Veterans battling with PTSD in need of service dogs

Veterans battling with PTSD in need of service dogs

ELEVEN TO 20 PERCENT OFVETERANS WHO SERVED IN EITHEROPERATIONS IRAQI FREEDOM OREDURING FREEDOM STRUGGLE WITHPOST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERIN A GIVEN YEAR.

DAVID IS ONEOF THOSE VETERANS BUT WITHTHE HELP OF HIS DOG, HE'SCOPING WITH THE DISORDER.

PKG:"SINCE DAY ONE, SHE'S BEEN MYRIDE OR DIE AND SHE GOES,PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE I DOUNLESS I'M ON A MOTORCYCLE."GARDNER SERVED SEVEN YEARS INTHE ARMY AND DEPLOYED TO IRAQIN 2006.

"I RECOGNIZED I HADPTSD.

PROBABLY A GOOD FIVE-SIXYEARS AGO.

BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKEBEING A FATHER.

I KIND OF PUTMYSELF ON THE BACK BURNER ONTAKING CARE OF MYSELF.

ANDLIKE I SAID IT WASN'T UNTIL IMET BRIAN, THAT, YOU KNOW,THIS BECAME THE BEST OPTIONFOR ME ." HE FOUND 1 VETERANFOUNDATION THE GROUP GIVINGHIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAINHIS SERVICE DOG TO HELP HIMCOBAT P- T-S-D THROUGH HISMOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION.

"SINCETHAT TIME WE HAVE PAIRED UPOVER 20 VETERANS WITH DOGS.

SOTHAT'S PRETTY COOL.

WE DOABOUT 4 DOGS PER YEAR." LIKEMANY ORGANIZATIONS DONATIONSARE DROPPING AND THEY HAVEANOTHER SEVEN VETS ON THEWAITING LIST.

SO, ANOTHERP-T-S-D ORGANIZATION STEPPEDUP TO HELP THE CAUSE.

SOUTHERNARIZONA MUSICIANS FOR HEALING-- ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THATHELPS THOSE ON THE FRONTLINESHAS HELPED RAISE THOUSANDS OFDOLLARS TO CONTINUE THEMISSION OF HELPING VETS."WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER,AND IT DOESN'T MATTER.

YOUKNOW THE TAX ID NUMBER ETCBECAUSE WE'RE ALL HERE TO HELPONE, WE'RE ALL HERE TO HELPVETERANS, WE'RE HERE TO HELPMILITARY AND WE'RE HERE TOHELP FIRST RESPONDERS, NOMATTER POLICE OFFICERS FIREDEPARTMENT, A NURSE, DOCTOR.ANYONE THAT'S HELPING OR THATSERVES THE COMMUNITY TO ME ASA FIRST RESPONDER AND WE'LL DOWHATEVER WE CAN SOUTHERNARIZONA MUSICIANS ARE HEALINGIS RAISED MONEY FOR THOSE THATARE SUFFERING." GARNDER'SADVICE TO OTHER VETERANS WHOMIGHT FIND THEMSELVES IN THESAME SHOES.

"I SAT ON IT FORFIVE-SIX YEARS BEFORE I EVENDECIDED TO DO ANYTHING.

THESTIGMA IS THERE BUT YOU GOT TOWORRY ABOUT YOURSELF, YOU GOTTO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRSTAND FOREMOST.

MOST OF THOSEGUYS ARE.

WE WANT TO HELPPEOPLE.

AND WE WANT TO BETHERE FOR EVERYBODY, BUT ATSOME POINT, YOU HAVE TO FOCUSON YOURSELF.

AND IF, IF YOU'REGOING THROUGH SOME MEDEFINITELY NEED TO TALK TOSOMEBODY, REACH OUT.

I GOTLUCKY AND HE REACHED OUT TOME." TAG: IF YOU'D LIKE TODONATE TO THEIR CAUSE HEAD TOKGUN 9 DOT COM.

CIARA ENCINAS,KGUN 9 ON YOUR SIDE.HALL OF FAME TRAINER ANDARIZONA ALUM BOB BAFFERT IS