AW2 Weekly Digest April 12-23

Filed under Soldier Story, Weekly News Digest by on April 26, 2010 at 8:45 pm {no comments}
  • AW2 Veterans Juan Arredondo, Bryan Hinojosa, Brian Neuman, and Michael Schlitz and AW2 Soldiers SGT Robert Brown and MAJ David Underwood, featured in Army News, encouraged paratroopers to help stop Soldier suicides.
  • AW2 Soldier SPC Charles Berninghausen was featured in a 9 NEWS article about the assistance he received from AW2 and Freedom Service Dogs.
  • AW2 Veterans Heath Calhoun and Melissa Stockwell, featured on DCmilitary.com, were special guests at a showing of ‘‘Warrior Champions, From Baghdad to Beijing,” at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
  • AW2 Veteran Heath Calhoun, featured on Whowon.com, unveiled the official race logo on the pace car, took some laps, and participated in media interviews for the The Heath Calhoun 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race.  He is also featured in a Defense News article Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates hosting the Paralympic Team at the Pentagon.
  • BG Gary Cheek, WTC Commander, was featured in Defense News discussing Warrior Games and in the Fort Hood Sentinel discussing Ride 2 Recovery.
  • AW2 Soldier SSG Leon Cooper, featured on DCmilitary.com, helped their fellow warriors and others evacuate the building and prevented anyone from being injured during a fire at Walter Reed.
  • AW2 Soldier MAJ Tammy Duckworth, featured in Lahontan Daily News, shared a powerful message about her personal quest for success as a Veterans advocate at the third annual Nevada Women Veterans Summit. She was also featured in DOD “Wounded Warrior Diaries.”
  • AW2 Soldier SGT Andrew Eads, featured on KMEGTV14, was offered an all-expenses-paid hunting trip from a group of Nebraskans.
  • AW2 Veteran Nicholas Ebbinghaus was featured in Building Strong ® in an article about AW2 Advocate Joyce Garrett providing career assistance and his new career opportunity.
  • AW2 Soldier SGT Derrick Ford and his Family, featured on DCmilitary.com, are learning to adjust to a ‘new normal’ off Walter Reed.
  • AW2 Veteran Steve Holloway was featured in WPTV for receiving a specially adapted home from Homes for Our Troops.
  • AW2 Veteran Nathan Hunt was featured on the Pentagon Channel on April 12 in a story about wounded warriors participating in a Ride 2 Recovery event. He is also slated to receive a specially adapted house according to PR Newswire.
  • AW2 Soldier SGT John Hyland, featured on Motorsport.com, been selected to sing the national anthem for Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on May 30.
  • AW2 Veteran Matthew Lammers was featured in an Action 3 News and KTRK article for receiving a specially adapted home from the HelpingaHero.org Home Program.
  • AW2 Soldier SGT Daniel Lopez, featured in Peninsula Warrior and WAVY-TV 10, will participate in the Warrior Games.
  • AW2 Soldier SPC Brendan Maracco featured in 1010 WINS, the Staten Island Advance, and the New York Daily News, will receive a specially adapted home from his community.
  • AW2 Veteran Ryan Newell, featured in Army Times, will receive a specially adapted house from Homes for Our Troops.
  • AW2 Soldier SFC Josh Olson, featured in the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, provided expert instruction to wounded warriors to help them prepare for the Warrior Games.
  • AW2 Soldier SPC Ryan Price and his spouse Terry, featured in San Diego News, received a wedding to remember from his community.
  • AW2 Veteran Edwin Salau, featured in the Jacksonville Daily News, participated in a weekend in New York City for intensive training and mentorship on making a fresh career start in the civilian world.
  • AW2 Veteran Craig C. Smith, featured in Defense News, is training for next month’s inaugural Warrior Games.
  • AW2 Soldier SPC Branden Stackenwalt, featured in the Rapid City Journal, will receive a specially adapted home as part of Operation Opening Doors.
  • AW2 Soldier SGT Matt Williams was featured in Medical Device Daily in an article about controversial treatment for TBI and PTSD.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sites, the United States Department of Defense does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.

My Day with Service Dogs

Filed under Advocate Story, Behavioral Health, Community Support Network, Non-profit, Resources, Staff Stories by on March 19, 2010 at 3:38 pm {2 comments}

By Ann Yingling, AW2 Advocate

I had a really cool day recently! Jeff, one of the Veterans I work with, is in the process of receiving a psychiatric service dog through Paws 4 Vets, a member of the AW2 Community Support Network.

I say “process” because it is certainly that. There are applications, interviews, home studies, and “bumps” to attend. (A bump is the process of meeting various dogs to see if any of them bond with the human. And believe me—the dog is the one doing the choosing!) There are trainers to meet, training to attend, and on and on. And it is for good reason that the process is so meticulous—this is serious stuff, not only for the person who receives the dog, but for the dog, too. It’s finding a life partner and making a life-long commitment!

But back to my day… I traveled to Fort Stewart where Paws 4 Vets has a pilot program with the Warrior Transition Battalion there. Both Cadre and Soldiers assigned to the WTB will be training the dogs, which will eventually be assigned to a Soldier or Veteran. Attending that day at Fort Stewart were Terry Henry, Director of Paws 4 Vets, his daughter Kyria who trains the trainers, the Soldiers who will be training the dogs, and Jeff and his parents.

We started out with basic introductions—Jeff and another Veteran (Navy!) who will also be receiving a dog, told the group their “story”. It was very emotional—both heart breaking and heart warming, listening to these two Veterans talk about their service in Iraq, their struggles with PTSD, and the hope for a “normal” life that the dogs have given them. All the while they were speaking, several beautiful golden retrievers and a black lab lay quietly and patiently at their feet. The Soldiers who are training the dogs then spoke about how this program has given them something worthwhile to get excited about—knowing that they will be helping out a fellow wounded warrior. They also told of the benefits received from the dogs in their own healing process.

Then we got to see Sallie, one of the goldens, in action! She showed us just one way that she will be helping a wounded warrior who suffers from agoraphobia (the fear of crowds or open spaces). If Jeff (for example) and Sallie are out in public, and someone is approaching Jeff from behind, Sallie will nudge Jeff in a special way to alert him. If Jeff is not paying attention, Sallie will nudge a second time, a little harder. If the person has approached within an arm’s length of Jeff, Sallie gives a very definitive bark to alert him. Another way a psychiatric service dog has been known to help is that they can “sense” things we humans can’t. For example—for someone who is prone to seizures, flashbacks, or nightmares, the dog might sense the event before it actually happens. Dogs have been known to warn a person of an oncoming seizure—alerting the person so that he can get to a safe place before the onset of the seizure. Dogs can wake a person up before the he becomes too entrenched in a nightmare or flashback. Also, the responsibility of having a service dog is another “hidden” benefit. A dog has to be let out and has to be walked and fed. These responsibilities can help get a person out of the house, give the person a mission or something to focus on.

At Fort Stewart that day, I saw lots of neat “tricks” that a psychiatric service dog can do and I also witnessed the most basic benefit of a service dog: the love and companionship provided. No one loves you as unconditionally as a dog!

Top AFAP Issues Focus On Wounded Warrior Care

Filed under 2009 Symposium, Symposium by on January 15, 2010 at 6:18 pm {7 comments}

AW2 delegates gather with the Honorable John McHugh, Secretary of the Army, holding Starsky, an AW2 Veteran’s service dog after the AFAP closing ceremony.

AW2 delegates gather with the Honorable John McHugh, Secretary of the Army, holding Starsky, an AW2 Veteran’s service dog after the AFAP closing ceremony.

By Sarah Greer, WTC Stratcom

Today, is a great day for AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families. Delegates to the Army Family Action Plan (AFAP) Worldwide Conference voted on the five most pressing issues facing the Army community, and the top three of these issues directly affect wounded warriors.

“Today’s results go to show that there is a consensus behind taking care of wounded warriors,” said AW2 Veteran Jared Hatch. “This is absolutely fantastic, because it shows that things will get better for wounded warriors.”

“This is exactly what we wanted to do this week,” said AW2 Veteran Melissa Cramblett. “We stood for our brothers and sisters in AW2, and we’ve come through for them.”

The top five 2010 AFAP issues included:

  1. Monthly Stipend to Ill/Injured Soldiers for Non-Medical Caregivers
  2. Funding Service Dogs for Wounded Warriors
  3. Behavioral Health Service Shortages
  4. Family Readiness Group External Fundraising Restrictions
  5. Exceptional Family Member Program Enrollment Eligibility for Reserve Component Soldiers

AW2 Veteran Vivica Stokes attended the conference with Starsky, her service dog. “Starsky is ideal with my PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder),” she said. “He’s able to sense when I’m about to have an anxiety attack, and he’ll start licking my hand so I focus on him. Seeing service dog funding as a top AFAP issue is a great feeling because I know how much it will help other Veterans.”

AW2 Soldier SGT DeKeither Stamps addressed the delegates and Army leadership on both the caregiver stipend and service dogs issues. “The average caregiver gives up $28,000 a year to take care of a Soldier so he or she is not institutionalized,” Stamps explained. “Parents and spouses love their Soldiers, and it’s important that the Army help them take care of Soldiers who are wounded.”

Senior leaders attending the report-out included:

  • Secretary of the U.S. Army John McHugh
  • Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army General George W. Casey
  • Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army General Peter W. Chiarelli
  • Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army Kenneth O. Preston

Each of the issues will be assigned to an action officer, and the General Officer Steering Committee will track progress on a regular basis in the months and years ahead.

Gone but Never Forgotten

Filed under Soldier and Family Story, Soldier Story by on November 17, 2009 at 10:55 am {5 comments}
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AW2 Veteran and Advocate Clay Rankin with Archie, his service dog and friend. Archie will be missed by the entire AW2 Family.

By Stephanie Rankin, AW2 Spouse

As many of you now know, Archie, Clay Rankin’s service dog passed away last Thursday night. It was a sudden, heart wrenching reality that life is precious and fragile. Archie died of heart failure, according to our veterinarian’s best diagnosis. He was eight-years-old and in good health — no one saw this coming — but the impact will be felt for years to come. Archie was more than a service dog. He was Clay’s companion, his freedom from a wheelchair, his courage to get up every day and live. Archie was there when the pain got to be overwhelming, when the nightmares visited and when scenes from the past came unexpectedly crowding in. Archie was Clay’s anchor.

As we remember him, I have to admit he seemed larger than life. He was a celebrity after all. In October of this year he received the ASPCA’s “Dog of the Year” award and like all things he just wagged his tail and took care of Clay. Archie was a light of joy to so many Soldiers and their Families. He helped Clay do his job as an AW2 Advocate, and brought hope to wounded Soldiers at Walter Reed and other VA hospitals. Clay and I heard a story one time about how dogs live such short lives because they already understood unconditional love, unlike us hard headed humans who have live much longer ones to learn it. One look at Archie sweet, gentle face and you could see he lit up the room with it. He certainly loved Clay unconditionally and he wore out his heart with it. He was our hero.

Archie has helped pave the way for other Veterans to obtain service dogs and through his partnership with Clay, as many more have been educated to what exactly a service dog is. Clay would tell people that Archie was a highly sophisticated piece of medical equipment. They say knowledge can transform worlds. Archie was an excellent teacher. There is no way for us to replace him, and as we struggle to go on without him our path is unclear. We knew this day would eventually come, but we certainly weren’t prepared for it to be today. We honor Archie’s memory and try to see our way past the grief of losing such a dear member of our family.

I would like to thank all of you that have kept us in your prayers, sent your support in the form of e-mails, phone calls and flowers. It is appreciated. Clay received Archie through Patriot Paws, a wonderful organization that provides service dogs to wounded warriors, and I encourage you to learn more by visiting http://www.patriotpaws.org. Archie may be gone but he will never be forgotten.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sites, the United States Department of Defense does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.

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