Where did you serve and what did you do?
I served in the USAF and was deployed to Eagle Base, Tuzla, Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Forge. I served as a Paying Agent.
Tell us how your dog is helping you continue #StillServing in your community.
My dog Chester has been registered as a Therapy Dog for over a decade. Not only has he provided a lot of therapy to me, he has also provided therapy to numerous others when we visit universities as part of their “stress relief” activities during exam weeks, to elderly patrons of assisted living centers, and to employees of businesses during their work/life balance events. Chester has also listened to many stories read to him by young children who are working on improving their reading skills as part of library programs that help children gain reading confidence by reading to a dog (Chester is partial to books about dogs, of course!)
Chester has a tail that never stops wagging and is always happy to make a new friend.
Why do you do it?
I enjoy volunteering and helping my community. Years ago when I adopted Chester from a rescue organization, I wanted to find an activity where he and I could spend time together and at the same time help the community. I came across Therapy Dogs International; he passed the “exam” with flying colors and became certified as a therapy dog. He has enjoyed providing therapy to hundreds of people, including many veterans, over the years.