Shanna and Davis' Story

Placement | July 2019

Veteran Shanna and Davis were successfully placed together as a Service Dog Team in July of 2019.

Shanna's Story

I followed in my father's footsteps and joined the United States Air Force in 1990.  My first deployment was in 1992 as part of a Joint Special Operations Group operating out of Little Creek, Norfolk Virginia.  Later that same year I deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch to the 4404th Operations Group, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.   It was during that time I was taken during a trip off post and held as a detainee by the mutawa for 18 hours.   It was a traumatic event, but after my release I completed my tour and later returned to my regular duty station at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.  

I joined the 192nd Air Guard Unit out of Richmond, Virginia and served in Base Ops and Wing Plans Division.  During that time I went to work (week day job) at the Joint Training, Analysis and Simulation Center for the Warfighter, Suffolk, Virginia.  

In 2000, I relocated to Scott AFB to be part of a development effort for the Global Command and Control Systems.  On 9/11 I was escorted to Scott AFB by State Troopers to assist in coordination of aircraft accountability during the terrorist attacks. After that day I spent the next several years as an analysts to stand up a stronger infrastructure to support anti-terrorism at locations around the world.

In 2002, I had my greatest accomplishment and became a mom of twin daughters!     

In 2004, I went to work for the Joint Staff as a Command & Control Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Subject Expert.   I then deployed over 80% of those years to locations primarily  in the PACOM and CENTCOM theatres/areas of responsibility (AOR).   By 2009, I had completed my 36th Deployment; to include support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom amping other Operations.   I had began suffering from severe depression and anxiety and had symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury from various traumas experienced over the past years.    I took an early buyout of my Civilian position as an Insource GS15 as part of a Reduction of Force.     

In 2011, I had been unable to transition to complete civilian life.  I went back to work for the DoD, first as a Data Architect and then again, back to work with C4ISR.   Now instead of deployments to the front lines, I worked in an Operations Center and sat at a desk monitoring UAV Surveillance and Operations in theatre.   Things really started to fall apart after two years of that.  I tried working in a few other positions, but by 2015 I had to start seeing a counselor at the VA.   I was determined to be unemployable by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2016 due to severe PTSD, depression and symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury.  

I have been in cognitive therapy for several years now.   I had stopped all socialization outside my home.   I experience night terrors, rage and severe migraine headaches with mini pall seizures.   My speech is somewhat affected and my executive function is low.   Davis was placed as a service dog with me in July of 2019.  He has already been a tremendous help calming me after being triggered, helping me remember medications and getting out into the public more.  He has given me more confidence so that I no longer feel the need to clear my home or sit with all the window blinds closed, for example.   He even wakes me up when I have night terrors.  He brings a smile to my heart each time I look at him and he has an infectious effect on people everywhere he goes.  I still keep to smaller crowds, but it has forced me to be social again.  My journey is just beginning, but I am so very thankful to have Davis by my side. 

Davis' Journey