Alexandria Veteran Receives Life-Changing Service Dog from National Nonprofit
ALEXANDRIA,VA- Marine Corps veteran Jarrod Thompson recently returned home to Alexandria with his new service dog, Tom. Tom was trained to helped Jarrod manage symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that resulted from his military service.
On why he applied to K9s For Warriors, Jarrod said, “I wanted to get back to being me. I want to get myself out of the house.”
Upon arrival to K9s For Warriors, Jarrod was paired with Tom, who had already completed formal service canine training in the months prior. Along with the other members of their class, the team trained in public every day, received instruction on matters of service dog access, dog health care and more, and established a bond that would facilitate Robert’s healing from the invisible wounds of war.
How the Program Works
“There’s an epidemic of veteran suicide in our country. Service dogs are a proven method of alleviating the debilitating symptoms of PTSD – like suicidal ideation. They not only get our veterans back on their feet, but they also help them regain a sense of normalcy in their lives. Most veterans with PTSD think they’ve lost that forever,” explained K9s For Warriors CEO, Rory Diamond.
K9s For Warriors is a national nonprofit that takes eligible shelter dogs and trains them to be service dogs to mitigate symptoms of PTSD, Traumatic Brian Injury, and/or Military Sexual Trauma for post-9/11 servicemembers and veterans. It operates from two facilities in North Florida that perform the work of procuring and training the canines, pairing them with an incoming veteran, then training the veteran and canine pair together. After three weeks with his or her new service dog, the veteran has learned how to reintegrate into society and, most importantly, reduce suicidal ideation.
