646 IT Nation Supports K9 for Warriors

[Uncle Marv]
Hello friends, Uncle Marv here, coming at you live from ITNationSecure in Orlando, Florida, and back with another quick interview. And I am joined by one of the K9 for Warriors members, Tim is here, and his dog Coop. You can't see him in the picture, but I will have one later.

So, Tim had a few minutes to come by and chat with us. Tim, how you doing? Hey, doing well.

Thanks for having me. So, this is kind of like a child for IT Nation, where they've been supporting K9 for Warriors for the last couple of years, and you guys are back. For people that don't know, can you quickly give us what K9 for Warriors is doing?

[Tim]
Yes, for people like me, K9 for Warriors is doing wonderful things, not only for me, but for veterans of all branches, especially those of us who have gone to combat a time or two. Me, I've been to combat four times, spent over five physical years of my life in the combat zone. But, you know, when we come back, there's many things, multiple things that can, you know, happen.

And one of the things that is, is that a lot of us, you know, we have anxiety issues. We have post-traumatic stress. Some of the things that makes it hard to fit back into mainstream America.

And so K9 for Warriors is doing a wonderful job, because they take veterans like us who have become total homebodies, introverted to a sense, not always, but, you know, we don't go out into the general public a lot, and we spend most of our time alone. It takes us, and it gives us a service animal that can help to be a buddy and a companion.

[Uncle Marv]
So one of the things that, when I look you guys up, you guys are the largest provider of service animals, and the mission was to kind of help stop the, you know, the depression you mentioned, the suicide rate and all of that. But one of the things we don't understand is how do you get paired up with the animals and how are they trained?

[Tim]
Well, actually, once we do the application process and we, you know, they ask us a series of questions of what, how might a service animal benefit us? And once we do the application and we fill it out and we tell them everything, hey, I suffer from this, this, this, and this, and I think a service animal will help me in these areas to get back to becoming a better citizen, having a better life, a more comfortable lifestyle. And once we get to that point, and then they start, they, you know, they get these dogs that are, you know, they are, you know, the animals, they're saving the animal off the streets, rescues, and then they're saving us, the veteran, as well.

And they get these dogs and they train them up for what our special needs are. And by the time we get to the school, which is a 21-day lock-in, and they introduce you to your dog on the second day, the first thing they do in the morning is they go back and make sure that the application is one percent accurate, and that they have gotten the right dog for the right service member. And if there's any tweaking need to be done, and then they get there and they, you meet your dog.

Yeah. You know.

[Uncle Marv]
Now, I understand the wait list can take some time, up to 18 to 24 months. Yes. So it sounds like a process.

And then that camp to get to learn the animal and all of that. So when it comes to, you know, all that stuff you said, you have to apply and you have to qualify. I mean, it sounds like all of you should qualify, right?

[Tim]
Well, pretty much. But, you know, the first step is to get a recommendation from your counselor, your doctor, your psychiatrist, or what have you. And they have to deem you basically will benefit from that.

Because not everybody suffers from the same thing. A lot of us who have gone to combat have different areas of stress and worry that we go through that somebody that might not have had such a traumatic experience as being in the zone might have. And so, you know, it's a pick and choose kind of thing.

But the final say is with K9 for Warriors. Because, like, you know, once you submit your application, any service member, I believe, can submit an application. But once they get the application, they decide who they think would benefit most from the dogs that they have.

And that's how you initially get into the program. And then, yes, you go on that long waiting list. I was in a 2025 class.

However, being retired, you know, I was on a short list. And being that someone couldn't make the class November, they called me earlier and they said, Hey, TD, you know, hey, we got a class open now. Would you like to come?

And I said, Oh, yeah, sure. And so that's how I got in early and got my dog. But, yeah, it's a beautiful process.

[Uncle Marv]
Now, the dogs, I'm sure, have to go through extensive training and probably more so than a regular service dog because they're dealing with your stuff. But then they're also dealing in situations like this where there's a thousand people here and they've got to adjust for that. So do you know how long your dog trained before you were paired up?

[Tim]
Well, actually, my dog, he was a unique situation with my dog. My dog just turned three years old yesterday. Oh, early.

So a lot of the dogs are still young, like 18, 24 months, two years old, what have you. And my dog, he was actually paired with another veteran prior, but it didn't work out with the veteran and the dog. And so he came back.

And once the dog goes out to, like my dog did to another veteran, they have to re-qualify all over again to get back into the program and to see if the dog is fit to be given to another veteran even. So luckily, Cooper was. And when I got there, Cooper was way ahead of most of the service animal, the individuals that's getting their dog for the first time.

He knew the routine because he's gone through it all. And so, yeah, when I got Cooper, I knew that he was prepared just for me, that he was the perfect dog for me. And, you know, taking him out in the community, putting him in all kinds of real-world situations, you know, take him to the airport, take him to PetSmart, Walmart’s, or whatever the stores are, grocery stores.

Take him in different environments. Being around a lot of people helps them to break their anxiety, perhaps, and to be able to do a better job for the service members that need them, like myself. Because they've already been through the real world.

And when they get out here, you know, other than the people that want to touch them all the time, and they're dogs. You know, you have to realize they're still dogs. So that's the biggest thing about it is getting the dog, made it with the right individual, and to do the work that you need the dog to do for you.

[Uncle Marv]
Yeah. Now, this seems like a new life for you because now you get to go around and attend events like this, and Coop gets to go with you and stuff. Right.

What's it like during that transition? You know, you served our country. Yes.

And you came back. You went through your trials and tribulations. But now, it seems like, you know, all of you that are here, you're happy.

You're thriving. The dogs are happy. What's that journey been like?

[Tim]
Well, you know, it's a unique journey because it takes an individual who make most a lot of us veterans, you know, like when we retire, like I'm tired. I sit at home alone. The kids are gone.

I'm there by myself. And I don't have a spouse or anything, and I just want a companion, someone to keep me company, someone to do life with, someone to love on me as I love on them. The unique thing about the dog is that the dog is going to love on you.

If you treat the dog right, the dog will love on you no matter what. So, I think it's a beautiful process, but, you know, it's the transition from having a, you know, being by yourself to having someone with you, someone you can trust, someone who, you know, kind of takes the edge off of the anxiety and some of the other things that we go through as veterans, you know, after I return from the combat zone or retirement.

[Uncle Marv]
Can you describe the benefit that you're getting from being here, organizations like ConnectWise and IT Nation who give you the support? What are the benefits that you're seeing directly from that?

[Tim]
Well, the primary benefit for me is that, you know, I get to talk about K9 for Warriors, and I get to tell you how great of an organization they are because they really are. I tell you, for what they're doing, taking a rescue off the street and taking a veteran that needs some help in certain areas, and you're saving a veteran because a lot of veterans put permanent solutions to temporary problems, and you're saving a dog. And you made us together, and it becomes a beautiful family again, you know.

So, yeah, I benefit because I get to come here, and Cooper gets the exposure to come out in different areas and see different people. You know, this is a day where I allow people to make a friend, him to make a friend with someone, and they get to rub him out. He loves that stuff.

He's a dog, right? As opposed to when we usually go out in mainstream, I don't let people touch him too often. Every blue moon, I let him make a friend.

But, yeah, I get to talk about Cooper. I get to talk about K9 for Warriors. And I tell you, a great organization that's done great things for people like me from all of the branches of the services and others.

And, you know, I just want to promote them more so because Cooper's doing his job, and I'm doing my job with Cooper. So, yeah, and we love it. All right.

[Uncle Marv]
Look, Tim, I know your group is over there. You guys are getting ready to head somewhere, maybe to lunch. So let me let you get going.

I want to thank you and Coop for stopping by. We'll have pictures of Coop on the podcast cover when you see it, and there will be a link if you want to support K9 for Warriors, the nation's largest provider of service dogs for veterans with PSTD, TBI, or MST. I don't know what those are, but I'll put those in there. The organization rescues and trains shelter dogs to become service companions for veterans in need.

IT Nation has been a supporter for multiple years, and we encourage you guys to do the same. So, Coop, thanks a lot. Yes.

Thank you, sir.