ÖveRvaka
vänner
We Have Your Six
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We Have Your Six ✦
Over watch freinds
IT ALL BEGAN WITH AN IDEA…
An idea that a well trained dog can make a difference in a persons life. At Övervaka Vänner we pair working K-9’s with veterans and first responders so they can be mission ready. Whether the veteran needs a task trained service dog to help in day to day life or a therapy dog to comfort the community and our first responders after those hard calls. We are more than just an organization that pairs a trained dog with a handler, we maintain a relationship with the team for the life.
Övervaka FRIENDS
Bob / Alice Alan /Kiki
Michele / Blue Stephanie / Sandy
Tina / Leon
Sue / Lance
Colleen / Callie
Chip / Potato
Amanda / Boots
Officer Brewer / Potato
help us help them
Featured veteran
Carl with a K
NEW!
Bob Stockbridge
1. My name is Karl, and I was born on July 12 in Boston, MA. I grew up under the care of my grandmother, facing the challenges of poverty on the other side of the tracks. The love of my family, my education, and the conflicts our nation faced fueled my desire to serve and protect our flag, leading me to volunteer for military service. I am reaching out to formally request permission for a service dog to help me manage my diagnosed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that I developed during my time in the U.S. Army while serving in [GWOT/OIF/OEF/OND/OIR]. My experiences in combat have left me struggling with intense anxiety, panic attacks, and distressing flashbacks, which greatly affect my daily life and my ability to live independently.
2.I had the honor of serving in the United States Army, primarily with the Combat Engineers and a few other units. A significant portion of my service was with the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). Throughout my career, I was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times. I dedicated myself to serving my country to the best of my abilities. The truth is, I volunteered to defend the ideals of this great nation, the United States of America. My motivation came from a desire to protect the freedoms, diplomacy, and liberties that I hold dear, especially for the people I cared about and left behind. I became so accustomed to deployment that it felt like my only reality.
3.Adjusting to life as a soldier on a daily basis was quite challenging for me. The numerous deployments I experienced took a toll on my mental health, often without my awareness. I have faced significant combat situations, and knowing someone who has been killed or injured can deeply affect a person's spirit. I want to be honest about my journey. I dedicated myself to my career, believing my performance was strong, while I quietly battled my inner struggles. I endured this pain in silence. I gave everything I had and would willingly do it all over again. With that said, I recognize the vital role of responsible service dog ownership and am fully dedicated to ensuring that the service dog I am fortunate to receive is well-trained and behaves appropriately in all public environments. Please feel free to reach out if you need more information about my medical situation and the importance of having a service dog.
// Original Signed //
Karl
VETERAN, USA
22 TOO MANY
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22 TOO MANY ✦
Tina LaVallee
My name is Tina J. Lavallee. I served 11years, 10 months, and 26 days in the United States Army.
While on serving my country I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury and a Spinal Cord Injury which left me permanently wheelchair bound. I have sporadic panful muscle spasms, seizures and no left peripheral vision in both eyes. My injuries left me depressed and hopeless.
A fellow Veteran introduced me to the owners of Övervaka Vänner. After my interview with them I received a service dog named Leonidas, AKA: Leon.
Leon is a true working dog and will do anything to help me. He helps with picking up anything I drop or cannot pick up alone, pulls me in my wheelchair when my arms get tired, helps remove my clothes, braces, and shoes, opens any door by pushing or pulling, turns lights on and off, can alert me to a seizure before I have one, will get help if I fall out of my wheelchair, pulls my wheelchair to me, carries his own grocery bag and puts it in the van, and the list goes on.
There are no more long days at home because I don't have someone to help me. Now I am off doing things for myself with the help of my trusty companion, Leon. My life has drastically improved both mentally and physically. Leonidas isn't just my service dog. He is my independence!
