Animals are Helping Wounded Warriors

Wounded Warriors heal with help of iconic animals. In Arlington,Virginia, when  Lt. Col. Sam Nerove grabs the reigns to guide a 2000 pound horse, she is taking control of something else too.

"I was in the deepest, darkest, hell hole," says Nerove.

She was injured in the early 1990s in Dessert Storm. She returned to combat in Iraq in 2008.

"Similar environment. More rockets, bombs, bullets, and bodies," says Nerove.

Soon her post traumatic stress disorder  was so bad she had to be medevaced out.

"It got so bad that I couldn't even tell the difference between tents and buildings," says Nerove.

She still jumps at the sound of a plane landing at nearby Reagan National. She takes a deep breath and then resumes talking.

Nerove is part of the Caisson Platoon Equine Assisted Program at Fort Myer.

"Through this program, I have learned that I can do anything. If I can guide a horse, I can guide my life," says Nerove.

At a rider's side, members of the Old Guard. These are the same horses that pull the caisson at Arlington National Cemetery.

"If these horses weren't out here carrying their wounded comrades on their backs, they'd be pulling the caisson carrying one of their fallen comrades to their final resting place," says Larry Pence, a retired Command Sgt. Major in the Army.

The program's been in place since 2006 and so far they've had about 125 wounded warriors out riding.

"The one thing they all have in common is that they all want to be contributing members of our society. It's humbling and inspirational every Thursday for me and it's just a blessing, of course, to be a part of it," says Pence.

He and retired Navy Commander Mary Jo Beckman started the program. Brian Isenhouer was stationed in Italy when he suffered a head injury in a car accident. He hopes driving the wagon is preparing him to one day get his driver's license back.

"It's helped me a lot, really it has," says Isenhouer.

The program's being expanded nationwide.

"There was nothing to really prepare me for just the magic, the magic of what this really is and what it does," says Nerove.

FOLLOW US!

Have You Ever Heard of Hero Dogs for Veterans?

Have you ever heard of “Hero Dogs for Veterans?” As we honor our military veterans, let’s not forget our wounded vets who have returned home from the war. Hero Dogs, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation located in Brookeville, Maryland.  They provide service dogs only to veterans or active members of the United States Armed Forces whose disability was caused by illness or injury sustained while serving on active duty.

Hero Dogs, Inc. has chosen to serve veterans exclusively. They train dogs to meet multiple disabilities -- mobility, hearing, and/or psychiatric disorders. Other assistance dog organizations traditionally train a dog for a single purpose only (e.g., leading the blind, aiding the hearing impaired). In addition, the Washington, D.C. area is home to thousands of returning veterans with special service needs. These heroes must compete with other disabled individuals applying for a service dog via a few national-level service programs.

What does a service dog do?
A service dog helps a person with a disability achieve independence. The dog reduces that person's reliance on other people by doing tasks that the person either cannot do for him/herself or needs to ask for another person's assistance to do. A service dog can give a person with a disability the support and confidence to travel outside the home independently, (re)join the workforce, or even just accomplish the everyday tasks of living.

How much does it cost to train a service dog?
It costs approximately $30,000 to raise, train, and place a Hero Dog with one of America’s wounded warriors. Hero Dogs depends on donations, gifts, and fundraising events to support its efforts to provide these dogs, at no charge, to our deserving veterans.

Hero Dogs video showing Ike practicing basic commands. Once you view their video, you can subscribe on their Youtube site to view and receive new videos!


Hero Dogs, Inc., can be contacted at:
Hero Dogs, Inc.
P.O. Box 64
Brookeville, MD 20833-0064
hero@hero-dogs.org
1-888-570-8653 FOLLOW US!

Companions for Heroes - Helping Heal the Lives of Our Nation’s Heroes and Sheltered Pets

I first heard of Companions for Heroes when  I “liked” their page on facebook. Having a brother who is a Veteran with  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), I decided to visit their website. I was so impressed with the wonderful job that they are doing for our Veterans and sheltered pets,  that I decided to share their story on my blog. The following information comes straight from their website.

Founded: in 2009

About Them:

Companions for Heroes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that matches sheltered animals with American Heroes. Companions for Heroes’s federal ID number for donations is: #27-0648741 Check out Companions for Heroes to learn more, donate and participate.


Company Overview:

Companions for Heroes helps heal the lives of our nation's heroes and sheltered animals by providing cost-effective and readily accessible adoptions and healthcare so that both may live in dignity.

Their Mission:

Companions for Heroes seeks to alleviate the psychological suffering of our nation’s heroes and to reduce the number of sheltered animals in the United States by:

• Aiding our active duty military and military veterans, law enforcement officers, emergency first responders, and their families with rehabilitation through animal companionship.

• Saving sheltered animals from euthanasia by providing them with a loving home.

• Increasing public awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other challenges facing today’s heroes.

• Rallying support for animal welfare and the adoption of sheltered animals.

As you know, there are 18 veterans that commit suicide everyday and one (1) animal is put down every second – Companions for Heroes' work helps facilitate the healing and support for the 10-12 million men and women who suffer with some form of psychological condition and homes for the four-five million sheltered animals who are euthanized every year so that both may live in dignity as they embark on their journey together. Companions for Heroes provides our nation’s heroes with accessible, cost-effective animal assisted activities (animal companionship) as they pursue rehabilitative and therapeutic care from their health care providers.

Please visit their website at Companions for Heroes, also take a look at the videos below showing the
wonderful job that Companions for Heroes is doing connecting Veterans and Shelter Animals.