Warrior Stories Archives - Warrior Canine Connection

The Art of Dog Training

May 12, 2021/0 Comments/in Stories of Impact, Warrior Stories /by WCC Comms

Since he was a kid, Nick has always loved art—painting, drawing, and he even did some professional tattoo work for a period. He loves finding beauty in unexpected places. And dog training is one of them.

In fact, Nick, a Marine Corps Veteran, just hit a huge milestone—he’s completed 250 Mission Based Trauma Recovery hours! Nick has been participating in Warrior Canine Connection’s service dog training program at its Asheville, N.C. location since March 2020.

“It’s one of the best therapeutic methods I’ve ever encountered, and I’ve tried a lot of different things,” said Nick. “I’ve tried horticulture, sitting with therapists and psychiatrists, which I still do, but I really prefer going to see the dogs.”

Nick enlisted in the Marine Corps and went to boot camp at age 17. Originally, he wanted to be an aircraft mechanic but soon found out he was color blind. He was drawn to journalism and photography and ended up attending the Defense Information School.

“I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world,” says Nick. “I got to see parts of every other job, covered amazing stories, saw a lot of interesting things, and learned a lot from a lot of people through the Marine Corps. I also really valued the camaraderie.”

Three and a half years into his service, his diagnosis restricted him from being able to re-enlist and he sought treatment.

“I don’t know what I’d do without the VA, honestly,” said Nick. “They help me with medication and really everything … they’ve been a huge help to me.”

It was through the VA’s programs that Nick learned about WCC’s service dog training program. Once he got started, he was hooked.

“I set a goal to complete 100 sessions, then 150, and then 200,” said Nick. “Truth is, I don’t see myself stopping, I enjoy the sessions so much, and it’s helped me immensely with my anxiety and with learning about myself. I have also learned a lot about how to talk to the dogs, handle them, and training in general. Both you and the dog benefit so much when you know how to communicate with each other.”

Nick balances the training sessions with his schoolwork; he’s studying business management at Asheville-Buncombe Community College, where he says he hopes to learn to one day combine his business skills with his passion for art.

Amy Guidash, who runs WCC’s program in Asheville, says “Nick has come a long way since he started the program. He’s been so committed to it, that not only has he learned a lot about training and formed amazing relationships with the dogs, he’s also become a great resource and help to his fellow Veterans who are new to the program.”

“When I first started, I was uncomfortable and wanted to stop,” said Nick. “My advice to others is to dip your toe in the pool … get outside of your comfort zone a bit, keep fighting to stay and it will get more comfortable. Talk to people, make friends, and bond with people in the program who have close to or some of the same experiences as you, so you are never alone.”

Nick, who works a lot with WCC’s service dog in training, Danny, says he hopes to one day get his own service dog.

“Dogs are powerful—knowing you have something living and breathing next to you, it’s true companionship,” said Nick. “They don’t judge you for anything at all. And they just have playful and compassionate souls … they look to you to help with a lot of things, too.”

Colonel Ken Nance to be Inducted into the U.S. Army OCS Hall of Fame

April 27, 2021/0 Comments/in Stories of Impact, Warrior Stories /by WCC Comms

This May, the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School will honor 29 new members into its Hall of Fame. Colonel Ken Nance is among the list of those who will be inducted for this prestigious honor.

Annual inductions are based on accomplishments that include superior valorous combat leadership, superior meritorious service, as well as public- and life-long service to their community and nation. National notable members included in the OCS Hall of Fame are Bob Dole, former Senator from Kansas and presidential candidate; Winthrop Rockefeller, politician; Casper Weinberger, Secretary of Defense; General Tommy Franks, Central Command Commander; and Major Dick Winters from “Band of Brothers”.

Ken grew up in Tippah County, Mississippi, graduated from Falkner High School, then studied at both Mississippi State University and Western Illinois University. He went on to serve in both the Reserve and Active Components with almost 29 years of combined service, including five enlisted as a tank crewman and 24 as a commissioned Engineer Officer. Within that career, he had five combat deployments with almost four cumulative years in combat theaters.

Colonel Nance’s most recent military service with the Transatlantic Division (TAD), headquartered in Winchester, Virginia, with USACE theater engineering responsibility for the Central Command Area of Responsibility, from 2016–2019. The positions served were Deputy Commander (Forward), Transatlantic Afghanistan District – Deputy Commander and TAD -Deputy Chief of Staff (G3).

“It’s an incredible honor and a culmination of this career that has helped shape me into who I am today,” said Ken Nance. “I didn’t want to retire, I honestly fought as hard as I could to stay in but due to my injury, I simply couldn’t perform any longer, so I retired five years early.”

During his most recent deployment to Afghanistan in 2017, Ken’s heart stopped causing him to lose consciousness. He fell a distance, broke his jaw, sustained a traumatic brain injury, and lost most of the use of his left foot. He spent more than eight months at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center undergoing four facial reconstruction surgeries, implanted prosthetic jaw and facial bones, lower leg nerve surgery, and receiving an implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD). Ken then spent three months at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) trying to retrain his brain and body.

While at NICoE, the idea of a service dog was presented to him. Ken says it was an idea he had not even considered. “At that time, I was focused on full recovery and really did not even explore the idea. Little did I know at the time, what a valuable source of recovery a service dog could provide.”

Ken was later transferred to Fort Benning to continue therapy and medically retired from the Army in September 2019.

“I am still going through recovery,” said Ken. “It’s tough going from functioning at a senior level in the military accustomed to a high operational tempo to being dependent on my wife and my family in what seemed like the blink of an eye. It has been a difficult road; however, I am thankful for life. I know everyone’s life journey has difficulties, so it’s not to say mine is any more challenging.”

Ken’s name may be familiar to those in Warrior Canine Connection’s circle, as Ken has WCC’s Sully, a service dog who serves as a vital part of his continued recovery. The duo was paired in July 2020 and has been inseparable since.

“Sully makes a huge, huge difference,” said Ken. “He is with me all the time. I need stabilization assistance quite a bit, and of course, he’s a pretty big dog, so that’s one of his strong suits. Sully very quickly learned my routines, so he knows both my normal routine and my mannerisms. He senses if I’m even needing assistance and before I even make the command, ‘brace’ he’s in position ready to brace; it’s like he’s reading my mind.”

Sully has made himself quite comfortable at the Nance household and has brought a lot of joy to Ken and his family’s lives. Their home is on 20 acres outside Olive Branch, Miss., so Sully gets plenty of time to romp in the yard and the pond.

Even though time has passed, Ken says retired military life is still an ongoing adjustment. He recalls fondly the teamwork, mission focus, and ultimately serving this nation in a capacity that is bigger than oneself.

“It’s almost comical, the first three years of my enlistment, I was determined I would get out at the end of my initial term,” said Ken. “Ironically, twenty-nine years later, I was pushing with determination to stay in!”

It was the Army that provided the structure, education and challenges that Ken craved—and it’s where he excelled.

“The Army assisted me with completing both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees,” said Ken. “It gave me leadership opportunities and surrounded me with the best of the best from American society— those willing to serve our great nation.”

Despite his detoured career and daily challenges, Ken is thankful for all the Army gave him, and he’s honored for his upcoming OCS Hall of Fame induction.

This year’s induction ceremony will take place at Fort Benning on May 17.

Please join us in congratulating Ken on this tremendous honor!

Fate, Freedom and the Future: Veteran Service Dog Team Ryan & Tommy II

March 31, 2021/in Stories of Impact, Warrior Stories /by WCC Comms

When Ryan Boyles was first paired with Warrior Canine Connection service dog Tommy II and saw that they shared the same birthdate—April 30—he says he felt like their new partnership was fate.

“I felt like it was meant to be, and then they brought him in, and I fell in love with him immediately,” said Ryan.

The duo graduated as part of WCC’s class of 2019, and since that time, the two have been inseparable.

“Tommy has given me my freedom back to go and do stuff outside of my home and with my family,” said Ryan. “I really struggle with crowds and feeling trapped, and Tommy really helps me out with that. Thanks to him, I’ve been able to travel with my wife and boys and I feel more comfortable in many different situations. I used to not be a pleasant person to be around. He helps to calm me and bring balance to my life. My wife has told me she noticed an immediate difference in my temperament once I got Tommy.”

Ryan enlisted in the Air Force in 2006 out of a passion to serve and tradition: both of his grandfathers served in World War II, his uncle was also in the service, and Ryan says he felt a strong pull to serve as a result of 9/11.

Ryan served in the Air Force for nine years working in multiple roles, including support of combat search and rescue and contingency response missions, before being honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant (E5) in 2015.

During his service, he completed multiple deployments, including stations in Djibouti and Uganda, Africa. It was during those missions when Ryan was serving as a paying agent that he was put into situations that forever changed him. As a result of his service, Ryan sustained various knee, hip and back injuries, and he also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression.

“I used to have really bad nightmares to the point where I would wake up yelling, screaming and punching,” said Ryan. “As soon as I got Tommy—literally the day I got him—my nightmares subsided. I rarely ever get them now. He doesn’t have to be in our bed. His presence in our room next to our bed just helps me sleep.”

Tommy hasn’t just helped with Ryan’s peace of mind, he’s brought so much joy to his family, especially his sons, Lincoln, 11, and Greyson, 8.

“When the vest comes off, Tommy’s their best bud; the boys enjoy playing with his toys and taking him for walks. It took a little while for them to understand he was my service animal. They understand it and respect it, but they definitely enjoy their playtime with him.”

Perhaps most importantly, Tommy has also instilled Ryan’s hope for the future; he is able to continue traveling with his family and feeling the sense of freedom that Tommy affords him. He’s also looking forward to many more joint birthday celebrations with Tommy.

You can follow Ryan and Tommy’s adventures on Instagram here.

WCC Veteran Spotlight: Thalia L.

February 22, 2021/in Warrior Stories /by WCC Comms

Even entering high school, Thalia knew college just wasn’t for her. She enrolled in the Navy’s ROTC program because she knew she needed a plan.

Shortly after graduation, she enlisted in the Navy to become a Logistics Specialist. In a nutshell, Thalia started out helping with supplies needed for ship maintenance, later moving to the air supply side of the house. Need new boots or a new rotor blade for the helicopter? Thalia was your person.

“I learned a trade that made me think outside the box in regard to the jobs I perform,” said Thalia. “It gave me an experience where sometimes I am the most knowledgeable person in the room.”

There were three deployments to the Middle East and lots of travel, including to Dubai, Djibouti as well as England, Hawaii and Australia.

Thalia remained on active duty until 2011, at which time she entered the Reserves until she separated in 2014. She openly shares that she battles daily with post-traumatic stress due to related events and Fibromyalgia. Separated from the service, again, Thalia found herself needing a new plan. She reached out to the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and got involved.

“I mainly attended some of their physical and mental wellness events, sports camps, job trainings, resume-building trainings, and other fun events both in-person and virtual,” said Thalia. “I mean, I hike now, and I enjoy it, which is something I definitely didn’t do before.”

But it was the service dog training program that WWP offered in partnership with Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) that really caught her attention.

“I am an absolute dog lover, and I have Leyti, a 9-year-old service dog of my own (she received Leyti from a different organization, not WCC),” said Thalia. “Going through Warrior Canine Connection’s program helped me become a better owner for my pretty but spoiled princess. It didn’t just make me think about how I continually work with and care for her, it also made me realize a lot about myself and how I approach things.”

Thalia says some days are worse than others but knowing she has the support of WWP, as well as Leyti, helps get her through. Despite her ongoing battle, Thalia says she has a lot to be thankful for. Case in point—a new job; she recently started a new position that she’s extremely excited about.

Her advice to other Veterans fighting their own personal battles?

“I would tell them to sit in a room full of puppies [laughs],” said Thalia. “I think that experience would give them so much perspective. Working with these dogs and allowing yourself to focus on them and their needs versus everything else you have going on really helps.”

Danny and Eli: Soldiering on Together

July 27, 2020/in Case Studies, Warrior Stories /by WCC Comms

If you’re looking for Danny Farrar, it’s likely you’ll find him at one of his 14 SOLDIERFIT gyms. He opened the string of gyms with his first location a little over a decade ago. In addition to Danny, you’ll likely see his service dog Eli, a yellow Lab from WCC’s Welcome Home Litter who is his trusty confidant and is usually within arm’s reach.

Besides a businessman and exercise aficionado, Danny is also an Army Veteran; he enlisted in the Army and served eight years before separating from service. During that time, he worked as an infantry paratrooper in Fort Bragg; he then commanded drill cannons at the Arlington Cemetery; then he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, where he spent seven-plus months performing more than 800 convoy missions.

Danny will tell you his life post-military wasn’t what he had anticipated.

“I ended up going into the private sector and got fired from my first job out of the Army which, ironically, was selling gym memberships,” says Danny. “I ended up evicted, was homeless, went through a divorce, attempted suicide, spent three days in the psych ward and decided it was time to turn my life around.”

And turn it around did he ever. First stop: The Fire Academy, where Danny graduated at the top of his class. Loving the physical challenge that it brought, he soon after became a certified personal trainer and began slowly building his own clientele. It took some time but that’s how SOLDIERFIT came about.

It was at a class one day that Susan, a WCC puppy parent, brought one of the service dogs in training into the gym. Danny, who had previously had a pit bull named Courage, chatted with Susan and then got serious about getting his own service dog.

“At the initial training, I was first drawn to Manion because I had so much overlap in my life with his namesake Travis, but Eli and I really clicked,” said Danny. “It’s kind of nutty how well the team at WCC know what they’re doing and can read which dog pairs perfectly with each Veteran. Eli is a funny cat who has his own personality, and at the house it’s a running debate over whether he’s my dog or the girls’.”

Danny is happily married to wife Jen. Together, they have two beautiful daughters, River Lynne, 4, and Willow Wynn, 1.

“I have managed to be successful but there are still things I still don’t really like, like going out… crowds… and Eli really helps me with that,” said Danny. “I didn’t want to get trapped in those situations, I wanted to be there for my family, and we’ve worked together to accomplish that. The beautiful thing is, I don’t even realize I’m using him sometimes when I am. He can detect that I’m getting riled up before I am… it’s kind of like four-legged medicine.”

In his line of work, Danny’s used to providing his clients advice and tough love. His advice for fellow Veterans who may be able to benefit from a service dog but are reluctant to explore it?

“At the end of the day, there’s no such thing as who needs it [service dog] more or who needs it less,” says Danny. “A need is a need. I think a lot of Veterans are bad with this and tough on themselves — they push off getting themselves help because they think someone else had it worse than them. There’s no justification for letting yourself struggle when help is available.”

While Danny and Eli were paired in January of this year, they will officially graduate as part of WCC’s 2020 graduation class.

Veteran Spotlight: Kody & Derek

February 2, 2020/in Case Studies, Warrior Stories /by WCC Comms

When Kody Jorgensen’s wife, Quatie, approached him with the idea of getting a service dog, he wasn’t sure that it was for him. ‘How will it help?’ and ‘Will it create more work for me?” were among Kody’s questions and concerns.

Five years later, and Kody says he can’t imagine his life without black Lab and Warrior Canine Connection service dog Derek.

“It’s a different experience for everyone, and for me, it took some time to bond with Derek,” said Kody. “It wasn’t immediate but, slowly yet surely, he got me doing things and learning about things I wouldn’t do before I got him. He’s made such a big difference in my life and my relationships that I have with other people. Now, I never want him to be away from me.”

Kody, who served in the Air National Guard for 14 years, served two deployments — the first in Iraq in 2009 and a second in Afghanistan in 2012. During the second deployment, Kody was part of a special 10-man agricultural team tasked with teaching sustainability best practices to the local villagers in Logar and Wardak Provinces. It was during a mission in Logar Province that Kody was wounded in a mortar round blast and sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Quatie was informed of the blast and Kody’s injuries, but it wasn’t until he got home from Afghanistan that she could tell that things weren’t right; he experienced debilitating migraines, nightmares and flashbacks, all of which were impacting his ability to work, sleep and function.

Shortly after, Kody went to the National Intrepid Center of Excellence in Bethesda for treatment. It was there that Kody participated in WCC’s service dog training program. Quatie said she could see a change in him when he interacted with the dogs, and that’s when she urged him to consider getting a service dog for himself. Although resistant at first, Kody filled out an application with WCC.

“Before Derek came along, it got to the point where Kody was pretty paranoid and was scared to leave the house,” said Quatie. “When I left for work, he would shut all the blinds and lock the door — going out to dinner or to church was pretty nonexistent. Derek has been phenomenal, he’s helped Kody more than any medication ever has, it’s been incredible.”

Since being matched with Derek five years ago, Kody has gone on to finish his Master’s in Animal Science at Oklahoma State — a pursuit he abandoned years before due to his daily battle with PTSD and TBI.

More recently, the duo has traveled with nonprofit Samaritan’s Purse to help with disaster relief efforts, where Kody says Derek is always a big hit.

“Even though he’s my service dog, he helps other Veterans in the process of working these events,” said Kody. “You can see the joy on their faces when they get to interact with him. Everyone enjoys getting to play with Derek and hug on him when we have some downtime.”

And Derek has impacted the entire family in a way they never imagined.

“We got to meet the real Derek’s [namesake] Mom,” said Quatie. “It was so phenomenal to meet her and just hear more about her son’s life. It gives us an opportunity to continue to say his name and talk about the special person Derek was named after — it’s just incredibly special to us.”

When asked to describe the impact Derek has had on Kody, he simply replies, “He’s like a kid and a spouse merged into one; I never go anywhere without him.”

Quatie adds, “We love having him [Derek] in our home. It’s amazing to see Kody and the progress he’s made with Derek in his life; there’s no way he would be where he’s at today without a service dog. It’s been a real healing journey and has made him a better husband and dad.”

Kevin and Clifford: From Cap & Gown to Courtroom

October 4, 2019/in Case Studies, Warrior Stories /by WCC Comms

Kevin and his trusty pal Clifford, a Warrior Canine Connection facility dog, are just one of the Veteran Service Dog Teams that graduated in September as part of Warrior Canine Connection’s class of 2019. The two have been training and working together for almost two years but recently, Clifford’s leash was passed to Kevin, marking the official beginning of their pairing.

The duo is also a regular fixture at the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) in Asheville, N.C., where they help Veterans involved in the legal system navigate a way to bettering their lives.

And who better to help fellow Veterans than Kevin? You see, Kevin is also in long-term recovery, himself. While in the Marine Corps, after sustaining severe combat wounds during his deployment in Iraq, he became addicted to opioids and pain pills he was prescribed while recovering from his physical wounds. Kevin credits the support of the VA and community providers with getting his life back on track, completing graduate school, and becoming a licensed social worker. Now he’s helping other Veterans on their recovery journey.

“My experience working with Clifford has meant the world to me,” said Kevin Rumley, coordinator, Buncombe County VTC. “As a combat-wounded veteran, I struggle to remain regulated and calm in high-stress situations. Clifford brings joy and happiness to the courthouse, and anywhere he goes. From providing snuggles to traumatized youth in the courtroom (during difficult G.A.L Trials), to supporting justice-involved Veterans (in Veterans Court), Clifford is having a positive impact on every person he meets.”

The Buncombe County VTC program, a non-adversarial, treatment-based diversion program, is overseen by Judge Marvin Pope. The program is designed to help Veterans with legal issues, focuses on recovery through a coordinated effort amongst the VA and community mental health providers. In fact, if Veterans get help and do the work, upon completion of the program, Veterans can petition to have their charges dismissed.

Their partnership with Warrior Canine Connection has proven especially beneficial to all parties involved. Veteran participants in the court receive their VTC-required community service hours by training the WCC puppies, and once the puppies graduate after two years, they are paired with a combat-wounded Veteran.

“All this time I have been training these dogs, I thought I was teaching them, but in all actuality, the dogs were teaching me,” said Robinson Moore, VTC participant.

Kevin and Clifford don’t just help in the courtroom, they also assist Veterans with finding meaningful employment, housing, educational pursuits, custody cases, and everything in-between. Kevin talks about the sense of community that comes from working with Veterans during their recovery process.

“When we served together, it was a single unit, a tribe,” said Kevin. “Everyone was looking out for each other. We believe that this is just as important now that we are out of the service. It is through connection and service to others, including with the service dogs, that we are empowered to not only recover — but to thrive.”

Kevin is excited for the continued partnership with WCC, saying “We have already seen the positive impact Clifford has had on the Courthouse community. My hope is to continue to bring WCC to those places of greatest need… the healing that comes from working with these dogs is incredible.”

Dogs Making a Difference: Ryan & Luke

May 30, 2019/in Case Studies, Warrior Stories /by WCC Comms

Ryan Garrison is many things to many people. He’s a husband to beloved wife, Julie. A father of two. Retired U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant E5. And most recently, a college graduate; this spring, Ryan completed his degree in organizational leadership from Wright State University. And soon, he will be the president of a nonprofit he’s launching to help Veterans like himself.

Ryan Garrison enlisted in the U.S. Air Force right after watching the Twin Towers fall on 9/11. He was a self-described “floundering” fifth-year senior in college working on his third major at the time and was planning on joining the Reserves, but that fateful day compelled him to change his course. He dropped out of school to enlist in the Air Force, where he served until 2016, including three deployments.

Ryan comes from a family steeped in military tradition: his grandfather was in World War II; his other grandfather — Vietnam; his brother is a Master Sergeant E7 in the Air Force; his uncles and cousins have all served in different branches of the Armed Forces. So, the career move felt like a natural fit for Ryan, only it was shorter lived than originally planned.

In 2006, Ryan was in Iraq working on the flight line. He was working on the K-loader, essentially a cargo lift, and while inspecting the load, a sheep farmer who had been paid by local insurgents, ran up and shot an RPG over the fence, which hit the K-loader and the blast was so hard, it blew Ryan off the vehicle. He sustained serious injuries, including fractured and torn disks in his back, which have resulted in numerous surgeries, chronic pain and anxiety.

His wife, Julie, who, at the time, was a music therapist at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), suggested Ryan explore getting a service dog. Ryan says he saw fellow Veterans there helping to train service dogs, as well as how WCC service dog Cadence had impacted his friend Rod and his family for the better, so he decided to apply for a dog through WCC.

“I wanted to find another way to deal with the issues I was going through, so I learned a lot about the service dog program,” said Ryan. “I learned all I could, but it wasn’t until I witnessed others with the dogs firsthand that I really realized their power.”

Enter Luke, a handsome black Lab and trained mobility service dog. He was paired with Ryan in 2016 and the two have been virtually inseparable ever since.

“I really can’t say enough about what Warrior Canine Connection and my service dog Luke have done for me,” said Ryan. “Thanks to Luke, my anxiety is under control, I’ve significantly decreased the medication I take, and he’s really helped me with my mobility. It’s not just that though — since being matched with Luke, I have a whole different outlook on life — a positive one.”

Garrison’s wife, Julie, couldn’t agree more. She says Luke isn’t just man’s best friend, but a member of their family, and that their two sons, Mitchell and Maxwell, simply adore him.

“He’s [Luke] just like one of my children… sometimes it’s a toss–up for who listens the best, sometimes it’s Luke, somethings it’s Mitchell, and sometimes it’s Maxwell,” said Julie. “Although, as great as he is, I don’t always trust him with unsupervised food (laughter). His [Ryan’s] dry wit that I fell in love with years ago has returned. It’s just joyful now — because of that soft presence of Luke.”

In fact, Ryan says his experience with Luke and Warrior Canine Connection partially inspired his next challenge — Valor Therapeutics, a nonprofit he and Julie will soon be launching to serve active duty Service Members, Veterans and first responders in Dayton, Ohio and the surrounding area. They plan to provide alternative forms of therapy to individuals who’ve seen and experienced trauma, such as music, art and movement therapies.

“I was inspired by my experience with Warrior Canine Connection,” said Ryan. “To receive a service dog at no cost to me, with no expectations of me and it was a stress-free process… we want to provide something similar to Veterans through our nonprofit.”

Ryan adds that he one day hopes to add a therapy dog to the offerings that Valor Therapeutics will provide.

Sugar-Coated Angel Making Life So Much Sweeter

April 3, 2019/in Warrior Stories /by WCC Comms

Army Veteran Sandy Wilson and husband Nick have lived in their current neighborhood for 25 years. It wasn’t until last year that Sandy got to know her neighbors. That’s when she was paired with her service dog Barb, and they began walking together every morning.

During one walk, a neighbor nicknamed Barb “Sugar-Coated Angel,” and Sandy says it has stuck. A Golden Retriever, Barb has a beautiful, long white coat. Not just that, Sandy says she’s been a true angel in her life.

Trained as Military Police (MP) at Fort McClellan, Alabama (which has since closed), Sandy took the opportunity to participate in One Station Unit Training, where she graduated second in her Company. In fact, Sandy was one of the first women to train and graduate as a combat MP in the ‘70s.

After serving at Fort Bragg with the 65^th MP Company, Sandy then joined the National Guard and served with the 29^th Light Infantry Division at Fort Belvoir. During that same timeframe, she attended Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) to study police science and trained loss prevention personnel for major retail companies — all while also raising a toddler.

Sandy took a break from law enforcement and passed her real estate broker’s exam in West Virginia and spent several years selling homes. She says some years passed between careers and there was no denying that she needed help from Veterans Affairs. A doctor recommended a service dog, so she applied for a dog through Warrior Canine Connection. The process took a little while, but Sandy says it was well worth it and that she couldn’t imagine a better match than she has in Barb.

“The career path I chose took its toll on me,” says Sandy. “It used to be hard to be in public and in large groups — and still sometimes is — but Barb has helped me release past pain. She has enhanced my life and my husband’s… I can’t imagine my life without her.”

Every day, their routine is to spend some time training together so Barb will be prepared for next year’s public access test (it’s annual test to evaluate and ensure all service dogs remain compliant with the skills and techniques required for public access). Sandy says Barb loves her training time, because “there’s lots of treats and hugs for a job well done.”

Barb also enjoys spending lots of time with Sandy and Nick’s daughter and her husband, Nicole and Mike, and their granddaughter, Tori, along with their dog, Jake. Barb and Jake have become fast friends and can often be found enjoying the outdoors together.

Since becoming a team last year, Sandy says her “Sugar-Coated Angel” has helped her spark many a conversation, open many other doors and, generally, has just made life much *sweeter* overall.

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