Where did you serve and what did you do?
I was a Medic/Senior Enlisted Leader. I served many places North Dakota, Long Island, New Jersey and lastly Niagara Falls. I deployed to Guam and participated in NY Air National Guard State Partnership and went to Albania 4 times.
Tell us how your dog is helping you continue #StillServing in your community.
My dog Nikki continues to help me serve by sharing her story, being named after fallen soldier Nicholas Warden. His family donated her to WNY Heroes to be trained for a veteran. I share WNY Heroes/Pawsitive for Heroes story (the organization that gave her to me) and all they have to offer our community veterans and lastly the Buffalo Sabres who sponsored Nikki and she was the 2022-2023 Team Dog. Nikki gives me peace, she lets me sleep better at night and show up for my family, friends and even be able to work, which I work at the Veterans Benefits Administration as a RVSR… So Still serving for sure!!
Why do you do it?
I share her story and all because there are so many organizations, services and resources that so many of our veterans still do not know about. Whether they live here in the WNY area or when we travel (we like to travel), we share her story with anyone that asks and meets her. I believe I was blessed with Nikki to help me cope with day to day life and share for other veterans to see there is a way forward to after service.