Where did you serve and what did you do?
Served with the 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I was Field Artillery. Deployed once with this unit to Afghanistan for 16 months. I ended my career as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer.
Tell us how your dog is helping you continue #StillServing in your community.
My dog helps me cope with several things in my life. Whenever I feel sad he comes to me and sits on my lap, then looks up at me and gives me kisses. This always brings back a smile. This brings me back to a better state to be able to do what I do, especially when it is just him and me. I can continue to carry on my mission which is to give back to the veteran community through the VFW, my business by offering jobs to veterans and helping them find resources and tools to be able to place effectively into civilian careers. My dog’s name is Ranger. He is a rescue dog and my wife and I got him when he was 4 weeks old. You could say he rescued me.
Why do you do it?
I do it because I never had anyone do it for me. I would have appreciated so much to be able to know what I know today as a Private. But things happen for a reason. It’s made me a better person as a whole to be challenged on my own and have discovered it all myself. I rely on God to know what is best for me as well now.