No Salt Sailing offers disabled veterans bonding and tranquility

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A new veteran-run nonprofit is sharing a passion for the water and building community with veterans who need it.

No Salt Sailing is run by Army veteran Will Shehan. He has PTSD and said the tranquility he has found in sailing is something he wants to bring to more disabled veterans.

Shehan said for the past three years he's worked to make his boat Jester water-ready.

"You are the interface between the water and the sky," he said.

Shehan served two tours in the Korean Demilitarized Zone in the 1980s, and another tour in Iraq during Operation Desert Shield.

"We did and probably still do missions into North Korea, 24-hour rotations, missions. Stuff bows up. Things are shot at," he said.

And when he came home, he needed help.

"I've got bad days and good days and some days I just can't get out there," Shehan said.

He said the tranquility, team building and comradery he's found on the water that has helped him move forward and inspired him to start No Salt Sailing.

"You can't worry about whatever it is that your PTSD causes you. You can't really worry about that because if you do, she's a temperamental boat. You start defocusing and she'll start going off course the sails will start flapping, bring you back to reality and so you have to stay kind of focused," he said.

This is their first summer out on Lake Michigan taking veterans on Jester and other boats whose captains volunteer.

"That teamwork aspect is super important for us," said retired Army Cpl. Treazure Owens. "I'm missing feeling like I'm a part of something bigger than myself."

Owens left the Army a few months ago and said that connection with veterans is vital.

"He's providing the stage for us to have that team work, to have that camaraderie to be a part of something bigger than yourself, to learn skills and in a low impact environment," she said.

Shehan wants his organization to grow.

"In Chicago we have a lot of vets that come from underserved communities that don't have the opportunity to come sailing so I want to be able to open this up to them and their families," he said.

Shehan said he wants to reach as many veterans as possible and while he's not a therapist, his boat is a safe place to talk.