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!
The Art of Dog Training
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.”
Therapy puppies show appreciation for MedStar nurses | Get Uplifted
May 7, 2021 – MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — There is probably no better way to get uplifted than puppies.
America’s nurses deserve respect year-round, but especially after the incredibly trying year they’ve had.
For Nurses Appreciation Week, some local nurses definitely got some love, in the form of puppy love! Watch the WUSA 9 News story here.
MedStar Montgomery Nurses Get Puppy Love
May 7, 2021 – National Nurses Week runs from May 6 through May 12 and MedStar Montgomery Medical Center kicked off the occasion with a special visit from several 7-week-old golden retriever puppies.
The puppies were brought by the Warrior Canine Connection in Boyds. The organization raises puppies to assist veterans as trained service dogs. Watch the story on MyMCMedia.org here.
Photos: Nurses Day at MedStar Montgomery in Olney
May 6, 2021 – In honor of National Nurses Day, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney honored its nurses by bringing in some therapy puppies from Warrior Canine Connection in Boyds. Councilmember Evan Glass also stopped by to express his appreciation to the nurses.
Here’s a look at the nurses taking a much-needed break to enjoy some love from 7-week-old golden retriever puppies. See the photos on MyMCMedia.org here.
Donate Your Birthday to WCC on Facebook
Some of WCC’s amazing supporters have already discovered that Facebook allows you to dedicate your special day by creating a birthday fundraiser. I couldn’t believe how easy it was! In five simple steps (and less than five minutes), I filled in my information, chose WCC as the beneficiary, set a goal, picked a photo, and posted my fundraiser.
While I would be honored and humbled to have you support my birthday fundraiser, more importantly—I’m asking that you, too, consider making a commitment each and every year to dedicate your birthday to honoring the sacrifice of our nation’s Veterans. Just think of the impact we could all make together if every WCC Facebook follower had a life-changing birthday! You can find instructions on how to set up your Facebook birthday fundraiser to support Veterans through WCC’s service dog training programs on the WCC Facebook page here.
Thanks for making my day extra special and for your support of WCC’s critically important work.
May the 4th be with you and all of us!
Rick Yount
Executive Director & Founder
Warrior Canine Connection
The human-animal bond
May 2, 2021 – Not all Soldiers walk on two legs and carry a rifle.
The U.S. Military has partnered with canine warriors in every conflict since the Revolutionary War. Chip, a canine sentry of the U.S. Army, was the most decorated dog in World War II. Read the full story in the Desert Lightning News here.
Colonel Ken Nance to be Inducted into the U.S. Army OCS Hall of Fame
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
“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.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Dog Treats
Prepared by Emily Fritz, one of WCC’s amazing service dog training instructors, this recipe for homemade dog treats is not only easy to make, but it’s also healthy and “Lab-approved!”
The benefit of making homemade treats is that you know every single ingredient you’re feeding your dog. To make them for your furry friend, simply follow the instructions below.
Ingredients
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Combine all ingredients except the cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Dust a clean surface with flour and knead the dough into a ball for a minute or two until all ingredients are evenly combined. Place the dough ball back in the bowl and let it rest with a damp towel covering the top of the bowl for about 30 minutes.
4. Dust a rolling pin (or wine bottle) with flour and roll out the ball of dough to about1/4-inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out shapes, rerolling the dough until gone.
5. Sprinkle cinnamon on each cookie and place them on a cookie sheet, baking for about 20-30 minutes.
6. Allow treats to cool completely on a cooling rack and store in the fridge to keep fresh.
We do recommend that you give treats to your dog in moderation, so he maintains a healthy weight. And it’s always a good idea to consult with your veterinarian if you have concerns about introducing new food or treats to your dog, particular ingredients, or even allergic reactions.
Have a homemade dog treat recipe you’d like to share? Send it our way for a chance to have it featured in one of our upcoming stories! Feel free to share by dropping us a line at communications@warriorcanineconnection.org
We Honor Our Volunteers
“Volunteers are the backbone of our organization,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “We simply couldn’t do all that we do without the support of our extraordinary volunteers. They are helping to change lives for the better.”
Somehow, despite restrictions due to COVID-19 and operating at 60% of volunteer capacity from one year earlier, our amazing volunteers posted a record number of 78,707 service hours in 2020, valued at $2,140,830 ($27.20/hour) in cost savings to WCC.
Also, remarkably, 50% of WCC’s 2020 volunteers were comprised of Military Family Members and Veterans—reinforcing the adage of ‘Veterans helping Veterans.’
Why are WCC volunteers so engaged? Each volunteer has their own reason.
“From the first time I saw Holly’s Half Dozen on the explore web cam and tuned-in to the live chats about the organization, I connected to the WCC mission of using the healing power of dogs to help veterans who were struggling. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to see the difference one dog can have in the life of a veteran and his/her family. My life path did not include military service but volunteering with WCC has now given me the opportunity to support our nation’s veterans. The unexpected part of volunteering with WCC are the many connections and dear friendships I’ve made with other volunteers and supporters all across the country.”
Terrie Bates, WCC Volunteer since 2013
“I learn so much from the animals and the trainers and love the mission!”
Amy Griffith, WCC Volunteer since 2020
“I love the feeling of community at WCC. We are there for each other, you are never alone when raising a future service puppy. We all support each other when we are feeling stuck or disheartened when maybe our puppy isn’t as far along in training as others. We remind each other our puppies have their own path and it’s not about keeping up with each other it’s about taking it at your puppy’s pace. We also support each other during the transition from when our puppies go to their path whether that be a family support dog, advanced training and working service dog. Our hearts ante poured into these fur love bugs and we know the day will come to transition from our heart to another but it’s never easy even though it’s beautiful.”
Ashley Poindexter-Tarmy, WCC Volunteer since 2019
“I have always volunteered for some organization in every phase of my life but WCC is by far the most rewarding volunteer job I’ve ever had. My father and brother are both disabled Veterans and I couldn’t be more honored to be able to give back to our veterans in such a healing and holistic way.”
Michele Burkhammer, WCC Volunteer since 2019
“Volunteering at WCC allows me to connect to the military community. While I work with dogs, I feel great satisfaction knowing that I am helping veterans and their families caring for the dogs that will one day serve them. I believe in WCC’s mission and feel good in knowing that the dogs we raise will help those in need.”
Nancy Deprey, WCC Volunteer since 2020
“WCC gives me a purpose and working with all Veterans allows me to give back to my brothers and sisters in arms who have given so much. Being able to watch the changes take place and the Veterans opening up. To see them laugh and smile and make eye contact. It is everything and worth the 2.5 hours I spend in a car to watch this miracle happen.”
Robin Martin, WCC Volunteer since 2012
“We want to give back to Veterans and their families. It is a huge honor to be a WCC volunteer and share the mission with everyone
we can.”
Bill and Tammy Crozier, WCC Volunteer since 2019
“Volunteering for WCC combined love of dogs with a mission I support; I am a part of something bigger than me, and my support continues WCC’s mission.”
Kimberly Harrington, WCC Volunteer since 2016
Thank you to all of you, our amazing volunteers, who give your time and talents to WCC; we are very appreciative of all you do.
We will be featuring several of our amazing volunteers with their thoughts on why they choose to help WCC on our Facebook page, so keep an eye out for them!
Interested in volunteering for WCC? You can check out our current opportunities here.