Military Order of the Purple Heart, Governor Palin, Senator Begich, Alaskan State Officials and DOC Join Together to Establish New Program for Alaska’s Wounded Warriors

The Military Order of the Purple Heart is proud to collaborate with Governor Sarah Palin, Senator Mark Begich, Alaska’s Department of Corrections, Fort Richardson and other Veteran Facilities to provide trained service dogs to the state’s combat-wounded veterans.
 
During his time as Anchorage Mayor, Senator Mark Begich developed a long standing relationship between the military and the municipality.  This relationship extended to supporting the needs of the Soldiers wounded in action and redeployed back to Fort Richardson, AK to continue their recovery.
 
The mayor’s office became aware of a long standing program under the Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) to rehabilitate dogs from the Matsu Animal shelter and train them as service dogs.  The animals are trained by inmates at the Hiland Mountain Correctional Center while under the supervision of a qualified animal trainer and then adopted out to individuals with disabilities in need of a service animal.

Rather than lose the momentum of the fledgling program, the senator’s office contacted members of the Alaska Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) to help in identifying a Soldier or Veteran in need of a service animal.  Members of the Alaska Department of Corrections, Senator Begich’s Office, and the MOPH all came together to develop the framework for a long lasting program.

The concept continued to mature and the Mayor became a Senator seated on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs with a continued and growing interest in the needs of Alaska’s veteran population.  Working with the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Richardson, AK, the MOPH identified the first candidate to receive a service animal from the State of Alaska Department of Corrections service dog program. 

In 2005, SGT (Ret) William Ondell was wounded during his second tour in Iraq when a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle borne improvised explosive device next to his HMMWV. 

The traumatic brain injury and physical wounds he sustained in the attack led to his medical retirement from the service and a significant need for the assistance of a service animal.

The trainers at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center had been training Wyatt for the last year and the big, affable pup was more than ready to meet the physical and emotional needs of his new partner.  SGT Ondell participated in a training session with Wyatt and the trainers and then went through the process of introducing him to his new home and surroundings.  Wyatt is now hard at work as the first MOPH/DOC service dog to assist a Wounded Warrior.

This program is a shining example of how an exceptional opportunity can grow from the combined efforts of multiple agencies working towards a common goal of supporting our veterans.  With more dogs being trained for the unique needs of Wounded Warriors and more Soldiers and Veterans in need, the program hopes to grow and continue its success.

By establishing a process of identifying a recipient early in the training process, the program hopes to train the dogs to the specific needs of the recipient.  For example, if the dog will assist a leg amputee, it will be trained to brace to support the weight of the individual if he has fallen and need help to re-stand.

With the success of the first recipient and Governor Palin’s continued and enthusiastic support of the State program, the trainers are “off and running” and our Wounded Warriors will soon find themselves in good hands…or, shall we say, paws.
 
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For More Information Contact:
John Bircher, MOPH National Public Relations Director
(352) 753-5535 Telephone
(352) 753-5538 Fax
Publicrelations@purpleheart.org
www.purpleheart.org