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PTSD Awareness Month: Recognizing and Supporting Our Veterans

May 29, 2024

June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month. Here at Warrior Canine Connection, we’ve witnessed firsthand how the best therapy sometimes comes with four legs and a wet nose. For Veterans grappling with PTSD, canine-assisted therapy can be incredibly effective in recognizing triggers, reducing anxiety and enhancing social integration, among many other benefits.

This month and every month, we at WCC are committed to fighting the stigma around PTSD and providing unwavering support to Service Members and Veterans who are battling this condition.

As one Veteran who participated in our Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) program shared, “Training the dogs gave me time away from my PTSD symptoms. I was more focused on connecting with the dogs than my own symptoms.”

Other MBTR participants also shared their experiences with the program.

“Before I began the 8-week program, I was suffering from major depression,” shared a Veteran participant.” After numerous treatments, including a variety of medications and ten sessions of ECT, I was only minimally better. I was feeling numb for years and was unable to feel any joy.  I never left my home and did not want to do anything, even bathing was difficult.  My occupational therapist recommended WCC.  I honestly did not want to go, but I forced myself. After the first two sessions, I finally began to have some sort of feeling for the first time in years. I now leave my home several times a week and I want to do some things.  It is a work in progress, and I have plenty of bad days, but this is a breakthrough.”

“Training the service dogs gave me a sense of purpose; connectedness with fellow veterans, instructors, and dogs; increased my mood; helped me be patient with my own dogs; and gave me a sense of pride that I could contribute to society,” shared an MBTR participant. “It made me feel like the VA cares about veterans with PTSD; I felt loved by the animals and instructors. Overall, this program made helped me feel good about myself again, purposeful and confident in myself.”

It’s important to recognize that training or having a service dog isn’t a quick solution for PTSD—it requires dedication, time and hard work. It’s just one of many effective treatments supported by the medical community to support Veterans battling PTSD.

The key is to know that help is available, find the options that works best for you, and to know that you are not alone. If you or someone you know are interested in WCC’s MBTR training, email Mar Leifeld at mbtr@warriorcanineconnection.org for more information. And if you’re unsure where to turn first, please know the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255) is available 24/7.

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Army Veteran Finds Healing in Helping Others

May 17, 2023

Today we introduce you to U.S. Army Reserve Sergeant First Class (Ret.) Paul Kelly, who’s had a unique military career. Post-retirement, he has devoted his time and talents to multiple volunteer efforts—all to benefit his fellow Veterans.

Paul Kelly was always intrigued by the military; his father was a U.S. Marine, and his uncles served, too. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1979 and spent four years on active duty as an infantry solider in Northern Germany before becoming an electrician for the federal government, where he built a 30-year career.

But after the events of 9/11, Paul was compelled to re-enlist—20 years after his original service—only, this time in the U.S. Army Reserves, where he served as a construction engineer and a basic electricity instructor. During that time, he completed a one-year deployment to Iraq in 2003 and three deployments to Afghanistan from 2008 to 2012, where he worked as a construction engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers before retiring in 2015.

It was during his last deployment that Paul was injured in the line of duty. He shared, “I got the Purple Heart … it’s not the kind of award you want, but I’m honored to have received it.”

A family man at heart, after retiring from his 30-year electrician career in 2018, Paul enjoyed spending more time with his wife, Annie, two grown children and his three grandchildren. He also dove into volunteer efforts, including serving as a mentor with Wounded Warrior Project’s (WWP) Mentor Program; founding the Poolesville Military Support Group; acting as Veteran Liaison with Frederick County Hospice; and helping to train service dogs through Warrior Canine Connection’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training program.

Paul works closely with Wounded Warrior Project’s peer support group. The group meets monthly to talk amongst each other, and they also participate in other activities including indoor sky diving, axe throwing, arcades, and WWP’s Project Odyssey.

“It’s a good bunch of guys, we share things that work for us in a comfortable setting, and it’s a great bonding experience,” said Paul. “We all miss the camaraderie the military provided.”

He also volunteers with WCC. In fact, what started as his volunteer participation in its eight-week Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training program, has long since led to him being a regular volunteer fixture at WCC’s Healing Quarters at both its Boyds and Frederick, Maryland, locations.

“I learned about WCC in the newspaper, so I called them six months before I retired to see if I could help them out,” said Paul. “I wanted to help them, and the program ended up being therapy for me. What I get out of it is just phenomenal, like magic healing,” said Paul.

Paul says volunteering for nonprofit organizations that support Veterans, including WCC and Wounded Warrior Project, brings him purpose, while helping him at the same time. He didn’t anticipate it, but by helping others, has helped him. “Both organizations are wonderful, and both have helped me out a lot,” says Paul. “And I’m happy to give back to them because they’ve done so much for me.”

In fact, working with WCC’s service dogs in training spurred Paul to enroll in an online course to become a certified, professional dog trainer. He says he wants to specialize in training service dogs and is actively visiting seniors and Veterans with his own dog, Luke, a 5-year-old Golden Retriever, who is a therapy dog.

The Art of Dog Training

May 12, 2021

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.”

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