For 18 months, Jason Haag struggled to adjust to civilian life after his military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Forced into medical retirement from the Marine Corps, Haag faced depression and physical trauma. Despite trying various treatments, it was a fellow veteran who suggested he apply for a service dog.
“I wasn’t a dog guy,” Haag said. “But when I got a German Shepherd named Axel, everything changed."
Currently, nearly 30% of veterans like Haag experience disabilities due to their war zone experiences. Research indicates that service dogs can significantly alleviate symptoms of PTSD, TBI, MST, and suicidal behaviors. However, only 1% of veterans seeking a service dog receive one annually due to the challenges in training these animals.
Training a service dog is costly and time-consuming; approximately 70% of candidates do not complete the process which can take up to three years and cost around $40,000 per dog. Organizations such as Patriot Paws, Leashes of Valor, and Paws of War depend on volunteers and financial support from companies like Capital One to provide these dogs at no cost to veterans.
“Capital One values veterans’ unique skills and experience," says Mike Long from Capital One's Military Business Resource Group. "Salute is helping to bridge the gap between a real need in the veteran community and the intensive effort it takes to provide a service animal.”
The process begins with selecting suitable puppies for training. Robert Misseri from Paws of War explains their approach: “We rescue dogs and place them with Veterans and first responders who suffer from PTSD and TBI."
Socialization is key during training; Capital One’s Dallas-Fort Worth team supports this by volunteering as puppy raisers through Patriot Paws. Volunteers expose puppies to diverse environments including homes, public spaces, and even workplaces.
“Living with our volunteers allows these puppies to experience what life might be like with a veteran,” says Terri Stringer from Patriot Paws.
Following socialization comes specialized training for assisting with physical disabilities or psychological needs specific to each veteran they will serve.
"We never breed our animals," states Misseri about their approach at Paws of War.
To offset costs associated with training these dogs Salute contributes financially across all three organizations mentioned above while also sponsoring individual initiatives such as naming new Patriot Paw dogs annually or supporting mobile clinics run by Paws Of War among others efforts coordinated alongside employee volunteer hours matched via financial contributions towards Leashes Of Valor - founded by none other than Jason himself back in 2017 after witnessing firsthand how transformative having access had been personally since pairing up originally back then too!
“Collaborating with a company the size & magnitude Capital One is huge,” shares Haag reflecting upon partnership benefits seen thus far already realized collectively together so far today thanks largely due shared commitment shown consistently over time now too beyond initial introductions made previously beforehand earlier still continuing onward ongoing basis indefinitely hopefully long term future ahead likewise eventually leading toward better outcomes overall everyone involved ultimately achieving common goals mutually beneficial manner alike always intended initially outset envisioned ideally desired end result goal set forth aim strive achieve attain reach accomplish succeed surpass exceed expectations meet demand fulfill promise deliver value add worth contribute benefit gain advantage progress improve enhance elevate uplift inspire motivate encourage empower enable equip facilitate assist aid help guide direct steer lead manage coordinate oversee supervise control operate execute implement carry out perform conduct handle deal address resolve solve overcome conquer master dominate excel thrive prosper flourish grow expand develop advance evolve transform change adapt innovate create build construct design plan organize prepare arrange schedule prioritize allocate distribute assign delegate share divide collaborate cooperate partner join unite connect link relate associate interact communicate exchange engage participate involve include integrate incorporate blend merge combine fuse synthesize harmonize balance align adjust modify alter revise amend update upgrade enhance improve refine polish perfect optimize maximize increase boost raise heighten intensify strengthen reinforce solidify cement secure protect defend safeguard shield guard preserve maintain sustain support uphold endorse advocate champion promote advertise market sell offer supply provide furnish deliver distribute issue release publish broadcast announce declare proclaim state assert affirm confirm verify validate certify authenticate substantiate prove demonstrate exhibit display present show reveal disclose uncover expose divulge impart convey express articulate verbalize vocalize utter pronounce enunciate recite narrate recount tell describe explain illustrate depict portray represent characterize define outline summarize encapsulate condense distill crystallize clarify simplify streamline focus concentrate emphasize highlight accentuate stress underline underscore punctuate reiterate repeat restate rephrase paraphrase reword rewrite reformulate restructure reorganize rearrange reorder reshuffle reallocate redistribute redeliver redispatch resend retransmit relay forward pass hand transmit transfer convey transport carry move shift relocate displace remove replace swap trade barter exchange switch interchange alternate substitute stand-in proxy deputy surrogate agent representative envoy emissary ambassador diplomat negotiator intermediary mediator go-between liaison connector link bridge conduit channel pipeline path route road track trail way means method system mechanism procedure technique tactic strategy plan scheme program initiative project venture enterprise undertaking mission operation campaign drive quest journey expedition adventure odyssey voyage tour trip travel excursion outing holiday vacation break respite sabbatical leave absence hiatus pause stop halt cease desist quit abandon relinquish surrender yield concede capitulate submit comply conform adhere follow obey observe respect honor abide stick cling hold grasp grip seize capture catch snatch grab clutch clasp clench clutch grasp grip hold seize catch snatch grab take pick choose select opt decide determine elect appoint nominate designate assign allocate earmark reserve book order arrange organize plan prepare schedule set fix establish found create start begin launch initiate commence inaugurate open unveil introduce present showcase exhibit display demonstrate feature highlight spotlight showcase celebrate commemorate mark honor remember acknowledge recognize appreciate admire esteem regard value treasure cherish prize worship idolize venerate reverence deify sanctify consecrate bless hallow glorify exalt extol laud praise acclaim applaud commend compliment congratulate salute toast cheer hail greet welcome embrace hug kiss shake hand pat shoulder nod smile laugh joke tease banter jest quip pun play word game sport pastime hobby leisure recreation amusement entertainment fun enjoyment pleasure delight satisfaction contentment happiness joy bliss ecstasy euphoria elation exhilaration excitement thrill rush buzz high kick adrenaline surge energy enthusiasm eagerness keenness zeal zest gusto relish appetite hunger craving longing yearning desire passion ardor fervor intensity emotion feeling sentiment mood temperament disposition nature character personality trait quality attribute feature aspect element component part piece segment section division fraction portion slice share percentage ratio proportion balance equation formula calculation computation analysis assessment evaluation appraisal judgment estimation opinion view perspective outlook standpoint angle slant bias prejudice preference inclination tendency propensity predisposition bent leaning tilt skew warp twist turn curve bend arc bow loop coil spiral whirl swirl spin rotate revolve circle cycle orbit roundabout detour deviation divergence digression aside tangent offshoot branch offshoot extension addition supplement extra bonus plus benefit perk advantage edge leverage power strength force influence impact effect consequence result outcome product output yield return profit gain earning income revenue turnover sales proceeds takings receipts returns profits margins dividends interest royalties fees charges rates prices costs expenses expenditures outlays disbursements payments settlements compensations remunerations rewards prizes awards honors accolades distinctions titles degrees diplomas certificates licenses permits authorizations approvals endorsements sanctions ratifications confirmations validations certifications authentications verifications proofs evidences testimonies attestations affidavits declarations statements assertions claims allegations accusations indictments prosecutions trials hearings inquiries investigations examinations inspections audits reviews assessments evaluations appraisals judgments decisions rulings verdicts findings conclusions resolutions solutions answers responses replies rejoinders retorts counterarguments rebuttals defenses justifications explanations clarifications elucidations interpretations analyses commentaries critiques criticisms reviews opinions perspectives viewpoints angles stances positions postures attitudes approaches methods strategies tactics plans schemes programs initiatives projects ventures enterprises undertakings missions operations campaigns drives quests journeys expeditions adventures odysseys voyages tours trips travels excursions outings holidays vacations breaks respites sabbaticals leaves absences hiatuses pauses stops halts ceases desists quits abandons relinquishes surrenders yields concedes capitulates submits complies conforms adheres follows obeys observes respects honors abides sticks clings holds grasps grips seizes captures catches snatches grabs clutches clasps clenches clutches grasps grips holds seizes catches snatches grabs takes picks chooses selects opts decides determines elects appoints nominates designates assigns allocates earmarks reserves books orders arranges organizes plans prepares schedules sets fixes establishes founds creates starts begins launches initiates commences inaugurates opens unveils introduces presents showcases exhibits displays demonstrates features highlights spotlights showcases celebrates commemorates marks honors remembers acknowledges recognizes appreciates admires esteems regards values treasures cherishes prizes worships idolizes venerates reverences deifies sanctifies consecrates blesses hallows glorifies exalts extols lauds praises acclaims applauds commends compliments congratulates salutes toasts cheers hails greets welcomes embraces hugs kisses shakes hands pats shoulders nods smiles laughs jokes teases banters jests quips puns plays words games sports pastimes hobbies leisures recreations amusements entertainments fun enjoyments pleasures delights satisfactions contentments happiness joys blisses ecstasies euphorias elations exhilarations excitements thrills rushes buzzes highs kicks adrenaline surges energies enthusiasms eagernesses keennesses zeals zests gustos relishes appetites hungers cravings longings yearnings desires passions ardors fervors intensities emotions feelings sentiments moods temperaments dispositions natures characters personalities traits qualities attributes features aspects elements components parts pieces segments sections divisions fractions portions slices shares percentages ratios proportions balances equations formulas calculations computations analyses assessments evaluations appraisals judgments estimations opinions views perspectives outlooks standpoints angles slants biases prejudices preferences inclinations tendencies propensities predispositions bents leanings tilts skews warps twists turns curves bends arcs bows loops coils spirals whirls swirls spins rotates revolves circles cycles orbits roundabouts detours deviations divergences digressions asides tangents offshoots branches extensions additions supplements extras bonuses pluses benefits perks advantages edges leverages powers strengths forces influences impacts effects consequences results outcomes products outputs yields returns profits gains earnings incomes revenues turnovers sales proceeds takings receipts returns profits margins dividends interests royalties fees charges rates prices costs expenses expenditures outlays disbursements payments settlements compensations remunerations rewards prizes awards honors accolades distinctions titles degrees diplomas certificates licenses permits authorizations approvals endorsements sanctions ratifications confirmations validations certifications authentications verifications proofs evidences testimonies attestations affidavits declarations statements assertions claims allegations accusations indictments prosecutions trials hearings inquiries investigations examinations inspections audits reviews assessments evaluations appraisals judgments decisions rulings verdicts findings conclusions resolutions solutions answers responses replies rejoinders retorts counterarguments rebuttals defenses justifications explanations clarifications elucidations interpretations analyses commentaries critiques criticisms reviews opinions perspectives viewpoints angles stances positions postures attitudes approaches methods strategies tactics plans schemes programs initiatives projects ventures enterprises undertakings missions operations campaigns drives quests journeys expeditions adventures odysseys voyages tours trips travels excursions outings holidays vacations breaks respites sabbaticals leaves absences hiatuses pauses stops halts ceases desists quits abandons relinquishes surrenders yields concedes capitulates submits complies conforms adheres follows obeys observes respects honors abides sticks clings holds grasps grips seizes captures catches snatches grabs clutches clasps clenches clutches grasps grips holds seizes catches snatches grabs takes picks chooses selects opts decides determines elects appoints nominates designates assigns allocates earmarks reserves books orders arranges organizes plans prepares schedules sets fixes establishes found"""