An Ulti-mutt Partnership
SteelCloud Paw-tners with VMF to Give Veterans a New “Leash” On Life
De’Angelo is a veteran with PTSD. When he has night terrors, his buddy Jug turns on the light and comforts him. If De’Angelo needs medication, Jug will get it for him. Since De’Angelo met Jug, De’Angelo went from needing 11 medications a day to just two. Medicine has healed De’Angelo’s body. Jug is healing his spirit.
Jug is a service dog trained by Veterans Moving Forward (VMF) and provided to De’Angelo for free. Their stories of how dogs have transformed the lives of mentally and physically disabled veterans inspired SteelCloud to sponsor a pup for a veteran in need. This two-year commitment funds everything it takes to turn a puppy into a well-trained, specialized service companion and give a veteran a new “leash” on life.
Dogs to the rescue!
Each year, 8,000 veterans take their own lives—that’s approximately 22 each day. Between 2000 and 2018, 283,947 veterans suffered traumatic brain injuries. The statistics could not be more heartbreaking. VMF’s service dogs ease the lives of veterans by monitoring medical conditions, fetching medications, reducing anxiety, as well as helping them overcome physical challenges like mobility and balance.
Training begins when a pup is just eight weeks old and is tailored to specific needs. The dog is ready for service at 18 months to two years of age. While most are service dogs like Jug, VMF also provides training for therapy, emotional support and companion dogs for veterans. Each dog is named after a veteran. Once SteelCloud’s puppy is chosen and gets a name, we look forward to sharing the training journey with you on our social media channels.
A project with a purpose.
Serving the DoD and the DIB with cybersecurity compliance automation, we know a lot of veterans. In fact, we ARE a lot of veterans, having a number on our staff. This is more than just a charitable donation: It is a way to give back and support those who have served us for years. Our nation owes a great debt to our veterans, and we can’t imagine a worthier cause than helping them get their lives back after putting everything on the line for us.
“Together, SteelCloud and Veterans Moving Forward provide for those who serve our country with much needed relief at a critical time,” says Tony Caputo, CEO for SteelCloud. “I have four rescue dogs of my own and I’m also the son of a Vietnam Veteran, so of all the things SteelCloud does for the community and our service members, this is going to be my favorite.”
If you’d like to meet some of VMF’s canine heroes, stop by our booth at TechNet Cyber in May. We will have leashes and canine kisses on hand for everyone who visits.
