Inside a veteran non-profit’s ‘chaotic’ couples retreat
It was supposed to be the perfect getaway.
The six-day trip to Jacó, Costa Rica was advertised to U.S. military veteran couples and their significant others as a tranquil, rejuvenating escape from the everyday. The website for the July 2022 couples retreat advertised a “luxury vacation” set “in the rainforest overlooking the Pacific Ocean,” complete with “exotic fruit mimosas” and “a freshly-cooked meal” three times a day. It boasted a range of activities from sunrise yoga, to a couples massage, group dinners, time at the beach, a waterfall visit, date night, hiking, surfing, and more.
If couples booked before July