A Must Have Book For Everyone With A Dog: “Speaking for Spot”
I’m not gonna make a lot of excuses for not posting much lately, other than to say my experience matches that of so many others over the last year or two – things move so much faster on places like Twitter and Facebook now that blogs almost seem outmoded. They still have their place, but generally for longer things, and there’s a whole content ownership discussion as well – stuff I won’t go into here.
Dean Koontz Donates $1 Million to Canine Companions for Independence
I’m sure there will be more to follow on this one, but it’s just been announced that Dean Koontz donated another million dollars to Canine Companions for Independence at their Board of Directors reception last night.
I say “another” million because the last official public number I saw shows that the Koontzes have already donated over $5.5 million to CCI, including a surprise $1 million during the November 2008 graduation at the Southwest Regional Center named for them in Oceanside, CA. The plan was that they were going to donate $100,000, but they decided to surprise everybody (especially the center director, Linda Valliant) and “add a zero”.
“The Marines Wanted a Manly Dog”
Pfc. James Burns plays with service dog Finn at the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Detachment, Camp Kaneohe, Hawaii.
Hey, how about something a lot more fun and upbeat than yesterday’s depressing post about the VA (one of these days I hope to be able to write about them and have a good feeling instead of the bad one I always get now).
Finally, The Real Story About The VA And Service Dogs For Veterans
While I’ve addressed this subject before (“Why The VA Has Provided No Money For Service Dogs – In Their Own Words”), I’ve really held off and pretty much kept my mouth shut, hoping that some of the behind-the-scenes discussions I was aware of with the VA regarding service dogs for veterans would bear fruit, and not wanting to possibly mess those up. Plus, I really think some of the VA people working the issue are good guys and want to help, and I didn’t wanna risk torquing them off.
“Seventy-pound Labrador retrievers take up half the bed.”
I cracked up when I read that in this story today about military working dogs at Joint Base Balad in Iraq:
“MWDs ‘out of the doghouse’ at JBB”
U.S. Army Specialist Chris Belville, 25th Infantry Division dog handler, spends time with his canine, Cookie, in his living quarters here Aug. 28.
It doesn’t surprise me – I know enough handlers to know how they are about their dogs, and the stories over the years about them sleeping with the dogs, usually under hostile conditions in the field, are legion.
About Me
I'm very active with Canine Companions for Independence as a former member of the Veterans Task Force and puppy raiser. Retired US Air Force Chief Master Sergeant with my last assignments at the Air Force Academy as the Fourth Group Sergeant Major and Dean of Faculty Superintendent.
I'm actively looking for a paid position doing what I already do full-time as a volunteer.
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