Call These Dogs Sergeant

It抯 the holiday season, and Santa is busy packing up presents to send to troops serving overseas in Iraq. But it抯 two black Labrador retrievers that may be the best gift in his big bag.

Well, if truth be told, the dogs aren抰 exactly being sent by Santa, and they won抰 be going to Iraq in a bag. America抯 VetDogs, a subsidiary of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, offers guide and service dogs to veterans of all eras. They recently presented the two dogs, Budge and Boe, to the Army抯 85th Medical Detachment. The two dogs will work with a multidisciplinary team of Army professionals to help address mental health issues among the troops. The two dogs are expected to board a military charter plane to Kuwait before Dec. 21.

"Dogs have been the unsung heroes of our war efforts," said Maj. Stacie Caswell. "Bringing therapy dogs into Iraq will take dogs to the next level on the battlefield. The therapy dogs will be another method that our Combat Stress teams can use to break down mental health stigma; to assist soldiers so that when they go home, Iraq is not on their backs."

Anecdotal evidence has suggested for many years that pets provide positive health benefits for people under stress. Scientific studies have recently been conducted to determine the benefits of using pets as a form of therapy.

While service dogs are trained to help people up stairs, alert them to certain noises or to pick up and retrieve certain items, therapy dogs have an altogether different mission. They are trained to focus on human emotions and to comfort people. They are usually sensitive and energetic.

Boe and Budge, both three years old, will be sent to work with combat stress units in Tikrit and Mosul. The dogs will be part of a medical team that will help relieve troops trying to overcome stress, sleep disorders and emotional trauma.

William A. Krol, communications manager with the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, said the two dogs were recently sent to Fort Hood, Texas, where the 85th Medical Detachment is based. They will be medically cleared before being sent to Iraq just in time for Christmas.

"The dogs will serve as icebreakers as a way to get soldiers in the field to open up if something is troubling them such as homefront issues, sleep problems or day-to-day operational stress," Krol explained.

Training is Key

Each dog has undergone a great deal of training to ensure that they will be able to make meaningful contributions in Iraq. Each dog has been assigned the rank of Sergeant First Class. Krol noted that the dogs are not related and were named by puppy sponsors, whose donation goes to offset the cost of raising a dog.

Staff Sgt. Mike Calaway, who will handle Boe, has witnessed some of the training, and is encouraged by what he has seen. "(The dogs) will be a great morale booster as members of the team," he said.

It must be noted, however, that this is the first time that the Army has ever sent skilled therapy dogs into a wartime environment. VetDogs staff members and Army personnel are breaking new ground and do not know exactly what to expect.

"This is a blank page, and we抮e writing the page as we go," said Staff Sgt. Jack Greene, who will handle Budge. He added, "We抮e optimistic."

For the past eight months, each dog has undergone comprehensive training. Budge and Boe focus on people, no matter what the distractions. But that sort of concentration doesn抰 just happen by itself.

"To prepare them for some of the sights and sounds they might encounter in Iraq, they were taken to a firing range so they could hear gunfire, and they were exposed to the sounds of a helicopter starting up at the airport," Krol explained.

The Army is already developing metrics to measure the success of the dogs. VetDogs specifically chose Labrador retrievers because they are known for their pleasant temperament and physical durability.

"The dogs know they have a mission and that when they are wearing their special jackets, they are on duty," Krol said. "When the jacket is off, they will have time to play and de-stress."

Looking Ahead

When Sergeants Budge and Bo are sent to Iraq, they will serve a tour of duty just as any other service member, Krol said. They will join their handlers in their professional daily activities and work with soldiers on their bases. Their interaction with soldiers may be in a group or in a one-on-one setting.

The VetDogs group is proud to have partnered with the Army on such a venture, as it will greatly benefit troops serving overseas, Krol said. "We抮e confident they will be successful, and we would be honored to assist the Army again to help our service members," he said.

Until spring, Sgt. Calaway, a certified occupational therapist assistant, will handle Boe in Tikrit. Sgt. Greene, also a certified occupational therapist assistant, will handle Budge in Mosul. Maj. Arthur Yeager, an occupational therapist based at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, is expected to take over next year.