Jennifer began her military career in 1996 as a member of the U.S. Army Signal Corps and went on to become a flute player in the Army band.
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, she was getting ready for a concert. She spent the day watching news coverage. The concert was canceled. In a matter of moments, the world had changed.
Though Jennifer knew her future might look different, she did not think she’d be called to war. But that’s what happened in 2003. “It was mind-blowing. It was life-changing.” She spent six months in Iraq.
“When I got home, I didn’t have a sense of self. For example, I bought a motorcycle, having never ridden a motorcycle. I couldn’t even drive it off the lot,” she said. “I had an identity crisis, and I attempted suicide.”
Six months after returning home, Jennifer was diagnosed with PTSD. “I was hospitalized and, from then on, my career in the military just went down. I was medically retired and sent out into the world to be on my own.”
By 2009, Jennifer could no longer hold a job. “I wasn’t taking care of myself, not showering, not brushing my teeth. I couldn’t leave the house, couldn’t leave the bed. I have a 12-year-old, and I could barely get her to school and pick her up from school.”
Ultimately, Jennifer decided to seek out a service dog after talking about it with her therapist. She learned about Leashes of Valor through a Google search.
“I didn’t know what to expect. I haven’t had a dog in a long time. I am a cat person. But I love all animals,” Jennifer said. “Meeting Walter, I got excited, he got excited. It was just love at first sight for me.”
Since being paired together in March, “I am taking care of myself better and getting out for walks in the woods. I am showering and brushing my teeth more. I have gone grocery shopping on my own a couple of times, when my mom used to do all the shopping for me. Having my kiddo has also been helpful. However, she is not always able to be with me. Plus, she is almost a teenager, and I’m not cool anymore. Walter is always there and so forgiving,” Jennifer said.
“With summer coming up, I see Walter and I spending even more time in the outdoors. The outdoors has always been my happy place, but I haven’t spent much time outside because I had no energy, and my anxiety was through the roof. Walter is helping keep me calm and healthy.”