Changing disabled veterans lives                 through scuba
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The VETS Project is a division of Aqua-Nut Divers

Your generosity will improve the lives of               our disabled veterans
If you are a veteran who would like to receive free scuba training from Aqua-Nut Divers, please call 661-496-0564 or email us at Info@Aqua-Nut.com. 
If you wish to provide a donation to Aqua-Nut Divers to assist with the training of our military veterans send a check to:

Aqua-Nut Divers
13061 Rosedale Highway
​Suite G-201
Bakersfield, CA 93314

What we provide the veterans at no cost

  • Open Water (beginner) course which includes all books, rental equipment, all instruction, their own personal gear (mask, fins, snorkel, boots, gloves and dive bag), pool rentals, tanks and air fills and trip to Catalina which includes ferry ticket, parking and two night hotel stay.
  • Advanced course which includes pool rental, tanks and air fills, all instruction, rental gear, trip to Catalina which includes ferry ticket, parking and two night hotel stay.
  • Rescue Diver course which includes pool rental, tanks and air fills, all instruction, rental gear, trip to Catalina which includes ferry ticket, parking and two night hotel stay. This class also includes a CPR/First Aid class.
  • Drysuit Diver course which includes pool rental, tanks and air fills, all instruction, rental gear and a boat trip to the Channel Islands.
  • Three free charter scuba diving boat trips per year. 
  • Specialty diver courses such as Enriched Air (Nitrox), Oxygen Provider, Boat Diver and Delayed Surface Marker Buoy and more.
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As a way to give back to our veterans for the sacrifice they have made for our country, members of Aqua-Nut Divers in partnership with Ventura Dive & Sport want to provide them with the opportunity to be certified as scuba divers in hopes that it serves as an outlet and may aid in their healing process. While the instruction will be provided for free, there are other costs associated with the certification, and we need your help to offer this free of charge to our veterans.

Aqua-Nut Divers is a Central Valley scuba diving club that has over 475 members. The members of the club feel very strongly about giving back to our community. Within the club are six instructors and assistant instructors who are HSA (Handicapped Scuba Association) trained to teach scuba to those with disabilities ranging from PTSD to quadriplegia.

Our goal is teach scuba to as many disabled military veterans as possible. Again, we feel that this training will greatly help their healing process. The normal cost of an open water scuba class (basic) is approximately $1500.00 to $1700.00. This includes equipment, books, instructor fees, hotel and more. However, we have been able to negotiate special prices and are able to get the cost down to approximately $1200.00 per veteran. Of course, each instructor, assistant instructor and dive master will be donating his/her time and service to this worthy cause.

Aqua-Nut Divers has raised some of the money needed to train the veterans through its quarterly meetings, raffles, and the sale of Aqua-Nut Divers’ apparel. However, we are far from raising enough money to reach our goal of teaching scuba to a minimum of 6 disabled veterans each year. Once certified the veterans are offered advanced training as well as several boat trips a year at no cost to them. We have started to offer rescue diver training yearly as well to teach them important skills. Given the cold water temperatures in California, we also offer a dry suit class once a year for those who become avid divers.

You can help us by donating to this worthy cause. You can do so by contacting us at Info@Aqua-Nut.com. Aqua-Nut Divers is recognized as a non-profit organization. 
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We hope you are just as excited to help our veterans by making a donation to our V.E.T.S. Project as we are to teach them how to dive.

                   The class of 2022

            Media coverage from a previous class

The V.E.T.S Project 2025 Sponsors/Donors

The V.E.T.S. Project 2024 Sponsors/Donors

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​     James and Jeana               Coleman
​​ ​​    Bill and Sue Nichols

    Vernon and Janis                Varner

   Byron and Cindy Wall

Click on donor to find out more information about that company