Tiger Enters:
Let me begin by thanking everyone involved in the extensive and complex process of getting Tiger, my beloved friend and Service Dog to me (it will not be the last time and this is the least compassionate thank you that will be given).

Well, I have been in the Martinsburg, WV VA Medical Center PTSD inpatient program since 3/8/2011. My psychiatrist from my home base at Camp Lejeune had initially told me that I could not bring Tiger with me. In fact, that was the first question that I had asked him when we were “a go” to come here. I won’t go into the emotional interferences from that moment until the time I arrived (that will be covered in further writings). Once here, I realized that I this place was not the end-all-be-all to me PTSD and my symptoms. This place was full of triggers. Everything from automatic doors that would open as you walked by them (oddly placed in hallways), rude vets that hooped and hollered with no regard for others, rude vets that would crowd hallways… vets in scooters that would speed through the hallways far faster than they should with no regard to who was in their way… and countless others. The point is, I was having a hard time.

To backtrack a bit, the first day here I had an orientation with a ‘Health Tech’ of the do’s and don’ts of the Domiciliary (the Dom). One of which, was no animals or pets of any kind allowed on the Dom. So, I told the Health Tech … “hmmm, so that’s why my Service Dog couldn’t come?!?” He looked at me with the same confused and surprised face and said… “Oh, you have a Service Dog?!?” In my mind, I was saying to myself, WTF!?!? Wondering if I could have brought Tiger and if psychiatrist’s intentions were bad or he just didn’t ask the questions to the right people… or perhaps he didn’t even ask the question at all. No matter the case, I was at the PTSD clinic, dealing with triggers; fear, anxiety, and anger without Tiger.

Roughly three weeks go by, and Alpha squad (the squad I am assigned to) meets with Debbie Dunnigan (our squad leader). She mentions a program that is in the works that will bring puppies to the program, in order for the PTSD disable Vets learn to train these puppies to be service dogs. That sparked my mind and my heart (missing Tiger and thinking of all the work he could be doing for me), so I brought up that I had a service dog. She said that they are allowed here. Once I heard that, I went straight to the program coordinator, Dr. Mills, and she immediately said yes. She warned me that they had two other service dogs go through the program; one being a bad experience (the dog wasn’t trained) and the other being a great experience (a well trained dog).

I immediately called Jen and let her know and she was as ecstatic as I. The Jen, being the wonderful magician she is, started to make all the magic happen, but she wasn’t alone. This time she had a large cast of angels with giant hearts. Starting so far with who I know I of… Jen and Donna (of course), my wife and son, two pilots, and anyone else who was involved that I do not know of. Within a week or so (the longest week of my life), Tiger was being picked up from a small airport in Jacksonville, NC by two pilot ‘s a young son… along with another puppy. Their next stop, Martinsburg, WV, where awaiting his arrival was trainer Donna “Doctore`” Fournier was waiting for him to greet him and give him some quick “snap back” training… since he had been away from me from a month. She had time with him that night and until 11am the next morning… then I was on my way to come see him and guide them back to the VA.

I arrived at Donna’s hotel at about 11:30 and from what Donna told me, Tiger was waiting on the bed looking out the door as she would keep telling him, “your daddy’s coming, your daddy’s coming!” Then Once I pulled up and he saw me through the door he started jumping up and barking with excitement! Reunited! I went in and he jump on me (completely welcome) and a kiss (completely rare, but justified). We got everything ready and took off.

We got to the VA and he went straight to work; he had needed to do this for so long. We took him to my room to get acclimated to my spot, he hopped up on my bed, sniffed around my room. We proceeded to introduce him to some of the staff and some of the Vets in C-Pod (the Pod just for PTSD Vets). We walked him down the hallways of the Pods and through the main hallways; the affect that he had on me was expected and profound… as usual… he was simply working, being there for me, sensing my anxiety level, staying close when I needed it, paving a path through the chaos when I needed it, but he also did something else that I didn’t expect… that helped me. He helped others that needed him. Among all the disable vets walking the hallways (or in wheelchairs, scooter, or walkers) he would go from my pace, by my side… directly to someone who needed him and lean on their leg receive all the loving they would give and puts a smile on their face. It would just put the warmest feeling in my heart, because if I had that intuition, I would stop and give out hugs. He knew the difference too; if someone was scared or he got a bad vibe from a person or if I got a bad vibe from a person, he wouldn’t even turn an ear and the pace would slow a bit. Tiger has became a sort of ambassador for Stiggy’s Dogs and for Service Dogs here at the Martinsburg, WV VA Medical Center.

So far, Tiger has been to two doctor’s appointments with me, where he sat, laid, and stayed (on command) with no issue with I was examined. He has been through four group sessions where he laid under the table (without command), as if he were invisible. When my leg would start to shake, he would sit up and lean on me… quickly calming me (while offering an ear to twirl). We’ve also been to Food Lion twice, Pet Smart, and Glory Days (a restaurant). All of those are the big ones, the small ones… the many choke points, the elevators, the long pill lines that I stand in three times a day, the crowds that I have to navigate on a daily basis all day long. I am proud to say that this will build my confidence, bond, and OUR skills over the next two months during my stay here. Not to mention what I learn about how to cope with the symptoms of my PTSD.
In closing, thank you to no end Stiggy’s Dogs and to all of those involved in getting Tiger here to me. He is a blessing to me, the other Vets here, and believe or not… some of the staff here. Stay tuned for more writing. Thanks again.

-Jamey Johnson