SteelCloud’s Veterans Moving Forward Service Dog is Named After a WWII Hero
VMF Partnership Update: Naming SteelCloud’s Veteran Service Dog
Early in 2023, SteelCloud “embarked” on an exciting new service project. In partnership with Veterans Moving Forward, we are giving a new leash on life to veterans in need. VMF trains and provides service dogs to veterans free of charge. SteelCloud is sponsoring the two-year journey of one of these dogs as it moves from puppyhood to a highly trained service animal that monitors medical conditions, fetches medications, reduces anxiety, helps with mobility issues and, ultimately, offers companionship to a veteran in need.
Each day, 22 veterans take their own lives, in part because injury, trauma and PTSD take an overwhelming toll. These service dogs not only make life more manageable for veterans, they also save lives. We can’t imagine a more important mission.
One of the privileges of sponsoring a dog is that we get to name them. All VMF service dogs are named after veterans. So SteelCloud researched countless veterans and their accomplishments to find the perfect namesake for our tiny, black lab puppy to emulate.
Introducing Stan.
We named our VMF service dog “SteelCloud Stan” after Stanley Friday, an Army Scout in the 80th Infantry Division during World War II who, on several occasions, engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the Germans. On D-Day, Friday went out ahead of the rest to scope out danger and witnessed two Nazi concentration camps before they were liberated. He earned more than 30 medals during his service, including four Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart.
Friday fought all through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, and Austria. His mission was to scout ahead of the rest of his division, locating enemy troops, obstacles and determining enemy strength. He received the Bronze star, Medal of Honor and Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest award for merit from French President Macron at the Omaha Beach Ceremony on June 6, 2019. Stan Friday celebrated his 101st birthday in July 2023 (and word has it he’s spry and still drives!)
Stan the man. Stan the plan. And Stan the fan.
To serve his country, Stan Friday did the dangerous work to keep his troops safe. Everywhere you find freedom, it’s heroes like Stan that got us there—ordinary people doing extraordinary things, not for fame of fortune, but for love of country. We are so proud to be continuing his legacy by sponsoring SteelCloud Stan who, after training, will scout out danger for another veteran in need.
But there’s another reason Stan is the perfect name for our service dog—SteelCloud’s bot-like mascot that we use in our social posts and on our website is named Stan the STIG Man. They may not look alike, but our bot fearlessly scouts for cybersecurity issues that could put our nation at risk.
Finally, and this is just a happy coincidence, but the word “stan” has been coined to mean you are a fan or enthusiast of something. Example: “I stan freedom and the USA.” SteelCloud stans Stan Friday, SteelCloud Stan, and Stan the STIG Man!
Honoring the legacy of Stan Friday.
You can see the intelligence and determination in SteelCloud Stan’s eyes. We are so proud to have him as part of our SteelCloud family and to keep the legacy of Stan Friday alive among a new generation of heroes. Stan Friday once said, “Don’t forget what we did for freedom. We had a purpose to fight. We went to war to be free and we did our job,” he said. “My message is to not let it be forgotten.”
From our mission to our partnership with VMF to the bottom of our hearts, Stan, SteelCloud will never forget.
Featured Resources
