Adriana & Alfie

I have had Alfie since about three months after I got out of the United States Marine Corps. I had a rough time adjusting back into civilian life that was made even worse when trying to integrate back into the workforce. Adding him to my life helped greatly at home, but unfortunately I couldn't take him in public yet. When I moved to Arizona my goal was to go to school to find a new career that I would be able to integrate into. My job in the Military was an Aircraft Rescue Firefighter and I wasn't able to continue that career due to the disabilities I had from serving in the Military. I had a very hard time in the initial weeks of in person schooling and just everyday life tasks without constant support from family and my partner. It became very difficult to do things independently due to my struggles. My provider suggested that I reach out to Soldiers Best Friend to get Alfie trained to help me outside of the house and my life has been greatly changed for the better since. My favorite part about training was getting to the point that I could start taking Alfie to school with me. I joke with my classmates that I will have a hard time finding a Cap and gown for him for graduation when the time comes, but in all reality he deserves to walk the stage just as much as I will because when I put his vest on him he gets right to work and he helps me tackle everyday life again. I no longer feel alone in the fight and most importantly through Soldier's Best Friend I have found a community to support me and help me tackle the obstacles that Veteran life has given me. I am extremely grateful for the help and time that SBF has invested into Alfies training and I am hopeful that I will be able to spread the word to other Veterans so that they can get help too. I want to personally thank every person that has been a part of this process from the trainers, to administration, and to the donors and sponsors that helped make this possible. Having my dog with me to support me in everyday tasks has greatly changed my life for the better.