Where did you serve and what did you do?

U.S. Army Pleiku Vietnam – Gia Lai Province: Military Installment, January 1969 – January 1970 18th Eng. Brig., 815th Eng. Battalion, HHC Germany: January 1970 – February 1971 Pioneer Kaserne, Hanau, 3rd Armored Division, C Btry, 6th Bn, 40th Arty, USAREUR 85B40 – Photographer – 31 March 1969 31G40 – Communications Chief – 20 August 1969

Tell us how your dog is helping you continue Still Serving in your community.

Booker, my now three-year-old yellow lab, helps keep me grounded and keeps an eye out for possible issues in my surroundings. He was provided to my at the request of my VA PTSD counselor. The non-profit Wester New York Heroes (https://wnyheroes.org/) Pawsitive for Heroes (https://wnyheroes.org/grants-programs/pawsitive-for-heroes/) provided Booker and our 18-month training. Booker was by my side as I worked on a PhD in learning science at the State University of New York University at Buffalo. I earned my PhD degree at the age of 74 in 2022.

Why do you do it?

I am an active member, and past Vice President, of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapt 268 in Lockport, NY. I am a member of VFW 2535 in Lockport, and of the American Legion Post 410 in Lockport. I am a past member of Student Veterans of America, and I received the SALUTE award from Students Veterans of America during my PhD studies. I use my background and skills to help veterans in our area when I can. I also have taught from 2012-2017 for Keuka College, a small college located in Upstate New York, in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I did this to try to give something back to the new generation of Vietnamese students to help build a healthy relationship with the citizens of that country. The photo I included is me with Booker and the Geico Gekko earlier this year. Geico sponsored Booker’s and my training through Western New York Heroes. We attended a community non-profit support day at Geico to say “Thank you” to the company and its staff.