Hell or High Seas
Thursday February 22nd at 7 pm
The Music Hall Lounge
Tickets: https://www.themusichall.org/events/hellorhighseas
| Join the Gundalow Company for this film presentation & panel discussion. |
HELL OR HIGH SEAS follows U.S. Navy veteran Taylor Grieger and writer Stephen O’Shea as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime — sailing around Cape Horn, the world’s most treacherous ocean waters. The documentary is a moving portrait of a veteran using his own painful journey with PTSD to find healing for himself, and pave a smoother path for veterans returning to civilian life.
Our panel discussion will be facilitated by Gundalow Co. Executive Director and Navy veteran, Rich Clyborne with panelists: Taylor Grieger & Dane Hylen from Skeleton Crew Adventures/Hell or High Seas and local contributors Bill Miller from VMAT and Phil Taub from Swim with a Mission.
Taylor Grieger – Taylor served as a United States Navy Rescue Swimmer/ Door-Gunner from 2010-2016. During that time he was stationed with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 (HSC-
25) in Guam, USA. He completed 4 deployments that spanned the entire theater between
Australia and Japan. On those deployments he flew on a variety of missions that ranged from
providing overwatch in Brunei while working with the United States Secret Service Security and
Advance Team, to providing Humanitarian Relief/ Aid in the Northern Marianas islands &
Philippines following each Typhoon season.
Upon his release from the military, Taylor had a difficult time assimilating to civilian
society. He turned to alcohol and quickly fell into PTSD death spiral. After a failed attempt at
taking his own life, and after losing a handful of his brothers to suicide, Taylor decided to set sail
for Cape Horn “The Mt. Everest of the Seas” in order to raise awareness for the Veteran Suicide
epidemic happening in the States.
55,000+ nautical miles later and 70 foot seas in his wake, Taylor has returned from a
successful mission rounding Cape Horn and released the documentary “Hell or High Seas”,
covering their expedition to end Veteran Suicide. He is now on a new mission to bring
Adventure Therapy (AT) sailing programs to every single Veteran returning home and travels to military bases across the country to help active duty members better understands how post-
traumatic stress has affected the body on a physiological level and how to live a healthy life with PTSD.
Dane Hylen – Is the Director of Fundraising and Watch Captain with Skeleton Crew Adventures. An Army veteran of ten years with multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, he first served as an infantryman and later as a helicopter pilot. Originally from NH, he was a watch captain during the ocean globe race 2023. Dane has expertise in Ocean Rescue and sailed with the Skeleton Crew from Portsmouth NH to Portugal and then from England to Africa; over 50 days at sea and 10000+ miles.
Since 2016, Skeleton Crew Adventures, A 5013c has been providing veterans and first responders living with PTSD the opportunity to heal at sea using research based methods of learning to live with trauma through adventure therapy (AT). Conducting sailing expeditions across the globe, they currently operate out of Kemah, Texas where they provide day-sail training opportunities, 3-4 day offshore sailing missions along the Texas coast. In 2023 their team was the only boat representing the United States in the largest ocean sailing race of our generation, The Ocean Globe Race 2023.
- Nautical miles sailed: 27,184+
- Number of Veterans that have sailed: 290
- Number of Veterans who’ve died by suicide after joining our team: 0
Sensei William (Bill Miller) – As a US Army Veteran and Instructor on the Veterans Martial Arts Training [V-MAT] team. Bill enjoys sharing his time and experience with all who are interested in a journey through the Art that he loves. Bill finds value in all aspects of training. Kata (Forms), as it relates to practical applications and self defense, is one of his favorite pursuits. Bill began studying the Martial Arts in 1972 and has always enjoyed it’s way of focusing the mind, body and spirit. Over these years he has had the opportunity to study with many excellent practitioners. These experiences from different Arts and organizations have helped Bill translate the commonality between them all. The considerable portion of his training has been in the Art of Isshinryu Karate. V-MAT is a 100% Free Martial Arts Program for U.S. Military Veterans, Reserves and Active Duty Located in the Portsmouth. Martial Arts have been proven to assist in healing the physical, mental and spiritual losses caused by PTSD, traumatic brain injury, physical injury recovery and many other issues – in all walks of life.
Mike Montini – Mike, a proud New Hampshire native, returned to the seacoast area after retiring from The United States Army Special Operations Command. Initially deemed unfit for military duty out of high school, he pursued a career on the ocean. He worked as a longshoreman, a commercial fisherman commercial fisherman and was part of a Piscataqua River Emergency Response Team. After again being denied to join the military multiple times between 2001 and 2005, Mike underwent elective medical procedures to qualify for military service. After being able to join the Army in 2008 as an Airborne Combat Medic, Mike decided to try out for Special Forces in 2009, ultimately becoming an Army Special Forces Green Beret (SF). Mike’s career encompassed various roles on a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha (A-Team). After being selected to attend the SF Warrant Officer course in 2017, Mike became a Warrant Officer, serving as an “A-Team” Commander, Assistant Commander, and The Special Operations Liaison Element Officer for Ambassador Eric Whitaker at the U.S. Embassy in Niger. After seven deployments and several surgeries, Mike was ultimately medically retired as a Special Forces Chief Warrant Officer 2 due to physical injuries received during combat operations. Since returning to the seacoast area, Mike has been pursuing his MBA, working with the development team at Camp Resilience, and enjoying outdoor activities with his son Max and German Shepard Service Dog Scout.
Phil Taub – Co-Founder of Swim With A Mission (SWAM) whose mission is to be a sustainable and successful not for profit that harnesses the creativity and networks of its principal supporters to raise money to strengthen and support worthy organizations that service, support and honor our Veterans.
Philip Taub is a partner at Nixon Peabody LLP, a national full service law firm. Phil has spent 29 years as an corporate lawyer representing buyers and sellers in the middle market. Deeply committed to our community, Phil and his wife Julie started a new charity in the spring of 2017 to benefit our Veterans called Swim With A Mission (see www.SWAM.org). So far, they have already raised over $12.5 million to benefit tens of thousands of veterans needing assistance. Phil is also a board member at the National Navy SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Phil is also a past president of the board of the Granite State Children’s Alliance, which attends to child victims of abuse. He also serves on the board of Elliot Hospital and Elliot Health System. In 2015, Phil co-founded a de novo bank called Primary Bank, a full-service community bank headquartered in Bedford, NH, and currently serves on the board of directors. He is a former member of a number of community not for profit boards, including, the Derryfield School, the YMCA, and Junior Achievement.
When Phil is not on his phone or in front of his computer, he is likely spending time with his family, working out with a Navy SEAL, or walking his English springer spaniels through the woods, occasionally skeet shooting and sometimes competing in triathlons. If not for the complete intellectual engagement of working with a wonderful group of clients, Phil would enjoy being a safari guide in the Okavango Delta or a boat captain in the Mediterranean Sea.
Accommodations for some panelists provided by Sailmaker’s House https://www.sailmakershouse.com/
Sponsored in part by Service Credit Union
