A Soldier’s Heart Bluegrass and Muddy Waters, a veteran-led nonprofit, is launching an initiative to raise $200,000 for the purchase and required maintenance on a new vessel that will be dedicated to helping veterans combat PTSD and suicide through sailing and connection.
Since 2020, Captain Perry McClain, the owner of S/V Ghostship, in conjunction with Jeremy Wallace, the co-founder of A Soldier’s Heart Bluegrass and Muddy Waters, have been offering free multi-day sailing trips out of Key West for service members and veterans struggling with trauma. McClain said the program was born from a deep desire to provide healing spaces for those battling invisible wounds. “We’re not just giving rides on a boat,” McClain said. “We’re building brotherhood and letting veterans know they aren’t alone. When you’re out on the water, the noise in your head starts to quiet down.”
The first voyage included six combat veterans, the program has steadily grown in participation requests. “Every other trip has been 10 to 12 veterans,” said Wallace, “We are hoping to get to a point to run 10 to 12 trips a year.”
Over the past five years, the organization has hit the water with approximately 138 veterans, offering hope through the healing voyages. With the new sailboat, the team intends to scale that impact. The new vessel will comfortably house up to 14 attendees, three volunteers, and the captain—dramatically increasing the program’s capacity for the participants once in a lifetime missions at sea.
To make it all possible, Wallace, McClain, and a host of likeminded nonprofits, partner with musicians, mental health advocates, and other veteran organizations to support their mission at home and on the water. Being the driving force behind the new initiative, Wallace’s t hosts an annual music concert intended to entertain and convey the emotional struggles and resilience of those who serve. “It’s not totally about the music—it’s about the message,” said Wallace. “And we want that message to reach every vet who needs it.”
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 6,407 veterans died by suicide in 2022. The unadjusted suicide rate for veterans was 34.7 per 100,000, compared to 17.1 per 100,000 for non-veteran U.S. adults. Efforts like Ghostship Warriors aim to reduce that number through community, purpose, and healing on the open sea.
Contact Information:
Captain Perry McClain
Founder, Ghostship Warriors
Facebook: Ghostship Warriors
Website: Ghostship Warriors
Donation Page: Ghostship 2.0 Fundraising Page
Jeremy Wallace
Founder, A Soldier’s Heart, Bluegrass and Muddy Waters
Facebook: A Soldier's Heart Bluegrass and Muddy Waters
Website: A Soldier's Heart Bluegrass and Muddy Waters
Donation Page: Ghostship 2.0 Fundraising Page