New Title, Same Mission & some rants

Here is a link to a great link for Iris and hopefully the VetDog Programs Awareness.  Torklift Hero Program


As the summer months finally take hold and heat up it is good to remember that we are not alone out there.  Having just weathered our first hurricane of the season I hope it is not a sign of the season to come.  The storm itself was not bad at all for this area but the turmoil of the timing and earliness in the season just seemed to get everyone around us into a state.


There was a lot of noise about fireworks this year, I normally do not sound off on feelings about issues like this but for some reason this year I feel the need to.  I personally do not care for fireworks, that does not mean that I want to ban them and hope that everyone would stop firing them off because I don't care for them.  When my kids were younger I even made a big deal out of taking them to the biggest shows we could find because they deserve to enjoy the pastime of the 4th of July's we all grew up enjoying.  My dislike for them is personal and therefore I deal with it on a personal level.  As an animal lover & a service dog user I see first hand the way many animals react to fireworks also.  I would ask that each and everyone of us out there take special care of our 4 legged friends out there during the times we Americans celebrate our freedoms.

Enough of the soap box.

There are so many opportunities to serve our fellows coming up in the next few months.  Personally I find Iris and myself getting more involved with the American Legion here in Eastern CT.  Post 111 in Woodstock to be exact.  This small post which resides in a historical one room school house off the green near the fairgrounds is a great little post.  We are looking to grow the post with new members so if you want to learn more about us come visit us on the 3rd Wed of every month for our meeting.

This weekend coming the Ct State Department American Legion Convention will be going on.  I have volunteered to help where I can with the States Website.  Web Design is not my specialty that is for sure but having a warm body willing to do work is better sometimes then having people that are great at what they do with no desire to do it.  There is also a Post 111 FaceBook page please go check it out and like it.  

For those of you that have followed this blog for a while you probably noticed I have a title for the page.  It may not be the final name but I am working on making a change and growing things a bit here.  Up until now I have been without any guidance or knowledge as to what I am doing here.  Sort of one of those blind man walking in the middle of a black out, not even a blind leading the blind scenario.  I have run into a few people now that have offered to help guide me so hopefully the quality of the blog will get better soon.

So whats coming next for the dog days of summer.  Well the CT Dept Convention
is this weekend coming. 10-13 July.  Then Both my Children have Birthdays this month of July.  July 26th New Hampshire Strongmen and Women will be gathering to compete in the Granite State Championships which many of you might ask "why am I mentioning" well not only is my son Dan competing but this group not only has huge muscles but big hearts.  They have adopted America's VetDogs as one of their Charities so Iris & I will be there to cheer Dan and the rest of them on in there quest to move mountains and hearts.

Last but not least in the summer months I can tell you that I hope to get lots and lots of camping in. As many days at the beaches and forests as possible.  I am still on for the trip down to Charlotte, NC for the National American Legion Convention also.

Racking up the miles!

Here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog.

The past couple weeks have been great times for Iris and I.  We have had some camping and some education along with a lot of spreading the word about service dogs and what a life changer they can be.  Not only that but we have been able to pass on how important getting out there to raise funds for raising these wonderful animals is also.

When I last posted the Blog we had visited the Mass state park Horse Neck Beach.  What a great spot to camp at.  To bad it is so popular but when there are spots open over there you can expect to find Jen and I.  Since then Iris and I have completed CT's American Legion College where the current leaders help train and teach newer legion members to take on leadership roles.  It was an eye opener for me and I was also very pleased to find out that they are very open to finding ways to help with service dogs for veterans also.  I am definitely looking forward to the State and National conventions coming up soon.  In the meantime I look forward to starting up a Facebook Page for my Legion Post (Coming very soon) and helping bring the states website back from what has been described as a terrible state of disrepair. Anyone out there interested in helping with some web design project stuff let me know.

With barely a moment to blink Iris and I left the Legion College and drove down to one of our nations oldest and proudest colleges ever produced.  West Point, The U.S. Army Military Academy where we were able to work with the Warrior Transition Command and many active and Veterans with varied disabilities training to compete in a number of adaptive sports.  Many of these men and women had never given a thought about having a service dog so being able to meet and greet with them letting them see Iris at work was a very positive experience. The time spent there meeting with the command also along with the permanent party at West Point was a great time.  We camped up at the MWR Campsite above the post proper enjoying the quiet of a cell free area.   

I did have some free time to get a few neat pictures one foggy morning that I have shared here in the blog. Enjoy!  I enjoyed the history associated with the post and look forward to the next time I can go visit and see more. 




Upon leaving West Point we traveled through the Catskills up to Syracuse NY to spend a few days with the NY State VFW Convention.  This is the second year that Iris and I have been asked to speak to them and this year it was great.  The State of NY VFW has adopted Iris as one of their own along with me, adding me to their roles of a member of their VFW. 

Both the VFW and the Women's Aux have adopted VetDogs as one of their projects to support again this year and I can not thank them enough for this support.  Hopefully statewide that support will continue to grow and more and more dogs will be able to be brought into the program to help future veterans in need.  Continued support from our nations VSO's is a great way to show the civilians of this nation that we support our own but really need everyones support.

Tomorrow morning I will leave to head down to Smithtown where the history channel will be filming a show about saving our heroes.  My understanding is they want to see the service dogs working so Iris gets to be a star again.  She is such a ham oh wait should I say dog?



 I want to thank everyone for all the support they give please take a moment go check out the http://kent.VetDogs.org  page let all your friends and family know about it.  We are already over 10k would love to hit 20k by the end of the summer but I need your help.

Also if you want to help with gas feel free to check out some of my pictures at http://photo.kphyfe.com that is how I pay for most of my travels with the Legion, VFW or DAV events I do personally.  I would also like to point out I am getting more active with both the local Legion and VFW to increase membership because we need those members and numbers to be counted to have a solid presence in DC.  The VSO's do so much in helping to keep our veteran and disabled benefits strong. Even if your not willing to take a leadership role please join and be counted stand tall with your brothers and sisters showing your unity.







 Thank you

Busy time of year

As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog.

As the summer months begin so to the summer convention and conferences begin.  This is the time that we get an opportunity to get in front of larger groups to show first hand how service dogs change lives.  The coming weeks will have me traveling the road more then ever which is exactly why I wanted to get the RV decked out and ready for everything.  It is hard for some people to understand how nice it is to be able to use my own bed every evening while traveling and to be able to relax and see the country while enroute to meet these amazing people.  All I can say is that by not having to fly or deal with the daily grind of hotel security I am so much more relaxed and at peace.  Not only that I get to meet so many more people and introduce them to Iris and explain how she has changed my life.

A birdy told me that over the next few weeks I would be traveling to 4 or 5 events.  These events will have me cruising throughout New England and Western New York.  I personally am very much looking forward to Getting more involved with the leadership here in CT's American Legion this weekend.  Right after that is done I have an opportunity of a lifetime.  I have been invited to go down and be a part of the Warrior Trials taking place at West Point, NY.  This event invites disabled soldiers from all over the country to compete in all sorts of athletic events. 

I am looking forward to being there to not only spread the word to potential applicants for service dogs but also just be a part of such a great time where our nation is coming together applauding these hero's for all they do not focusing on what they can no longer do.  Life is about moving forward and this event is surely a stage to prove that nothing can hold someone down if they don't focus on the negatives that have been handed to them.

From there I will be trekking northwest to Syracuse for the NY State VFW convention, where I will be able to part-take again in a group that focuses on healing and moving forward. I had the pleasure of working with this group last year and their commitment to helping their fellow brothers is second to none and I am proud to be invited to be a part of their group.

After 8 days on the road I will head back home for some much needed time with the family. There will be a few day trips through the month of June as VetDogs places their first Puppies into the Prisons in Central CT, Yippie!!! This has been a longtime coming but is finally coming to fruition and we are all so excited.

As of now, the 4th of July plans are in limbo but I am sure as always things will come up and fill in as they are supposed to.  It never fails that I am placed in the right place at the right time to do what is needed.  They joy of being a messenger is I do not have to make the plans I just have to be willing to go when called.



So on a happy note our Son Dan, Graduated from College a few weeks ago and is moving on with his life.  He plans on getting married to an amazing young lady in 2015. More to come on that as the time draws near.  

Until then Jen and I have found another great beach camping site called Horseneck Beach State campground, we hope to visit there often and we are planning a few trips to New Hampshire also this summer for some mountain camping. 


As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog.

May Showers

As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog.

As the month of May flies by it is time hard to keep up with everything that is going on.  Hopefully everyone had a chance to visit the last blog entry to see the great time we had in Annapolis, MD with the 5k.  The totals from the event have not been released as of yet as far as I know but the estimated numbers I heard put the amounts raised in the 50-55k range.  That is just amazing if you ask me.  I can not say thank you to every single person out there that has help in any way with this and any other event.  Every dollar raised helps a veteran get one step closer to a service dog. 

For those that don't know the difference a service dog makes in the lives of our nations veterans please take a few moments to read my thank you to America's VetDogs for my service dog.  I will post it at the end of this update in hopes that you will get a better understanding of why it seems I so committed to helping VetDogs with moving forward with their mission on a daily basis.  I know it seems I am constantly fishing for fundraising for them (yes I know I spent a few days at the beach and took some fishing pictures so I had to find a way to word them into the blog ;). 

As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog.

So what else has been going on?  There was a North East Truck Camper Rally in Mystic Ct.  A great time was had by all.  Many new friends were met and of course Iris stole the show.  It is amazing how many veterans live the Truck Camper lifestyle.  I could not stay the entire time there because my future daughter in-law or as I like to say it in-love, graduated from WSU on Sat morning.  Many Congratulations go out to Laura for a job well done and good luck in you search for a teaching job.

In my search to stay active and busy I have changed my post with the American Legion to Post 111 in Woodstock Ct. and have signed up to attend the CT legion college so that I can learn more about the comings and goings of how the leadership works inside the legion.  It is time for me to take a more active role in the community and the Legion is a great avenue for me to be able to do that.  

With Memorial Day coming this weekend I hope that everyone remembers the reason they are given the time off from work.  Take some time and remember those hero's that gave their all so that we could live freely and speak what we feel.   

Ok now for the thank you letter I wrote to America's VetDogs.  If this touches your heart please remember that my words are but one persons and that there are many who can not find the words or the way to pull themselves out of the despair they are living in.  We as a nation need to do more then just pay lip service to the lost veterans who are not just failing to do well by themselves but are taking their lives at an unacceptable rate of 33 suicides a day.  You may not have much to give but a pebble makes a ripple and that ripple makes a difference.  Find a way to make a difference. 

How America’s VetDogs changed my life? How can one put into words something that mere words cannot express? When I medically retired from the Army I felt the pain of rejection and failure because I could no longer do what I was trained to do. It was because of that same training though that I found a way to go forward.

A few years after my retirement, this nation was brutally attacked and all I could do was watch from the sidelines. This was the trigger that caused something to snap in my head and started me crawling into the hole that would become so dark I would almost lose everyone that ever cared for me. The feeling of failure and deep depression welled up inside of me knowing all those years I stood proudly in the Army, serving with many of the same soldiers that would now go and fight for our Country yet again while I was forced to watch, totally useless. Having been the sharp edge of the sword as one of the best of the best, Airborne Infantry Ranger, then Special Forces, only to find that I could no longer do my job because I was physically unable was almost too much to bear. The anger of the past along with the continued progression of my malady continued to eat away at my self worth.

By the time my doctors recommended that I look into getting a service dog I was toying with the open end of my 45 everyday. I felt like a prisoner in my home, unable to function, needing someone to watch me like I was a baby, I could not leave without an escort. The loss of my driver’s license because of seizures had such an impact that I gained weight and lost interest in everything.

When I showed up at the America’s VetDogs campus I was terrified . This dog I was about to meet could change my life. I had seen other brothers that had found something that allowed them to go forward and now I was going to meet my pup, my hope of moving forward.

Iris, a small dog by all accounts, a 60 pound black lab mix with brown eyes, looked up at me and my fear disappeared. She proceeded to get sick, allowing me the opportunity to take care of her, and our bond was formed. Five days later, Iris would wake me for the first time to stop a seizure. Since that time she continues to alert me of health issues, calls the ambulance, has brought my family back together, stopped me from becoming a statistic, and has helped me have a goal in life again.

Iris not only helps with the physical issues that I have, she has helped with everything I come in contact with. Her being with me everywhere I go opens conversations that I would have never have engaged in before her. My PTSD has been held in check, but when it does rear its ugly head she is right there either pulling me to a safe place or crawling into my lap to pull me back to the present. When I have nightmares, she wakes me up and for some reason I never come up swinging like I do with people. We are truly a team that is there for each other, no questions, just like being in a foxhole.

I am 100% disabled and not allowed to work which allows me to dedicate my time to finding ways to raise awareness and money so that other veterans who need service dogs will be able to experience the joys I have. Recently I purchased a camper that I am getting wrapped with a personal campaign to raise awareness everywhere Iris and I go. Our bucket list is to give back tenfold and it still will not be enough to repay what has been gifted to me.

All of this and so much more has happened because of this little rescue out of Georgia who has become my rescuer. The gift of living was given back to me. I still have all the medical issues but I no longer want to die, I want to live and be part of this world. There is no way to really say thank you to America’s VetDogs for all they have done for me other than live the life they have given me back.

 Thank you all for reading my blog and I am sorry I was a bit more long winded today but with Memorial Day Weekend upon us it is imperative that we take the time to do whatever we can to help our living veterans.

 As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog.

Major miles and The Annual 5K in Annapolis, MD

As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog.

This has been a very busy period of time for Iris and I, it seems like we have been running all over the place since the last time I updated the blog.  In reality only a week has past since my last update.  The Vetdogs 5K was a complete Success in Annapolis and everyone involved appeared to have a great time.   I do not know what the final numbers were as far as amounts raised for future service dogs for other disabled veterans but I do know that more people are aware of the need to have programs like this.

So many volunteers got involved in setting things up this year that the course was setup on Sat along with the building that was used as central base for all the registration and product sales.  So many thanks go out to Lisa seen here by the Flag for all the help she puts in every year to make this event happen.  

This years guest speaker was a local area veteran with a guide/service dog from VetDogs.  Yes that is right I said a Guide/Service dog, you see America's VetDogs is part of the Guidedog Foundation which allows it to be in a unique position to help our nations veterans in so many ways.  Back after WWII there was a need for Guide Dogs to help out our nations service members that were suffering from blindness from the war.  The Guide Dog Foundation was formed and has been around since then.  America's VetDogs was formed because the need for a different type of helper dog was needed.  The Service Dog program was put together and certified to allow our Veterans with needs other then blindness to be helped.

Brian, is one of those special Hero's that actually falls into both categories, his injuries caused him to be legally blind requiring his dog to be a Guide dog but he has a TBI and PTSD issues so his dog is also trained for seizure and nightmare interruption.  VetDogs is one of the only organizations that has the Dual accreditation to be able to do this kind of training.  Many people out there do not realize the great work this organization does to fill the needs of our veterans.

One of the other things that many people don't realize is that ADI requires recertification of all service dogs and the user.  The team is graded on the ability to work in the public and is not just graduated out into the community and forgotten about.  Iris and I were re-certified this past weekend while we did the trip to Smithtown and then to MD.  VetDogs has upped the reward for re-certifying by giving new gear to the team once they pass the ADI requirements.  As you can see with the picture of Iris and I on the finish line she looks great sporting her new vest.

 I have included many other pictures here of the 5K.


 As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog.

Iris leads the way!

The Wrap is Done!!!!!

We are so happy, it was a longtime coming and a lot of changes before it actually happened but it was worth it in the end.  I hope that everyone else likes it as much as I do.  Even more importantly I hope it gets the questions asked and people involved in helping other Veterans.  I already have had a number of people ask questions about it and make comments about it on the short trip up to the Cape this weekend.

So now that the wrap is done what is next you ask?  Well if you have read the past blogs you will have read that I am looking for a small enclosed 4 or 5x6 single axle trailer so that I can carry tables tents and chairs to be able to set up booths and stuff when I do informational shows.  I would like to get that wrapped also.  32 Signs is on Board to help with that also so all we have to do is find the trailer.

Some of you that have been following also know that I have been on the BOD (Board of Directors) of a Non Profit called VETS which is a Montana based 501c3 that is going to be a ranch designed to accept Veterans and other civil servants that are suffering from PTSD and TBI issues to come and spend time on a working ranch while receiving all the care needed to get back into the community.  That program over the past few weeks has made huge leaps in moving forward.  More information on that will be coming soon.

This is exciting stuff and will really put the word "Mission" to full use.  So if anyone is looking for a great way to help stem that current 33 veterans a day committing suicide this could be a huge focal point.  Please keep it in your prayers.

Yes I have been spending a lot of time at the doctors and will probably have a few more weeks where I have to do the same.  All I can say is not to worry it is not a big deal just my normal everyday type stuff going on and not worth focusing on at all.  We just have to keep moving on through it all and focus on the price which is to live a full and great life.  I thank everyone for their continued support.

This coming week we will be out on Long Island then down in Maryland for the VetDogs 5k Fundraiser.  It is not to late to get involved in that either as a sponsor of a runner or a sponsor of Vetdogs straight out.  I thank everyone for all the support through all the support on my page we are moving toward the goal of 20k and I hope to have to push it to the 30k mark before mid summer if all goes well. The link for that is http://kent.VetDogs.org

God bless and have a wonderful Easter.

Wrap up day

This is the wrap for the nose of the camper.  The camper was going down to 32 signs today and was to be done by Wed or Thursday this week.  That is now on hold for a bit while they finish up a rush order, the joy of being a discount job and a charity case.  To say that I am excited to officially unveil this is an understatement.  It seems that we have been talking about this project forever in one form or another so to be getting something done is amazing.  Many thank you's go out to Maggie Starr  for doing the artwork for the wrap she did an amazing job. It will be done soon just not sure exactly when yet.  Hopefully before the 5K in Annapolis the end of the month.

This week Iris & I will be up at the American Heroes Hockey Challenge this event should be a great time for all who come out.  I know we've been waiting to get the Warriors up to the Northeast for sometime now.  Hope to see a bunch of people out there to support both the olympians and our nations warriors.

As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog 

Friday - Iris and I will be down at the Charlestown Breachway for the opening weekend of the campground.  Rumor has it that the shipwreck is showing during low tides so come on down and visit.  I am looking forward to just having a relaxing time after a long winter away from the beach and ocean. With the new camera to replace the stolen one I am hoping that I can get some mojo and capture some great shots.  I know I am looking forward to working at it at least.

For those that do not follow me on FaceBook, the newest plan to help with the travel and speaking on Veteran issues that I do has started to take shape.  I am looking for a used working condition covered 4x6 single axle trailer for a deal. I can not afford a new one at this moment. I am thinking of using it to carry the show on the road. Someplace to put the chairs tables generator and spare extras along with the canopies. Figure I can get this wrapped next to go with the wrap on the nose of the camper being done this week. So if anyone see's a deal out there please let me know.  The picture here is an idea of what I am thinking about.

For those Truck Camper folk out there, a bunch of TC's will be circling the wagons so to speak out on the good ole Cape Cod.  It's not to late to grab a reservation at the Scusset Beach State Reservation I am in Site 30 for Fri and Sat night.  Should be a lot of fun meeting new people and I already know that a bunch have become supporters of America's VetDogs and other Veteran issues.  Actually seems the camping community as a whole has a large number of veterans in it.

Thank you all for following our travels.  Please feel free to suggest ideas or ways to help get the word out to our veterans out there that are struggling before it is to late.   As always if you would like to have Iris and I come out to an event in your area let us know and we will try to make it happen.

As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog 

Spring Boarding into April Showers

That has to be one of the worse titles anyone could possibly come up with but hey, I am just another bozzo on this here bus.  Spring is here and I feel like I have bounced around New England on a whirlwind run.  I have been in every New England State at least once over the past 2 weeks.  Most (that would be minus Vermont) I have been in and through at least 2 or three times.

The good news is that I can slow the speedometer down and rest the rubber and road a bit to focus on some very important topics and events coming up soon.  Yes why not keep the bad puns flowing by Annapolis Annual 5K.  Hard to believe it's been a year already since we were down there last.  It surely doesn't seem warm enough yet.  Last year this Fundraiser was able to raise over $65,000 but rumor (and I know it has to be a rumor because people would never let a chance to help VetDogs go by without supporting them) that donations are coming in much slower then previous years.

So it's time to get out and get involved.  I know not everyone is able to put their time into getting involved in whatever way you can.  Here is a little snippet from one of the very active people working on getting this event running.

Okay! All the virtual teams have to do is register on the www.5k.vetdogs.org page and choose the "virtual participation" option. They will get a t-shirt mailed to their homes. They can form teams - there is a group of women in Georgia called the "Strong Stroller Moms" who walk together with their kids every day - they have registered. And they can raise money just like anyone else.

There are so many groups out there that I can think of that I know would make great teams now is the time to get them going.  If you have any questions feel free to give me a call I will do what I can to help get you moving in the right direction.  Of course if a single donation is more your speed I recommend going to Lisa's 5K team and making a donation through there.  I know that all the money goes to the same place but when there are volunteers out there that put their time and effort into making an event into a success I personally love to see that event over achieve.  So please pass the word jump on the bandwagon and let's help this fundraiser be one of the most successful run.  OK last bad pun!

 As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog 

Next topic that needs to be addressed is a small issue but one that has been going on for a longtime.  The camper wrap, this project has had it turns and was almost done with the first camper then came to a halt when my body gave out required me to change vehicles.  I now have the "dream machine" and have tweaked the plans from the full wrap to a less in your face version because of cost and size.  The new design is going to be much more affordable and hopefully easier to get done.  I have an email off to the sign company as of yesterday but if anyone out there knows someone that is willing to do a partial wrap for less please contact me ASAP!

As you can tell by the Artist rendition here I am actually leaving room for some sponsor info if I have to go that route.  At this point I am willing to look at almost any possibility to get it done as quick as I can.  The keys I want to make sure I have up on the camper will be the Kent.VetDogs.org Link which by the way is now over 10k without having ever been on the camper!  I also will have a link to this blog along with the VetDogs Logo for obvious reasons.  I will be leaving the Information about the Truck Camper Warehouse because of everything they have done for me in getting this camper going and everything they continue to do. These guys are great and I can not say enough about their commitment to helping our nations Veterans. 

 As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog 

Some quick house Keeping issues for Veterans with Service Dogs, it is that time of year to have your dog checked for vision issues.  It is a free service that has been done yearly the past few years and is happening again this year.  Check out www.ACVOeyeexam.org for more information.  It is a time sensitive program so hurry up don't put this one on the back burner.

For those Veterans using the VA who are classified as 100% and fall into the category of not completely informed (all of us) I ran into a person this past weekend who told me about a program I knew nothing about.  I do not see a fit for me but for those that do qualify or need a special van please check this out.  http://americanwheelchairvansociety.org Contact rayg@vantagemobility.com for more information on how to take advantage of some of the hidden VA benefits.

Almost made it through the season, but alas the blasted FLU hit

Let's start off this week by saying that this winter has been taxing in many ways and it finally caught up to me. With great intentions I was able to unleash the new camper from it's wintery mooring with great intentions of heading North to the great state of Maine.  Once the camper was released and the sun was in perfect form for about the first time this year I jumped in the truck and hustled down to Watch Hill RI to capture the first of my winter sunset lighthouse pictures.

My goal is to capture as many coastal New England lights as I can before the spring blooms and tourist start to take over the landscape.  Here you can see that the lights without people crawling all around them really do have their own personality's.  Yes that was the last blog entry so enough with that for now.

I look forward to getting north over the next few weeks and grabbing some hopefully good shots to share.  While traveling I hope to spread the word to other Veterans that may need help in understanding the VA System and also what rights they have.  Who knows maybe I can point someone in the right direction to get an amazing pup like Iris even.


 As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog 


Some of the pictures that you see here obviously could not have been taken by me, a friend took them for me so if you have a chance to visit her site and check out her work she has some great nature shots.  One of the hardest things for a photographer is to get pictures doing what I do.  So Check out Maggies work at mstarr.zenfolio.com

Tomorrow the 14th I get to head west to Enfield CT to speak to the staff and everyone involved in the prison pup program fro the state of CT.  It is finally happening, they will be training VetDogs in CT very soon.  This program is amazing and changes the lives of so many people.  We have all seen first hand the change in me personally but I have been blessed with being a part of the programs in some of the MA prison systems.  Speaking to both inmates and staff you would be amazed at the changes these dogs invoke on people. I am so grateful that I am allowed to be a part of this program here in CT.

This means that in the very near future there will be puppy's that will need weekend homes to be loved and socialized in.  Stay tuned here on this blog or call and write VetDogs to ask what you can do to help make this program a success.  Not only will you help inmates find ways to find their way back into this society but let them have a first hand up in helping our nations hero's.

Here is the contact info for VetDogs:

Phone	(631) 930-9000
Email	info@vetdogs.org
Website	http://www.vetdogs.org

  As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog 

Spring is coming so time to head north before everyone else needs to cool off!

Crazy me never, well maybe a little but isn't that what makes me, me?

As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog 

So when I woke up this morning and the temperature was a balmy 2 degrees outside and the weather dude was saying that we may get another foot of snow between Sunday and Monday the first thing that crossed my mind was to plan a trip to Maine.  I guess that means that I am truly a New Englander at heart or absolutely insane or both maybe.

Whatever the case happens to be it only made sense to me to go to a place that my heart has always loved and that is the coast of Maine.  In my mind everyone has seen the rocky coastal pictures of the lighthouses in summer with the blue sky's but how often do we see those same lights that worked year round when the weather is still less then perfect for vacations?  Being a broken sole myself put out to dry so to speak I figured some of these retired lighthouses should be shown in there glory times which in my minds eye is when the weathers less then appealing.

So I contacted the West Quoddy Head Light House info contact person this morning and I guess ME. is similar to here when it is winter people spend more time on the computer then out playing ball.  By the time I came back from morning coffee with the guys I had a response.  (I'll get back to the response) but for now why West Quoddy you ask, well here is a blurp from their web page. "Established in 1808, West Quoddy Lighthouse is noteworthy in several ways. Despite its name, it is the easternmost beacon in the United States, one of only two U.S. lighthouses with red-and-white bands, and one of the first stations to be equipped with a fog bell and, later, a steam whistle. A reliable fog signal was deemed more essential in this area than a light since fog shrouded the coast for roughly half the time during the summer months. When ships approached the bay in foggy conditions, they would fire a signal gun to prompt the keeper to start tolling the fog bell. This arrangement continued until an adequate mechanical ringer for the bell was installed."  Pretty cool if you ask me and oh yea I went there as a kid and loved it.

So back to the response.  They have a great spot for me to park and no problem with me camping so I can hopefully get that classic morning sunrise shot I am looking for.  Not only that but they also informed me of a local VFW that was not far from them I could contact to help spread the word about Service Dogs and Veterans recovering back into the community.

So Here I go I have yet to set the date but soon I hope.  Like I said I want to beat the rush of people trying to cool off from the New England heat waves.  If anyone knows of other lighthouses or VSO's in ME. that I can contact during this photo trip I would greatly appreciate the tips.  Also any special request while I am traveling just let me know and I will ask Iris and see if she will let me deviate from our tight schedule and make it happen. ;)

For a few updates now.  The Classic Car Cruise group that had Iris my wife and I go on the trip through the Caribbean did raise enough money to name a future service dog at America's VetDogs.  They are now having a naming contest so stay tuned for that I will post here once I know what the final name is.  I also hope to be able to go to the final graduation of that dog and future Veterans pairing at some point down the road.  Of course you will have to stay committed to reading the blog and such because once the puppy is named he/she will go to a lucky puppy raiser for the first yr or so then on to training for the next 8-12 months before being paired with a veteran. I promise to get pictures along the way from the friendly folks at VetDogs and the Classic Car Cruise so that you all will be able to see the great things happening.

It was such a great cruise that Jen and I have broke the bank and decided that we would put a down payment for next years cruise already.  There is very few things that can get me out of my camper and into someones vacation spot but a cruse with this group was just the ticket.  Great people and I have not figured out how to get my truck camper to travel on the water yet (no ferry's) so come join us next year if you want and support America's VetDogs at the same time. Cruise Link 

Over the next few weeks I will be taking pictures for a veteran friend who has a great service dog and is getting married.  It is always such an honor to be able to give the gift of memories to someone that has lost so much supporting others.  He like me has a TBI except his has kept him in a chair.  That chair has not slowed him down at all though.  So I thank Ski for allowing me to be a part of his special day and look forward to giving him something to remember.  For others vets out there if you have special needs like that let me know I can not fulfill everything but when I can I am honored to.  Just ask...

Have a great week stay safe.

As always here is the info on the fundraising page for VetDogs Attention: I have a Personal Fundraising Page for VetDogs Now! Please follow this link and make a donation to help another veteran like me get a service dog