B*N*S*N1

Photo Credit: Pfc. Amy M. Lane.

Tired dogs rest beside their handlers after returning to the classroom after a long day of training at Fort Hood, Texas, March 10. The 85th Medical Detachment, 1st Medical Brigade, is learning to work with therapeutic dogs in anticipation of their upcoming deployment to Iraq.

Stress dogs can be a Soldier's best friend

Mar 22, 2010

By Pfc. Amy M. Lane

FORT HOOD, Texas -- It can be difficult for some Soldiers to open up after a traumatizing event, or even if they are having problems at home while they are overseas. But the 85th Medical Detachment, 1st Medical Brigade, a combat stress control unit, is learning to work with some very unique ice breakers.

The 85th Soldiers, who are deploying to Iraq at the end of the month, have been training all week with four therapeutic dogs. The dogs are bred, trained and donated to the Army by America's VetDogs.

Stress control dogs can help Soldiers open up and start conversation flowing, said 1st Lt. Camille Betito, the executive officer for the 85th, whether they come into the clinic seeking help, or they're just out walking around the compound and someone approaches the animal.

"We're there for you if you need someone to talk to," Betito said. "The dogs can help people feel more at ease to start talking. Or sometimes just playing fetch or taking a few minutes to pet a dog can be a real comfort and morale booster when you're far away from your loved ones."

Betito said the animals are well loved by their handlers, and they even are assigned a rank, which helps humanize them.

Two representatives from America's VetDogs, Lisa Harvey and Valerie Kramer, came from New York to spend the week teaching Soldiers to work with the dogs. They brought four dogs with them, because the dogs the 85th will be working with are already in Iraq.

The Soldiers learned about the special gear the dogs wear, including: "Mutt Muffs", hearing protection made for dogs, "Doggles", their eye protection, and the boots that protect the dogs' feet from the desert sand....

Go read the rest of this B*N*S*N story here.