causing severe damage to his legs.

“A lot of people look at a bomb go off and see the fire, the thermal effect, and consider that as the damaging part of a bomb,” he said. “It’s actually the overpressure that it creates. Just that amount of pressure against my body, the sand and dirt and debris that literally tore the meat off of my legs.”

Surviving his first surgery was another rehabilitation milestone for Acosta, whose survival expectancy rate was determined to be 10 percent according to the doctors who were operating on him. Acosta’s teammate, Staff Sgt. Joe Upton, who saved Acosta’s life providing combat first aid immediately after the explosion, was told that if he survived the first surgery his chances would be 50 percent survival. Acosta passed that milestone too, and six days later arrived at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, Texas, for more surgeries and to start rehabilitation.

Acosta’s recovery moved at a remarkable speed, which he credits to his positive attitude from the moment he arrived in San Antonio and learned about the extent of his injuries.

“If I was in that hospital longer than I should be, that was going to be the thing that would kill me,” he said.

It was at BAMC that he relearned to walk, and shortly thereafter he signed up for to snowboard with Disabled Sports USA in Breckenridge, Colorado. “I actually spent my very first alive day in Breckenridge,” said Acosta. “That was the tipping point to want to live happy. From coming to re-learn how to walk and spending my first alive day snowboarding was just awesome.”

In addition to snowboarding, Acosta also participated in the Warfighter Sports golf program at BAMC. While it wasn’t a sport he had participated in prior to his injury, Acosta found his swing quickly, and completed the eight-week clinic series with local PGA professionals. For his participation, he received a set of custom-fitted PING clubs. Acosta used the game as his physical therapy for his legs, walking the course and playing about four times a week close to three years until he left BAMC and San Antonio.

He said the game helped with more than just physical rehabilitation. “Golf is one of those games where it’s a game of consistency, a little bit of strategy, and controlling your own anxieties. All of that helped at that time with balancing out my personal life.”

Today, Acosta lives in the Chicago area, where he works for iJet International as an analyst and risk consultant. The full-time job and Chicago weather

do not let him get out on the golf course as much as he would like, but he still uses his PING clubs on the links as many times a year as he can.

Acosta remains involved in adaptive sports as an ambassador for Warfighter Sports, as an advisory team member for Tee it Up for the Troops, a Warfighter Sports national partner, and as a board member for Adaptive Adventures, a chapter of Disabled Sports USA. He hopes to get even more involved in adaptive sports in the coming years to help others reach their own milestones.

“Adaptive Sports have done so much for me to want to continue life in a very positive way,” he said. “Being the EOD guy, I love helping people and love saving lives. If I can continue that in another way, I want to do so and I think it’s through adaptive sports.”

Woodbury, Minn. – For the 3^rd year in a row, Anytime Fitness is partnering with Tee It Up for the Troops in an effort to help military veterans open their own gyms and provide additional employment opportunities for fellow veterans.  Via the “Operation HeartFirst” initiative, Tee It Up for the Troops will offer a $125,000 grant and a $125,000 loan to a select number of honorably discharged veterans for the purpose of assisting with initial start-up capital to be used for the development of an Anytime Fitness franchise.  Anytime Fitness’ HeartFirst Charitable Foundation™ will provide a grant to Tee It Up for the Troops, which will then offer this opportunity to approved veterans, National Guard members, or reservists, as well as oversee the selection process and management of logistics.

“Operation HeartFirst is our way of saying thank you to all of the fine service men and women who’ve made tremendous sacrifices for our country,” said Dave Mortensen, President of Anytime Fitness, LLC. “Currently, about 10% of our franchisees are military veterans.  We’d like to see that number grow even higher.  Veterans are some of our best and most successful club operators.”  

APPLICATION PROCESS

Tee It Up for the Troops is currently accepting online applications via http://www.teeitupforthetroops.org/anytime-fitness-veteran-franchise-opportunity/.  Among other key criteria, interested veterans must have “a passion for fitness and community engagement.”  The application deadline is May 1^st, 2017.

“We are looking for candidates who are eager to help others lead healthier lifestyles and who continue to serve and support the U.S. military and its veterans,” said Tim Wegscheid, President of Tee It Up for the Troops.  “This particular opportunity involves an Anytime Fitness gym to be located in the Dothan, AL area, near Fort Rucker.  The selected franchisee will determine the precise location of the gym.”

Anytime Fitness, LLC has also agreed to waive its initial franchise fee and ongoing royalty payments related to this opportunity.  Consideration will be given by the selection committee to veterans with service-related disabilities.

“The unemployment rate for military veterans is significantly higher than the national average,” said Chuck Runyon, CEO of Anytime Fitness, LLC.  “That’s just not right.  Our hope is that Operation HeartFirst will not only help veterans operate their own businesses, but also provide jobs for other vets as gym managers and personal trainers – for many years to come.”

The first Operation HeartFirst recipients opened their Anytime Fitness gym near Fort Bragg in Southern Pines, NC in the spring of 2016.  Another Operation HeartFirst gym will open within the next few weeks near Fort Benning in Opelika, AL.  The recipients of the next Operation HeartFirst grant will be selected by June 15th with an anticipated club opening date of early 2018.

OPERATION HEARTFIRST VIDEO:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf3VNN2wTyk

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About Anytime Fitness

Ranked #1 on Entrepreneur’s prestigious Top Global Franchise list, Anytime Fitness is the fastest-growing gym franchise in the world, with more than 3,500 gyms serving 3,000,000 members on five continents. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Anytime Fitness prides itself on providing its members with convenient fitness options and friendly, personal service in well-maintained facilities which feature top-quality exercise equipment. Gyms are now open in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Sweden, Italy, Grand Cayman, Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, Qatar, India, Chile, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Belgium and the Philippines.  All franchised gyms are individually owned and operated.  Join one gym and use them all.

About Tee It Up for the Troops

Tee It Up for the Troops, Inc, is a national 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves U.S. military veterans and their families.  Based in Minnesota, Tee it Up for the Troops inspires communities across the country to organize golf events to raise funds for partnering veterans service organizations who deliver critically needed services to military families.  These locally-supported events also greatly assist returning service members to successfully reintegrate into their communities.  Established in 2005, Tee It Up for the Troops has hosted over 325 events in more than 30 states and has donated over $6 million to more than 300 various organizations serving veterans across the country.  In addition, through their REUNION initiative, Tee It Up for the Troops has reunited nearly 200 combat altered veterans who were separated due to battlefield injuries or changes in rehabilitation status.  Through these reunions, participating veterans enhance their transition process into productive and fulfilling civilian lifestyles.

Media Contacts:

Mark Daly, National Media Director for Anytime Fitness:  mark.daly@sebrands.com

Tim Wegscheid, President of Tee It Up for the Troops: tim@teeitupforthetroops.org

December 7, 2016 (Irvine, Calif.) — Signature Control Systems, Inc., a global leader in Internet-based irrigation control, and Tee It Up for the Troops, a national veterans service non-profit, announced today a national partnership to support the care of our nation’s veterans and military families.

The partnership will provide significant proceeds from Signature’s golf and turf product sales to Tee It Up for the Troops to help local and national veterans service organizations.

“Our organization is grateful for Signature’s support and partnership,” said Tim Wegscheid, President of Tee It Up for the Troops. “Golf is fundamental to our mission and serves as critical therapy for so many of our nation’s combat veterans. Signature’s leadership in irrigating and protecting golf courses makes this a truly synergistic partnership.”

Minnesota-based Tee It Up for the Troops hosts approximately 40 golf events across the United States each year to raise funds for combat altered veterans and their families. It provides over $1 million in direct funding annually to various veterans service providers, including: Fisher House Foundation, Hope for the Warriors, and Warfighter Sports (a division of Disabled Sports USA), among others.

Signature Control Systems is a natural partner for Tee It Up for the Troops. The company has been a leader in golf course turf irrigation control and supplies for nearly 20 years. Its equipment can be found on hundreds of golf courses around the globe.

“Our military service members protect our homeland with honor and sacrifice,” said Brian J. Smith, CEO and Founder of Signature. “Signature has a duty to support those who are injured or lose their lives during their service. Supporting the mission and services provided by Tee It Up for the Troops and their partner organizations will help us fulfill this duty.”

The partnership began to form when Smith encountered Tee It Up for the Troops and its local service partners at a Southern California tournament hosted by the organization.

“I was profoundly impacted by their mission,” Smith continued. “It was humbling to witness the positive effect this organization and its partners are having on our disabled veterans – men and women who have given beyond what we can imagine. Tim and I immediately began discussions on how we could form a partnership.  It’s been terrific.”

The partnership was formalized in late November 2016. Signature will serve as Tee It Up for the Troops’ exclusive irrigation partner and joins an impressive list of leading golf and corporate partners, including Bridgestone Golf, PING, Textron, Inc/EZ GO, and Anytime Fitness.

 About Signature Control Systems:

Signature is an advanced technology company and the industry leader in On-line Intelligent Irrigation Control.  Signature introduced the industry’s first Web-Based Intelligent Irrigation products in 1999, and their patented Share™ Irrigation Control Technology is currently saving millions of gallons of water annually for cities and homeowners across drought-stricken Southern California.  Along with their innovative Share™ Smart Controllers, Signature produces a comprehensive line of best-in-class irrigation products tailor-made for homeowners, landscape managers, municipal parks, property managers, and golf course superintendents.   With world headquarters located in Irvine, CA and manufacturing facilities in Peoria, IL, all Signature products are wholly designed and manufactured in the USA.  For more information, please visit us at: www.signaturecontrolsystems.com.

About Tee It Up for the Troops

Tee It Up for the Troops is a national non-profit organization that engages and inspires communities across the USA to organize golf events to honor and support the military men and women who have served and sacrificed so much for our freedoms.  Through these events, Tee It Up for the Troops has become a fundraising engine for local and national veterans service organizations who deliver critically needed services to our military families.

Since being established in 2005, Tee It Up for the Troops has hosted over 325 events in more than 30 states and has donated over $7 million to more than 300 various organizations serving veterans across the country.  Tee It Up for the Troops has also reunited nearly 250 combat altered veterans who were separated due to battlefield injuries, thus assisting with their transition back into their communities.

Minnesota Vikings punter Jeff Locke joined 15 others and played a combined total of 190 hours of golf in the Longest Day of Golf for the Troops but the lasting memories won’t be a perfect shot or the numbers on the scorecards for the 1300-hole outing.

“The best part of the day for me was being able to switch groups and interact with the veterans,” Locke said. “It was so much fun playing with them and hearing their stories of what “Tee It Up for the Troops” has done for them coming back from overseas or from their service.”

A total of 16 golfers, veterans and veteran supporters, teed off just before 6:45 a.m. and raised more than $12,000 (and counting) for Tee It Up for the Troops!

Participants and volunteers were treated to a wonderful lunch on the go courtesy of participant, Marc Spiros and HoneyBaked Ham. The local HoneyBaked Ham stores in the Minneapolis / St Paul area wanted to give back to the communities by supporting and getting involved in the communities in which they work. We are delighted that they chose Tee it up for the Troops to honor those who have provided the freedom we all enjoy.

Tee It Up for the Troops is a cause near and dear to many including Locke, whose father, Bob, was an Air Force pilot for 20-plus years. Jeff Locke was born at a military hospital in Frankfurt, Germany, and has other military ties in his family.

“Jeff (and so many others) understands the service and sacrifice that goes into the military lifestyle,” said Tim Wegscheid, the president of Tee It Up for the Troops. “He’s a great guy and has a big heart for serving our military families,” he added.

“He doesn’t do it for the fame,” SGT Ngo said. “He does it because he knows that if it wasn’t for the men and women that serve this country, we wouldn’t have the freedoms we have.”

(Video produced by Eric Smith, MN Vikings Team Reporter.)