At fort Bragg in North Carolina a German shepherd named lexy, is
successfully getting soldiers home from the war and having them get into
counseling. Staff Sgt. Dennis Swols said at first he wasn't
thrilled with the idea because he didn't think it would work. Swols
had completed seven tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Then suffered
from post -traumatic stress disorder but, it was so bad that he
experienced seizures from it. Swols stated, even his kids knew not to scar him.
Swols said “I cried the first time I killed someone he also said "I
never went and got help". It takes friendship from the therapy dogs like
lexy to have that strong connection and to help
the solders get through their experience like Swols. Lexy
lies their next to him during all the practices, and when
the discussions get difficult lexy pulls closer.”She made
a difference in my life" Swols said. There are about 2,500
dogs trained in the armed services at warrior canine connections in Brookeville
and Maryland , lexy and some of the other dogs were finally
able to be used for their first time to help some solders heal
their minds. At canine connections camp they
begin training when the dogs are pups so, they learn how
to since a soldiers distress. In Bethesda Maryland a
3 yr old Labrador retriever mix named Ron, is trained to bring
tissues to the patient during sessions and just to comfort them.
The armed service is so pleased with the work these dogs do so they
decided to give them rankings. "It comforts them
[the soldiers] to get through the hard stuff” said
psychiatrist Maj. Christine Rumayor who works with Lexy at Fort Bragg "so
they can keep working through their issues"
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