SEAL Team Vero Beach unleashed the dogs recently, at ‘An Extraordinary Evening’ at Quail Valley River Club to benefit the National Navy SEAL Museum’s Trident House Charities programs.
Clinical neuropsychologist Rachel Miller, PSY.D, gave some insight into the benefits of Trident House Charities’ K-9 Project, which pairs soldiers suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder with K-9 support dogs.
“Even the strongest warriors need help,” said Miller, noting that an average of 22 veterans a day take their own lives in the U.S.
“Carrying their lost brothers and the horrors of battle become too heavy to bear. Their teammates are not there to help, and no one else stepped up, stood shoulder to shoulder, and offered to share the weight of their grief and trauma,” said Miller.
She explained that the K-9 partners keep the warriors connected, give them a reason to get up in the morning, and help them carry the load.
“He’s not just getting a dog, he’s getting a teammate,” said Miller. “It is the dogs that facilitate their ability to connect and interact with others. The dogs are their lifelines.”
To demonstrate the bond, guests watched an interactive K-9 demonstration led by former Canadian Special Operations Forces member Kevin (Yoda) Whitenect.
The handlers took their K-9 partners – Raptor, Bullet and Kroesy – through a series of exercises that showcased the bond and trust that exists between the pairs, as well as their skill sets. They noted that Raptor recently received the prestigious K-9 Medal of Exceptional Service in the Global War on Terror for her heroism on the battlefield.
Afterward, guests met the K-9s and handlers, asking questions about their training and work on and off the battlefield. “Your presence and the dollars that you spend here are going to help a Naval Special Warfare Operator and their family,” said Whitenect, adding that donations would benefit individuals who have contributed their whole careers to America and its citizens. “Now you have the opportunity to contribute back to them.”
While the National Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce was established in 1985, Don McClure, event co-chair with Dr. Jim Shafer, said SEAL Team Vero Beach wasn’t formed until three years ago.
“I see in all of you the respect, honor and gratitude that we hold for not only the Navy Special Warfare families that we work with, but all veterans who write that blank check to the United States of America for our freedom,” said Shafer. “It is up to us to educate future generations of the sacrifices that have been made and that will be made to secure the American way of life.”
“We help provide for the families of the Special Operations community through our Trident House Charities Program,” explained Grant Mann, SEAL Museum executive director. The four pillars the charity supports are Trident House, the Scholarship Program, Direct Family Support and the K-9 Program.
“The National Navy SEAL Memorial is a sacred reminder of the great sacrifice our frogmen and their families make. It is a place of solace and solitude, designated for guests and Gold Star families to reflect, honor and remember,” said Mann. The museum honors fallen soldiers with a memorial wall, a memorial garden, a living beach and a K-9 memorial.
Following dinner, retired Navy SEAL Ben Milligan, who deployed with SEAL Teams Four and Five, and was assigned to SEAL Team 17, spoke about the history of Naval Special Warfare.
A Bronze Star recipient, Milligan authored the book “By Water Beneath the Walls: The Rise of the Navy SEALS,” released last year, which chronicles the history of American Special Operations and the Navy SEALs.
It was a fitting complement, given that the frogmen originated at the location of the National Navy SEAL Museum, which seeks to preserve the history and heritage of the SEALs and their predecessors, to honor the fallen and to care for Special Operations families.
For more information, visit navysealmuseum.org.
Photos provided
