Listen to the article
Bill Arnold always had the passion to serve his country. Coming from a family of five generations of veterans, military service was ingrained in him.
But while driving home from a funeral of a veteran he once commanded, the question hit him – “Could I do more to support veterans struggling after combat?”
That’s when the former Marine Corps officer established Blue Diamond Recreation, a nonprofit organization in Fort Worth, Texas, providing outdoor activities, fishing, hiking, and other sports, to assist veterans and their families, especially when they’re coping with mental health issues. Blue Diamond Recreation plans 6-10 retreats each year, offering peer support and ways to connect with other veterans.
“The effects of war, it all comes back to the ripple effect,” Arnold said. “It affects everybody.”
Arnold told Fort Worth Report that his organization has 39 members and continues to grow.
First-Hand Combat Experience
In the Marine Corps, Arnold was thrust into combat situations on several occasions.
He was deployed to Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s, commanding the Scout Platoon, Regimental Combat Team-1, 1st Marine Division.
Arnold became a reservist in 1994, transitioning to a career as a teacher for Fort Worth Country Day School. He enjoyed the break from full-time military duty while still maintaining a connection to the Marines.
That changed on Sept. 11, 2001. Arnold watched on TV in stunned disbelief as the terrorist attacks unfolded in New York City and Washington, D.C. Again, he felt the urge to serve his country, but in what way? He asked his wife, Debbie, if he should return to active duty.
“I specifically remember Debby looking at me and saying, ‘You’re a great Marine.’ I thought to myself, I’m still fit and relatively young,” Arnold said.
He decided to return to active duty; however, the choice weighed heavily on his family, including three kids, and his students at Country Day.
“The real heroes are the military spouses,” Arnold said. “My wife found herself as a single parent for the first time, with three children and a husband deployed to one of the most dangerous places in the world at that time.”
He was about to find out how dangerous it was.
Arnold was sent to Fallujah, Iraq, to lead a scout platoon. The unit fought in the Second Battle of Fallujah, the deadliest battle of the war in Iraq. Coalition forces lost more than 100 troops, with over 600 wounded. More than 3,000 enemy insurgents fell, but so did thousands of civilians. More than half of Fallujah’s mosques suffered damage. The fighting raged on for six weeks, the most intense urban combat since the Vietnam War.
In 2005, Arnold’s deployment ended. He returned to Fort Worth, reuniting with family, friends, and his students.
The Marine couldn’t shake Fallujah, though.
“My first tour was in peacetime, so the sights, smells, and the sounds of the battlefield were something that I was unfamiliar with,” Arnold said. “Because the battle had become a touchstone for me, every time I saw a traumatic news story, or if it was cold outside, everything came back to Fallujah.”
For a while, Arnold tried to brush past the flashbacks. He tried to acclimate to life as a civilian. But he realized the battle had become a part of him.
Saved Lives in Combat
Mike Shupp, a retired Marine Corps colonel, said Arnold was constantly responsible for saving lives. Arnold and Shupp served together in Iraq.
“Arnold was responsible for my security as a regimental commander,” Shupp said. “He kept me alive every day.”
Shupp remembers Arnold setting up checkpoints throughout Fallujah, making certain there would be no additional Marines wounded or killed after U.S. forces secured the city. He had an instinct to help his fellow comrades. Twenty years later, as he works to give veterans recreational opportunities, that instinct has not faded.
“Seeing Bill’s example makes me a better person and a better Marine, because it makes me realize that I have to be supportive of these things as well,” Shupp said.
The Need to Give Back
Giving back, whether through military service or teaching, has become a core tenet of Arnold’s life.
It all started when he earned a scholarship in high school to attend Virginia Military Institute. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from VMI and a master’s in history from the University of Texas at Arlington. He became a commissioned second lieutenant in 1990, serving in Quantico, Virginia.
Arnold and other veterans will be honored in November for their service at an event hosted by the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas.
He recently retired from teaching, devoting himself fully to Blue Diamond Recreation.
After all, there will always be veterans who need a helping hand.
Story Continues
Read the full article here
19 Comments
The description of the fighting in Fallujah as the most intense urban combat since the Vietnam War is chilling, and it’s no wonder that Arnold and his unit were affected by the experience.
The fact that Arnold’s wife Debbie told him ‘you’re a great Marine’ when he was considering returning to active duty after 9/11 must have had a significant impact on his decision, and I wonder how she felt about his choice.
I’m curious about the 6-10 retreats Blue Diamond Recreation plans each year, and how they provide peer support and ways to connect with other veterans, especially when they’re coping with mental health issues.
I’d like to know more about how Blue Diamond Recreation plans to expand its services and reach more veterans in the future, and what kind of support they need to make that happen.
The fact that Blue Diamond Recreation has 39 members and continues to grow is a testament to Arnold’s dedication to supporting veterans, but I wonder what challenges the organization faces in terms of funding and resources.
The Second Battle of Fallujah was indeed one of the deadliest battles of the war in Iraq, with over 100 coalition troops lost and more than 600 wounded, which must have had a profound impact on Arnold and his unit.
I’m concerned about the long-term effects of war on veterans and their families, and I think it’s essential to provide more resources and support to help them cope with the ripple effects of war.
The fact that Bill Arnold was deployed to Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s and later returned to active duty after 9/11 shows his dedication to serving his country, but I wonder how his family coped with the deployments.
His wife Debbie’s role as a single parent during his deployment is often overlooked, but as Arnold said, ‘the real heroes are the military spouses’.
The establishment of Blue Diamond Recreation as a nonprofit organization in Fort Worth, Texas, is a great example of how veterans can find ways to serve their communities and support one another.
I appreciate how Arnold’s experience as a reservist and his transition back to active duty after 9/11 highlights the complexities of military service and the sacrifices made by veterans and their families.
I’m skeptical about how effective outdoor activities like fishing and hiking can be in addressing the complex mental health issues that veterans face, and I’d like to see more research on the topic.
The fact that Arnold has dedicated his life to serving his country and supporting veterans is inspiring, and his work with Blue Diamond Recreation is a testament to the positive impact one person can have.
Arnold’s experience in the Marine Corps and his work with Blue Diamond Recreation highlights the importance of peer support and community for veterans, which is often overlooked in favor of more traditional forms of therapy.
The photo of Bill Arnold with a group of combat veterans before a deer hunt in Texas is a powerful image, and I’d like to know more about how outdoor activities like this help veterans cope with mental health issues.
Arnold’s transition from a Marine Corps officer to a teacher at Fort Worth Country Day School is interesting, and I’d like to know more about how his teaching experience influenced his approach to helping veterans.
The fact that Arnold was able to reconnect with his family and students after his deployment is a positive note, but I’m sure it wasn’t easy, and I wonder how he navigated the challenges of readjusting to civilian life.
Arnold’s comment that ‘the effects of war, it all comes back to the ripple effect’ resonates deeply, as it’s clear that the impact of war goes far beyond the individual veteran.
The statistic that more than half of Fallujah’s mosques suffered damage during the battle is staggering, and it’s no wonder that Arnold couldn’t shake the experience of being in Fallujah.