“Out Of Everything I’ve Done To Try And Improve My Life, Nothing’s Even Come Close To Getting My Service Dog, Napal”
I’ve written about my friend Air Force veteran Jason Morgan and his Canine Companions for Independence service dog Napal before here, here, and here.
This short news video from KXAS in Dallas yesterday pretty much speaks for itself and really captures them very well.
“Local Veteran’s Life Changed By A Dog”
Look – And Closely – For Assistance Dogs International Accreditation
Great time for a reminder about this with the annual Assistance Dogs International conference taking place in Toronto next week.
Said it before, say it again: first thing you need to look for with a service dog organization is if they are ADI accredited, which you can find here: ADI Accredited Members
And don’t go by the ADI logo on their website, either, because that can be misleading. Like this one on a heavily promoted place’s site:
Note that it says Full Member underneath it – it’s nice that they at least joined, but, sorry, that’s very definitely NOT the same as being an Accredited Member.
Veterans With Service Dogs Are Now Eligible For VA Benefits, But May Need To Reapply
NOTE: I previously incorrectly referred to the VA payments as a monthly stipend. I’ve made those corrections here and on other posts as well. There’s enough misinformation on the subject of service dogs out there already without me adding to it – my apologies.
My friend Christina Roof at AMVETS just posted a reminder about this a few days ago, which reminded ME that I shoulda put this up when it first happened in April, and didn’t (no good reason).
Veterans with service dogs are now eligible for the same VA benefits that veterans with guide dogs have been receiving for years.
OIF Veteran And Canine Companions For Independence Graduate Matt Keil Talks About ‘Homes For Our Troops’
KDVR Channel 31 in Denver just did a great news story a coupla days ago with Canine Companions for Independence graduate Matt Keil and his wife Tracy promoting a wonderful organization, Homes For Our Troops, who built their beautiful house. Matt’s CCI Service Dog Gus, who was raised in the prison program at the Kit Carson Correctional Center in Burlington, Colorado, makes a brief working appearance in the video, too.
As Matt explains in the video, he’s a wounded warrior who was paralyzed with the exception of his left arm by a sniper’s bullet near Ramadi, Iraq on February 24, 2007. You can read more details about that in a number of places, including here: “After Surviving Sniper’s Bullet, Soldier Looks to Future”
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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