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.
Canine Companions for Independence Grad In New National MS Society Video
If you watch this tremendous new National Multiple Sclerosis Society video about Canine Companions for Independence grad Buddy Hayes, you’ll see why those of us who know her like her so much – it’s pretty hard not to. (Not to mention her service dog Ellie, who is just wonderful.)
Wounded Warriors On Ice
Saw this USA Hockey Magazine story about the USA Warriors Ice Hockey Program via the Walter Reed Army Medical Center fan page on Facebook yesterday – talk about motivational! (Not to mention probably the coolest hockey story I’ve ever seen.)
“I’m probably the only person you’ll ever meet who opted to have their leg amputated so they could play hockey, and that was my whole goal. I spent two and a half years at Walter Reed, and everyone there knew that my first goal in life was to get back on the ice.” – SFC Joe Bowser
Every Service Dog Placement With A Veteran Should Be As Great As This One
I said I was gonna stay positive and show you examples of how things should be rather than ones where I know they are not, and this story is a great start.
When you see someone talking about service dogs for veterans, I want the image of this team to immediately pop into your head, because this is the model, on both ends of the leash. Beyond just being a great story on its face, as you read it, compare what you see here – and, just as importantly, don’t see – with some of the other very visible “service dogs for veterans” stories of late.
Every Veteran With A Disability Doesn’t Need A Service Dog, And This Is A Great Alternative
Just read about this great program for veterans recovering at Walter Reed that teaches them to train dogs at the Washington Humane Society. I’ve heard of other programs like this before, but not this specific one, and I think they’re tremendous. Note particularly what the people involved say about the program:
Army Capt. Lawrence Minnis sits with his two adopted pit bulls at the Washington Humane Society’s Behavior and Learning Center.
“Homeless Dogs Help Healing Troops”
Military Working Dog Makes Historic Tandem Parachute Jump
I saw a brief newspaper article about this jump a few weeks ago with a small picture and figured it was just a matter of time before we’d see the usual hi-res official Army photos. Well, sure enough, they’re out (click on them for the giant versions):
U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Chris Lalonde, center, holds his military working dog, Sgt. Maj. Fosco, and jumpmaster Kirby Rodriguez behind them, as they free fall through the air making history with the military’s first tandem airborne jump from an altitude of 12,500 feet on Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Sept. 18, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Vince Vander Maarel
“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.
MRE For An MWD: Meal, Ready-To-Eat For A Military Working Dog
- 1st Lt. John Reed, a Milton, Del., native and platoon leader with 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, attempts to evade Capka, a military working dog, during a demonstration at Forward Operating Base Warrior in Kirkuk, Iraq, Aug. 1. (Click on photo for larger version)
There are military working dog articles on the military websites (e.g., Defenselink.mil, Army.mil, AF.mil) all the time with a lotta great pictures – this one just struck me as funny.
Double Amputee Military Veteran Parachutes Into Walter Reed
Don’t really need to say anything about this one – the video speaks for itself.
Read more here:
Double Amputee Skydives at Walter Reed
Dana Bowman
Sergeant First Class Jared Monti Awarded Posthumous Medal of Honor
It’s just been announced that Sergeant First Class Jared Monti from Raynham, MA has been awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Afghanistan in June 2006.
Here’s a must-watch three minute video:
You can read more details of his actions that day at Blackfive:
“SFC Jared Monti – Medal Of Honor (Afghanistan)”
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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