Jaafar Hassan, who goes by “Hassan,” recently joined WCC’s service dog training six-month internship program.
Hassan brings a unique perspective to the position, as he spent nine years on active duty in the Air Force as a military working dog handler, before joining the Reserves. During that time, he worked with three different dogs as a K9 handler, helping to provide security, explosives detection and he even worked as part of President Obama’s security detail at one point.
As he will tell you, making the transition from military working dogs to service dogs has been a big, but wonderful, change.
“The qualities of a great military working dog is completely different than a service dog,” said Hassan. “The dog with the strongest prey drive is the best for military support — that’s the trait you don’t want in a service dog; the last thing you want is a dog that wants to chase animals, dogs, etc. The positive reinforcement, rewards, — those are the common shared themes. These dogs are great at working, it’s just in a different way. I’m learning a lot… I thought I had a great understanding of dogs, but I am learning so much. The best part is working with Veterans.”
Hassan and his wife, Tsegie, who is an occupational therapist, live in Silver Spring, Maryland.
WCC also welcomed new Service Dog Training Instructor Andrea Celeste to its team. 
Previously a teacher for Montgomery County Public Schools, Andrea and her therapy dog, Grizzly, have done extensive work with students with special needs. She says the benefits of Grizzly interacting with nonverbal students had such a powerful impact on her, she knew long-term she wanted to become a service dog training instructor.
“It’s just so rewarding to see the benefits and rewards that a dog can bring to the faces of people working through challenges,” says Andrea.
After teaching for two years, Andrea attended the Bergin University of Canine Studies and became a certified service dog training instructor.
She says the new position is her dream job and a perfect fit for her.
“Dogs just have this innate ability to connect on a deeper level with all people and they really are truly are man’s best friend. They love unconditionally and want to be with you. To see the first-hand benefits of these purpose-bred dogs trained to alert to stress, provide compassion is extremely rewarding to watch and to be a part of. I feel so fortunate to be able to give back to those who have given so much to us all.”
Born and raised in Bethesda, Maryland, Andrea graduated from the Univ. of Maryland with her Bachelor’s in Special Education and a Master’s in Severe and Profound Disabilities.
Please join us in welcoming both of them to the WCC team!
Sam and Rachael: Together Every Step of the Way
“She makes me more outgoing, more willing to talk to people,” says Sam. “I used to be a real introvert and didn’t want to be around people — was lost in my own head. Because she’s so cute, she attracts a lot of attention, people ask questions, want to meet her and she interests so many — it’s made me much more outgoing.”
Rachael also helps Sam with day-to-day activities that cause him pain due to a back injury while he was in the Army. From helping to brace him as he gets up and sits down in a chair, to picking up items for him, she helps provide relief to Sam on a daily basis.
“We are very attached… my wife refers to her as my second wife — she means a lot to me. At this point, I’d feel lost without her at my side. We’ve been inseparable since we’ve been matched,” says Sam.
In fact, Rachael has become something of a celebrity in Sam’s hometown of Middletown, Connecticut; she not only appeared in a local bank’s poster to promote service dog awareness, she’s also known by name at the stores she and Sam frequent.
“People recognize her almost everywhere I go. Whether it’s Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Home Depot or Lowes, they all know her by name. I’m just the guy with Rachael.”
You can follow their adventures on Facebook @WCC’s Rachael.
Rick Yount, WCC founder and ED, Presents at 3rd Annual West Virginia Conference on Trauma Brain Injury
“I am so delighted to have the opportunity to be here in West Virginia and speak at this conference again,” said Yount. “The amount of practical knowledge, expertise on TBI and resources available to survivors and their family members is really impressive and underscores the availability of options, treatment and, most importantly, hope for the recovery for our Veterans with TBI.”
Themed “From Surviving to Thriving: Growth After a TBI,” topics being covered during the three-day conference center on improving communication, sexual health following a TBI, rehabilitation efforts, self-advocacy, behavioral health and substance abuse, among many other topics.
Of course, Rick’s talk centered on the use of its Mission Based Trauma Recovery training model, whereby Warriors in recovery are enlisted to train service dogs for their fellow Veterans. The training process and subsequent placement of highly trained service dogs can both serve as valuable tools in the TBI recovery process.
The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Program at the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities is proud to serve as the state’s designated lead agency for the coordination of services for West Virginians with TBI. The TBI Program is a collaboration between the state funded Traumatic Brain Injury Services and the federally funded Traumatic Brain Injury Implementation Partnership Grant. TBI is defined as a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the brain’s function. In West Virginia, anoxia due to near drowning is also considered a traumatic brain injury. To date, no other forms of anoxia are considered traumatic in nature in West Virginia.
Learn more about the TBI Program at the WVC Center for Excellence in Disabilities here.
Be a Hero for a Hero Raise a Future Service Dog
March 5, 2019 – Interested in helping veterans who have sacrificed so much for all of us? One way is to volunteer as a puppy parent with Warrior Canine Connection, a local nonprofit that breeds, trains, and places much-needed service dogs with veterans with visible and invisible wounds. Find out about current volunteer opportunities featured in Montgomery County Volunteer Center’s March newsletter.
Spotlight on Excellence: Warrior Canine Connection
Special Edition 2019: If you work at the VA Central Office (VACO), you might have noticed some furry visitors in the lobby every third Friday of the month since last summer. These pups are part of Warrior Canine Connection (WCC), a nonprofit organization that enlists Veterans in a therapeutic mission of learning to train service dogs for their fellow Veterans. Read the complete article in the VA’s Spotlight on Excellence.
Warrior Canine Connection trains service dogs for veterans — and there’s a puppy cam
March 1, 2019 – Who better to train service dogs for veterans than other veterans?
That’s exactly what Warrior Canine Connection does. Since the beginning of its mission in 2011, 4,000 service members — many struggling with symptoms of PTSD — have helped train puppies to eventually serve as service dogs. Read the complete story on ConnectingVets.com here.
Warrior Canine Connection Restores Barn to Help More Veterans
February 28, 2019 – Since moving to Boyds in 2016, the Warrior Canine Connection has continued helping military veterans and their families heal their wounds, both visible and invisible. Watch the full story on Montgomery County Media’s website here.
Warrior Canine Connection begins multi-million-dollar barn project
February 27, 2019 – BOYDS, Md. – Nonprofit – Warrior Canine Connection, hosted hard hat day which gave locals an inside look at their rebuild project for a new barn to train canines in. Watch the LocalDVM.com story here.
National Construction Charity Donates $265,000 to Fund Renovation of Historic Barn to Serve as New Headquarters for Veterans’ Support Group
AGC Charities Inc., the charitable arm of the Associated General Contractors of America, donated $265,000 today to fund a new “National Healing Quarters” for Warrior Canine Connection. The funds will help cover the cost of renovating a historic dairy barn in Boyds, Maryland to serve as the new headquarters for the group that provides therapy for veterans with invisible wounds like PTSD and service dogs for other wounded veterans. Read the complete story here.
New Faces at WCC
Jaafar Hassan, who goes by “Hassan,” recently joined WCC’s service dog training six-month internship program.
Hassan brings a unique perspective to the position, as he spent nine years on active duty in the Air Force as a military working dog handler, before joining the Reserves. During that time, he worked with three different dogs as a K9 handler, helping to provide security, explosives detection and he even worked as part of President Obama’s security detail at one point.
As he will tell you, making the transition from military working dogs to service dogs has been a big, but wonderful, change.
“The qualities of a great military working dog is completely different than a service dog,” said Hassan. “The dog with the strongest prey drive is the best for military support — that’s the trait you don’t want in a service dog; the last thing you want is a dog that wants to chase animals, dogs, etc. The positive reinforcement, rewards, — those are the common shared themes. These dogs are great at working, it’s just in a different way. I’m learning a lot… I thought I had a great understanding of dogs, but I am learning so much. The best part is working with Veterans.”
Hassan and his wife, Tsegie, who is an occupational therapist, live in Silver Spring, Maryland.
WCC also welcomed new Service Dog Training Instructor Andrea Celeste to its team.
Previously a teacher for Montgomery County Public Schools, Andrea and her therapy dog, Grizzly, have done extensive work with students with special needs. She says the benefits of Grizzly interacting with nonverbal students had such a powerful impact on her, she knew long-term she wanted to become a service dog training instructor.
“It’s just so rewarding to see the benefits and rewards that a dog can bring to the faces of people working through challenges,” says Andrea.
After teaching for two years, Andrea attended the Bergin University of Canine Studies and became a certified service dog training instructor.
She says the new position is her dream job and a perfect fit for her.
“Dogs just have this innate ability to connect on a deeper level with all people and they really are truly are man’s best friend. They love unconditionally and want to be with you. To see the first-hand benefits of these purpose-bred dogs trained to alert to stress, provide compassion is extremely rewarding to watch and to be a part of. I feel so fortunate to be able to give back to those who have given so much to us all.”
Born and raised in Bethesda, Maryland, Andrea graduated from the Univ. of Maryland with her Bachelor’s in Special Education and a Master’s in Severe and Profound Disabilities.
Please join us in welcoming both of them to the WCC team!
Seth & Murphy: Constant Companions
“Even on a bad day, it’s hard not to look at Murphy and smile.”
“I look at Murphy and (except when he gets into the cat’s food) generally just experience a feeling of happiness,” says Seth.
An engineer in the Marine Corps Reserves for six-plus years, including a year-long (2012-2013) deployment in Afghanistan, Seth says he compartmentalized a lot of things happening around him — to not let his emotions get in the way of him doing his job.
After he got home, he says he finally had time to go over everything that happened — the good and bad. Seth says he had some difficulty adjusting back to life outside of Afghanistan and that his body and brain were still in “deployment mode.”
He thought a dog might help. Seth applied for a companion dog through Warrior Canine Connection and was matched with Murphy, a Golden Retriever from the Valor Litter, who has since become his best friend and constant companion.
“Having Murphy around has made it gradually easier for me to be more open about what I experienced, which has been really cathartic in helping me move on from my deployment/time in the Marine Corps,” says Seth. “Murphy serves as a constant reminder of what is “good” in my life and has helped to keep a smile on my face when he was dealing with some of the negative things I had experienced. Even on a bad day, it’s hard to look at Murphy and not smile — he means so many things to me, it’s hard to put it in words.”