Two years ago The National Education for Assistance Dog Service, Inc. (NEADS) developed a unique program for wounded warriors called Canines for Combat Vets. NEADS is a non-profit organization located in Princeton, MA. Their mission is to train dogs to assist people who are deaf or disabled. They are the oldest and largest program of its kind in America and have trained over 1,000 assistance dog teams since 1976 at the approximate cost of $20,000 per dog. NEADS most generously waves this cost in the Canines for Combat Vets program.

Air transportation to and from the training facility in Massachusetts became a huge financial drain on their organization and the veterans who were accessing their services. John Moon, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for NEADS, learned about Air Compassion for Veterans through one of their recipients of an assist dog, veteran Chris Maddeford, who had also received air transportation services from Air Compassion for Veterans (ACV). In May 2009 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by ACV and NEADS.

Twice each year NEADS holds a heartwarming and inspirational graduation ceremony. The graduation celebrates the successful completion of the six-month training cycle. These remarkable dogs become an extension of their owners and bring security, freedom, independence and relief from social isolation.

Last May, Ames M. Peters became the first wounded warrior that ACV flew to NEADS to be matched with his service dog “Cowboy”. Ames and Cowboy then underwent two weeks of training before we flew them home. ACV will fly them back to NEADS sometime in June for refresher sessions and graduation! Ames served as an E4 Navy Medic and sustained injuries to his back, legs and feet during a humvee incident in Iraq in 2005. Ames has undergone intense physical therapy but he continues to have problems with balance. Cowboy will be assisting him in his day-to-day mobility functions and will assist in retrieving objects for Ames.

NEADS opened its first Prison PUP Partnership in December, 1998 at North Central Correctional Center in Gardner, MA and now have fourteen additional prison programs. Many of the dogs at NEADS are trained by inmates. Cowboy was one of the dogs that received his training in the prison program. It is a special way for an inmate to repay society and is a rewarding accomplishment for the inmate. Ames realized the bond of love that is created between a dog and his human handler so he took Cowboy to visit the inmate who loved and trained him.

ACV has already flown another wounded warrior to NEADS in May to be matched with a canine companion. We are acutely aware of the tremendous benefit service dogs provide many wounded warriors who suffer from combat disabilities. The dogs also provide comfort, companionship and emotional healing.

ACV has now formed a new program called Air Compassion for Canines to help draw attention to this need and to provide free air transportation to qualified injured veterans for canine matching and training.