• X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube
Donate
Warrior Canine Connection enlists recovering Warriors in a therapeutic mission of learning to train service dogs for their fellow Veterans.
  • How We Help Warriors
    • Mission Based Trauma Recovery
    • Program Details
    • Program History
    • Research
  • Service Dogs
    • Purpose Bred
    • Puppies
    • Hall of Heroes
    • Puppy Cam
    • Dog Applicants
    • Adopting a Release Dog
  • Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Become a Puppy Raiser
    • Become a Puppy Sitter
    • Individual Volunteer Opportunities
    • Corporate and Group Volunteer Opportunities
    • Hold a Community Event
    • Educational Toolkit
  • About Us
    • Mission
    • Board of Directors
    • Board of Advisors
    • Our Staff
    • Current Job Openings
    • Partners and Sponsors
    • Financials
    • Locations
    • Contact
  • WCC Healing Quarters
    • Construction Cam
  • Newsroom
    • Warrior Stories
    • Stories of Impact
    • WCC in the News
    • Press Releases
  • Shop
  • Menu Menu
  • Donate
  • Home
  • How We Help Warriors
    • Mission Based Trauma Recovery
    • Program Details
    • Program History
    • Research
  • Service Dogs
    • Purpose Bred
    • Puppies
    • Puppy Cam
    • Dog Applicants
    • Adopting a Release Dog
  • Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Individual Volunteer Opportunities
    • Corporate and Group Volunteer Opportunities
    • Hold a Community Event
    • Become a Puppy Raiser
    • Become a Puppy Sitter
  • About Us
    • Mission
    • Board of Directors
    • Board of Advisors
    • Our Staff
    • Current Job Openings
    • Partners and Sponsors
    • Financials
    • Locations
    • Contact
  • WCC Healing Quarters
    • Construction Cam
  • Newsroom
    • Warrior Stories
    • Stories of Impact
    • WCC in the News
    • Press Releases
  • Shop

Tag Archive for: Clifford

Letter: Clifford brought veterans comfort and calm

September 24, 2024

Friday, Aug. 23, would have been Clifford’s seventh birthday. If you were lucky enough to know Clifford, you’d know he was much more than just a dog. He was a Warrior Canine Connection facility dog, trained to bring comfort and calm in the midst of some of life’s hardest battles. Read the full story in Mountain Xpress.

https://warriorcanineconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_sm.svg 0 0 WCC Comms https://warriorcanineconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_sm.svg WCC Comms2024-09-24 14:18:032024-09-24 14:18:03Letter: Clifford brought veterans comfort and calm

Kevin and Clifford: From Cap & Gown to Courtroom

October 4, 2019

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.”  

https://warriorcanineconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_sm.svg 0 0 WCC Comms https://warriorcanineconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_sm.svg WCC Comms2019-10-04 09:51:212021-04-02 02:02:39Kevin and Clifford: From Cap & Gown to Courtroom

Combat-wounded veterans meet new service dogs

October 1, 2019

Veterans and “Puppy Parents” from 18 different states came out to recognize the hard work and service of both the dogs and military service men and women.

September 28, 2019 – Veterans got to meet their new service dogs at Warrior Canine Connection’s graduation ceremony on Saturday.

Around a dozen “good boys and girls” were honored after they completed a two-year training program. These dogs provide emotional support for combat wounded veterans and their families. Watch the entire WDVM 25 story here.

 

https://warriorcanineconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_sm.svg 0 0 WCC Comms https://warriorcanineconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_sm.svg WCC Comms2019-10-01 11:46:512021-04-02 02:02:39Combat-wounded veterans meet new service dogs

Featured Video

Contact Us

14934 Schaeffer Road
Boyds, MD 20841

(T) 301.260.1111
info@warriorcanineconnection.org

Warrior Canine Connection
is a 501(c)(3)
Nonprofit Organization
# 45-2981579

Scroll to top