We value the feedback from those who have participated in our excursions. Read what some of them have to say.
2023 – “I’ve always wanted to float big water and the Yampa delivered magnificently; a perfect mix of silent time to reflect, along with wild rides manned by professional oarsmen”. “As a geologist, it was a major bucket list check-off to see spectacular formations and geo-structure with a great crew of seasoned Veterans, combat brothers who’ve seen and done it all. Honored to join”.
Gary Morris, A-6 Intruder Pilot, Vietnam
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2022 “Honored and humbled for the opportunity to be a part of the 2022 Veteran Excursions trip.” “While the commitment of 10 days was a hefty investment, the ROI speaks for itself.” “The trip healed my soul in a way I didn’t think was possible.” “I am a better version of myself because of the experience and would recommend this once in a lifetime opportunity to any of my brothers.”
Bruce Norgren – US Army Special Forces
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2021 “The 2021 Veterans Excursions trip was an exceptional journey into the soul”. ” The day we stepped foot off the shore, lost all cellphone coverage, and didn’t touch cement or see civilization for the remainder of the trip was incredibly freeing.”
“Being in the company of heroes and professionals was comforting and calming allowing for some vulnerable conversations that truly encouraged healing in every way.” “Having been retired from the Special Forces regiment for over nine years, this was a well-needed escape and bonding trip that I didn’t know that I needed.”
“The Veteran Excursions crew were skilled and generous hosts who thought of every possible need of the float members and delivered a Five-Star journey down the amazing Yampa River in Colorado.” “With my highest recommendation I support the Veterans Excursions organization as it is the best kept secret in the Veteran community.”
Jason Koehler – US Army Ranger, Special Forces
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2020 “With all the covid-19 uncertainty we’ve been facing in 2020, the highly anticipated VE river trip took place as scheduled. It was another phenomenal journey down the river with a great group of people & guides.”
“What amazes me is how the river trip parallels life with each and every turn or bend in the river. You turn into one bend and it could be calm and tranquil only for the next bend to be to be rough and choppy with many obstacles in your path. It forces you to analyze, strategize, adapt and overcome just like you do in day-to-day life. The only difference is, you’re not alone. Instead, you’re with a group of skilled guides and people with varying backgrounds and perspectives which gives you the confidence to navigate the new and unfamiliar aspects of your river journey as with life itself.”
“I appreciate and thank the VE Crew for their leadership and trusted guides, who made this trip possible during this time of uncertainty by leading the way and setting the pace for an amazing experience. VE, a top shelf organization, provided everything we needed other than clothing and personal items of our choice.”
“And to all who took part, I am honored to have met and been part of this year’s journey and look forward to future excursions with you.”
Ron Simons – Air Force A-10s
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2020 “Wow, where do I begin? I have dealt with a lot of things in my lifetime of 52 years. Most of it was good, thank God. Some of these events, not so much. Within the last couple of years, I was diagnosed with PTSD; which explained a lot and that started me on the SLOW road to recovery.”
“I have seen and done a lot in two different conflicts: as a Marine in Desert Storm/Shield and as a private contractor in the war on terror in Afghanistan. War does something to you that only a few can understand.”
“Then, approximately 2 months ago, I met a guy who at first was just your average guy… on the outside. But little did I know that this man would soon aid in the recovery of my life. The founder of Veterans Excursions and cool as hell bad-ass told me of a trip that he hosts and participates in once a year.”
“This camping trip was in the great state of Utah and was attended by some guys who were going through some of the same things I was. SOOO, I decided not to attend. But then, my wife told me, oh, you’re going!!! So, I met with the Founder again and after a good old fashion military briefing, I was in Utah on this journey.”
“Well, little did I know that this trip, and fellowshipping with these great like-minded patriots and warriors would change my life!!! I found a peace and clarity that I haven’t seen and felt in a very long time. I was able to be myself, laugh…A LOT and share some things of which I thought I was going through alone.”
“Being around great American patriots who understand you does some amazing things for you. I am grateful for the opportunity to meet the men who were on this trip. They helped me realize that I am not in this alone and not to mention I have gained 13 more men who I now call… brother!!”
“Thank you, Veteran Excursions.”
“Semper-Fi”
Paul Yurkin – US Marine, Security Contractor, A guy trying to figure out life…
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2020 “Where do I even begin? First, let me thank the VE Crew for providing me with the experience of a lifetime. I cannot thank you enough for all that you guys do to make this experience one that I will cherish and never forget.”
“As a disabled veteran, I needed to find something again to help me be sparked, feel that brotherhood and be among men that are some of the best men our planet has to offer. I always struggled to adjust to a civilian life and always had that void. The trip was epic. I found brotherhood, adrenalin, comradery and a connection to nature and God that I haven’t felt since I served in Iraq.”
“Everything was set up perfectly. The food was awesome! The moment I arrived to grab my gear; the experience was familiar. I felt like I was loading up and preparing for a deployment or an FTX. That feeling was great. Once on the river, The VE Crew had everything so organized and ready to go that it made our experience that much better. I could finally relax. After a few days, I found myself connecting with myself, God, the brotherhood and just relief. I finally let go of worrying and feeling numb. I was challenged with fun rapids, learning to kayak and how to just let my mind enjoy the experience. No news, no Facebook or negative social media. Just a river, the brothers, great food and a fire to sit back and tell stories.”
“I found passion again after this experience, something that I lost somewhere along my journey. I would highly recommend this to any veteran that needs to reconnect and feel great. Not only did it help me, it helped my wife and my son. Since the trip, I am more motivated, my wife missed me and we realized how important we are to each other.”
“Again, thank you, to the VE Crew and all that helped put this together. I would be honored to come back and help in any way I can next year.”
Sincerely,
Rick Quinn – Disable Vet, Tanker, US Army
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2020 “I would like to thank the VE Crew. I am a disabled Veteran and have many issues, one of my fears was I would let myself and others down due to a chronic pain issue, not knowing if my mind could carry this pain, therefore I limit myself to staying in a comfort zone, meaning I could control my environment. I know many Vets do the same thing.”
“Going on this seven-day float allowed me to get outside my comfort zone and experience things I would likely never have in a healthy group environment. I was worried the trip would be very strict and confined on rules but this group treats you like you are a responsible adult, unlike many Disable Veteran organizations.”
“If you’re thinking of going on one of these expeditions, I would recommend it. This trip was a well thought out, organized and most of all a friendly group. Bring your stories as we did and sit at the fire pit, we are here not to judge or criticize (As most of us have experienced, unlike some civilians in life, having no idea what we have gone through and looking at you like a deer in the head lights).”
“Thank you again for all the fun memories.”
Ed Serpas – US Army
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2019 “A great way to recharge/reset our brain from our everyday lives. Guys were able to unwind and let their guard down. The interaction between military guys and civilians like myself was paramount. This was my first excursion water rafting and camping and these gentlemen were very instrumental. I highly recommend this trip to active and former military guys and civilians. The VE Crew are outstanding. Thank you for a memorable experience and see you next year”
Thubelihle Nkomazana – Veteran Excursion Board Member, BUFC Director
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2018 “I want to thank you for this experience. This was a good time with good company! I haven’t taken time for myself to just get away from the “rat race” in so long; it was well overdue. It was a great opportunity to remove myself from everyday life and enjoy nature. For the first time in a long time, I had no worries, stress and was mostly off the grid. Continue the great work on this admirable program.”
Steve Lowe – 2 PPCLI Canadian Forces, Winnipeg Manitoba Police Forces
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2018 “I was a trip leader on a recent river trip excursion with some retired Veterans on the Colorado River. You would have never known these people were retired… always on the go, hiking side Canyons, navigating inflatable kayaks and paddle boards, swimming, interacting with others, being curious and inquisitive about their surroundings, and most obviously having fun… like they were in their 20’s again and not a care in the world! They appeared to leave the river ready and excited to continue each of their life journeys!”
“I felt proud to have shared these beautiful moments with each of them and look forward to more experiences like this.”
Respectfully
Alex Jennings – River Guide, Adventurer, Philosopher, Poet, overall great guy
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2018 “I would gladly trade 2 weeks with my family at an overpriced theme park and 5-star time share accommodations for 5 days on the river ANYWHERE with the rafting guys again … I NEEDED the river trip more than I thought. Trying to integrate into a civil gov tech position and working within a large police agency DOES NOT replace the small group of guys that I routinely deployed with. I’m told it’s the same environment but none of the police understand how a dirty looking, less than politically correct weapons toting group of guys can become family. At work and around my family I feel out of place.”
“The river captains routinely thanked the guys for their services and sacrifice… the reply was always “no problem, but I LOVED what I was doing!” After deploying for years to different continents, my home family and friends still do not just talk to me, they barely scratch the surface of conversation. But can I blame them? Do they really want to hear that I loved my job, (for better or worse, through the deaths that surround the occupation, the half dozen times I wound up in jails and prisons, the grizzly yet off-color humor that surrounded everything I touched…)”?
“Everything I hide, conceal or can’t say around my non serving family and friends and daily coworkers now was TOTALLY OK. No awkward pauses if something slipped, or just popped up in conversation. No judgment for me actually wanting to be wet, dirty, happily tired and sleeping on the ground in a tiny shelter…. just laughter, jokes, and encouragement from every other grinning adventure addict standing or floating nearby.”
“The experience and expertise provided by the river captains coupled with the river and adventure itself set me at ease. The food was amazing every day and if my only real suggestion out of the adventure is MORE ICE, then I guess there were no hardships.”
“The river gods did not disappoint, and as included in the cleverly designed pre trip information handout; whatever was NOT SECURELY TIED ON became the property of the river. Few items were lost but it proves an age-old point to secure your gear at ALL TIMES.”
“The opportunity to be in the presence of such amazing characters and not feel out of place, the new friendships and bonds that can only be created by near death experiences cannot be recreated on the local golf course. (Not everyone was lucky enough to swim the rapids underwater!)”
“I can, do and will support this type of trip and the people behind the administration and physical set up. The logistics are severe but worth overcoming to enable this type of opportunity for any veteran needing to decompress, feel a spark of life again and actually enjoy just being in the presence of real family in an unconditional environment of trust.”
Adam Morash – Canadian Forces, Manitoba Police Forces
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2018 “Guys were able to relax, discuss, learn, play, and contemplate. Being able to relate to both civilians and other military people is critical, especially for guys who have been discharged recently. I hope this goes a lot further and blossoms into your dream, I really think it is a great idea and that it will help a lot of soldiers. Those kinds of trips really bring you back down to earth, remind you of your priorities, and show you that you are not so different than everyone else.”
Davin Crowley – US Army Special Forces
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2018 “I have been doing river trips since 1983, and never have I been on one as easy as this one. Organization is key to you military folks. We civies can be organized but we don’t tend to accept the organization in the manner you do, meaning we will ignore our duties at times! I would think that a veteran would feel comfortable coming into an activity such as this and find the organization of the activity similar to what they had in the service.”
“Another take-away from this is how relaxed all of you seemed in this situation. There was always that talk about the dangers of the river but coming from the backgrounds you guys come from I saw an attitude that spoke of “Sure there may be some dangers on the river, but I experienced much more danger when on active duty, so bring it on.” I just always got the feeling that a little danger is maybe what you guys may be seeking.”
“It was a great pleasure to be a part of this endeavor. These types of outings should be a great way for your fellow soldiers to be together as a group in a somewhat strenuous situation, yet not as life threatening as what you may have come from. Besides, you can’t drink copious amounts of whiskey and beer in a fox hole and hope for the best. River trips, yes you can!”
“Thanks for the adventure! Hope to do this again.”
John Jennings – White Water Rafting SME, Educator, Adventurer, another great guy
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