Every section of a river is different. There are narrow areas, where the water flow becomes faster, and wide areas, where the water flow slows. For those who travel on the water, there are moments of intense physical and mental concentration, along with moments of tranquility with opportunity for reflection.

No two journeys are ever quite the same. And although all people who were in any branch of the United States' armed forces share a desire to serve their country, their experiences while doing so may have been wildly different. From April 4-11, 12 veterans with diverse life experiences will unite for a six-day canoeing and whitewater rafting trek on the Delaware and Lehigh rivers, along with two staff instructors and other support staff."While individuals' service may differ, their commitment to serve their country and the values gained through military experience are shared across all of the branches of the service," said Sophia Ozenbaugh, Advancement Coordinator for the Philadelphia Outward Bound School. "The expedition focuses on those values, as well as the history and values of Outward Bound in order to create a level of trust in each other and our staff."Participants begin the course by traveling on the upper portion of the Delaware Water Gap, known for its narrowing bends, swift water and technical rapids. The group can expect to see lots of wildlife and scenic views from Matamoras to Kittatinny Point, stopping over at Minisink and Namanock islands for breaks. After honing their paddling techniques, participants then take on a final challenge, rafting level 3 and 4 rapids on the Lehigh River in Jim Thorpe.The crew travels with all the food and equipment they need to conduct their expedition such as tents, stoves, maps, emergency equipment and much more. As they paddle down the river with their expedition crew, participants learn how to work together and re-discover the commitment and effort it takes to truly work as a team. Crew members learn basic outdoor skills like Leave-No-Trace Ethics, outdoor living, and backcountry travel. Along the way, they hone communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills. During the expedition, participants learn to use technical equipment, tie knots, paddle and camp."The Philadelphia Outward Bound School has provided Veterans programming since 2010," Ozenbaugh explained. "Outward Bound's first courses for veterans were established in 1983 through collaboration with Veterans Administration Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) units to serve Vietnam War veterans.""Outward Bound renewed the program in 2006 to serve Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, running one such course each year, and the 2006 and 2007 courses both received overwhelmingly positive evaluations," she added. "Based on this success, in 2008 Outward Bound received a three-year, $4.3 million grant from Military Family Outdoor Initiative Project (MFO), and more recently Outward Bound for Veterans has received the generous support of Holiday Retirement Communities, Fortress Investments, and a network of private donors and charitable foundations that allow us to serve over 600 veterans a year."Ozenbaugh said that Outward Bound Veterans' expeditions are customized for the Veterans with their powerful shared experience in mind."Our expeditions for veterans intentionally mimic many of the positive aspects of military service that a lot of Veterans miss once they have separated from the service," she said. "Camaraderie, service to those on the patrol, teamwork, a mission driven lifestyle for the week, and occasionally intense physical exercise allows veterans to re-experience many of the same strengths that they exhibited while deployed."For more information, to reserve a spot on the trip, or to make a donation to support the trip, visit outwardboundphiladelphia.org. To support Veterans programming nationwide, visit outwardbound.org.