Warrior Canine Connection and Duquesne University join forces to empower Veterans through service dog training, with support from Team Foster

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) is proud to announce the launch of a new program in partnership with Duquesne University, a distinguished institution with deep roots in military tradition and service. Funded by the generous support of Team Foster, this new initiative will utilize WCC’s innovative Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training model to benefit Veterans, the university and the broader Pittsburgh community.

WCC’s MBTR model is centered on the time-honored military tradition of Warriors helping Warriors. In this program, Veterans learn to train service dogs for their fellow Warriors, while fostering their own skills in communication, confidence building, emotional regulation and patience. The program’s focus on peer support and personal growth makes it a natural fit for Duquesne University—a Veteran-centric institution led by President Ken Gormley—that has a profound history of supporting Veterans and an ROTC program dating back to 1917.

“Thanks to the unwavering support of Chris Boissonnault, director of Duquesne’s Office of Military and Veteran Students, who has been a true champion in bringing this program to life, Veterans will now have the powerful opportunity to heal and support one another by learning to train service dogs for their fellow Warriors,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, WCC. “This hands-on experience not only aids in the recovery of our Veterans but also deepens Duquesne University’s long-standing commitment to its military history by directly serving its Veteran students and the surrounding community. We’re also profoundly grateful to Team Foster for their continued dedication, which allows us to extend our reach and support even more Veterans in need.”

“It’s an honor to host the Warrior Canine Connection service dogs in training on campus, especially in support of Duquesne alum Erick Foster and Team Foster,” said Boissonnault. “Veterans are a special part of the Duquesne community and history; we look forward to having these amazing pups and their trainers on campus for their important work.”

This new WCC Pittsburgh program has been made possible thanks to a generous $100,000 gift from Team Foster, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization founded by Nick Liermann in honor of his friend and comrade, U.S. Army Captain Erick Foster, who was killed in Iraq in 2007. This program holds particular significance as Foster was from the Pittsburgh area and graduated from Duquesne University. Team Foster’s involvement underscores the deeply personal nature of this initiative, aligning with its mission to support Veterans by helping to place them with highly trained, accredited service dogs.

“I cannot think of a more appropriate partner or location for Team Foster to support accredited service dog training space,” said Nick Liermann, founder and executive director, Team Foster. “Captain Foster would be proud of the support from his alma mater at Duquesne and the Pittsburgh community to help our Veteran teammates.”

The program officially launched in September and is hosted on Duquesne University’s campus in Pittsburgh. A WCC service dog training instructor, along with four service dogs in training, are already working with Veterans in the program. The program is also seeking Puppy Raisers—dedicated volunteers who help raise and train the service dogs during the first two years of their lives.

Veterans interested in learning more about the program or how to get involved are encouraged to visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

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Media Contact:
Beth Bourgeois
Warrior Canine Connection
719-216-3206
beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org

About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit  www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About Team Foster
Team Foster is a nonprofit organization founded in honor of Army Captain Erick Foster, a Pittsburgh native, after he was killed in action in Iraq. Team Foster raises money to provide accredited, life-saving service dogs to injured and disabled Veterans. Through funding, advocacy and education, Team Foster honors Captain Foster’s legacy of pushing himself and always looking out for his teammates.

Duquesne University
Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation’s top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and horizon-expanding education. A campus of nearly 8,200 graduate and undergraduate students, Duquesne prepares students by having them work alongside faculty to discover and reach their goals. The University’s academic programs, community service and commitment to equity and opportunity in the Pittsburgh region have earned national acclaim.
It’s time for bigger goals. 
www.duq.edu