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MARINE CORPS BASE KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (9/27/2011) - U.S.
Marines assigned to Wounded Warriors Battalion West, Marine
Corps Base Kaneohe Bay Hawaii enjoyed a stress free day with
the help of service dogs from Hawaii Fi-Do, Sept. 23.
Hawaii Fi Do is a volunteer organization that provides
service or pet therapy dogs to those in need and most
recently that has been the Wounded Warriors at MCBH Kaneohe
Bay.
The Marines suffer from a wide variety of injuries either
physical or mental after deployments in Afghanistan and as
part of their healing process, they meet with the dogs every
Friday for a few hours.
Marines from the Wounded Warrior Battalion West at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, watch as Mary Conklin rewards her dog Mai Tai with a treat during a dog training session, Sept. 23,
2011. The Marines learn to train the dogs and the dogs help relax the Marines and put them in good spirits as they recover from injuries either mental or physical that they acquired during deployments to Afghanistan.
Photo by USMC Master Sgt. Cohen Young |
According to Hawaii Fi Do Owner, Susan Luehrs, the time the
Marines spend caring and training for the dogs take their
minds off of their immediate problems, which is an important
part of the program.
“Many of these young Marines
have been withdrawn and quiet, but spending time with the
dogs gives them someone to speak to or spend time with,”
said Luehrs. “This experience gets them out and being social
with others.”
“Before my dog Fin, I was always
depressed and in my room, but now I'm always out,” said Cpl.
Daniel Carter, a native of Temecula, Calif.
Some of
the Wounded Warriors were hesitant at first, but after a few
weeks, the dogs were greatly appreciated.
“When I
first started this, I wondered how this would help me,” said
Lance Cpl. Andrew Childress, a native of Shorewood, Minn.
“Now, I look forward to seeing one of these dogs every
Friday because ever since I got blown up in Afghanistan, my
time with them is the only thing that relaxes me.”
Luehrs, a former special education teacher noticed how relax
and social her former students were when playing with dogs
once a week and she thought to apply that to military
veterans returning from deployments and has been working
with the Marines and the U.S. Army for the last two years.
Some of the dogs actually live with the Marines and are
a part of each other's daily life.
“The dogs help
the individuals by retrieving their medicine or slippers
when they can't move or in some cases right there to wake
them up during a nightmare or there for a lick on the face
after the nightmare," added Luehrs.
This simple one
week program has helped mend the spirit of these Marines by
man's best friend showing a little love.
“It's the
unconditional love of the dogs that makes this all
possible,” added Luehrs. “They don't care what color you
are, if you can read or if you have missing limbs, they just
want that touch and are eager to give that back.”
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