Kearney resident David Crenshaw, a retired U.S. Army master sergeant, explains how "Doc," a service dog provided by the non-profit K9s for Warriors has helped him with his PTSD. New Jersey Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex County) has introduced legislation that would require employees of any public place in New Jersey to undergo specific training on how to treat people with disabilities and their service animals.
By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist
By David Crenshaw and Rory Diamond
New Jersey Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex County) has introduced legislation that would require employees of any public place in the state to undergo specific training on how to treat people with disabilities and their service animals.
This bill couldn't be passed fast enough for people like David Crenshaw, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder 11 years after returning from his deployment to the Middle East.
"During that time, I worked in several high-stress roles — as a firefighter, uniformed police officer, and as a narcotics detective for a prosecutor's office. As my detective role became more intense and dangerous, my mother was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. This was also the time when my first external symptoms began to manifest to the point where I sought treatment at the Veterans Administration and my PTSD was diagnosed."
"I felt helpless and vulnerable, even with my wife and three daughters. The anxiety and paranoia made me want to be alone and isolated. Every situation felt like a matter of life and death."
"My Doc saved my life. He checks in on me countless times throughout the day. Morning, noon, and night, 24/7, he is there to care for me. But my 'Doc' isn't your typical medical professional.
In fact, he isn't a medical professional at all. He is a dog — a 4-year-old springer/Labrador mix rescued from a shelter and specially trained by K9s For Warriors as a certified Service Dog. He lives with my family and me at our home in Kearny. In the few years that we've been a team, Doc has changed my life. With more traditional interventions, I've gone from just getting by to being fully present for my family."
Nevertheless, many veterans with PTSD and other life-altering psychological scars of war struggle to be fully present; they are too often marginalized and forgotten. They may be honored for their service and sacrifices on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but on the other 363 days of the year, they are just other people in a mall, restaurant, or borough hall, albeit with a dog.
Far too often, they are resented for having their dog with them, both by employees and other customers. The constant refrain David and other disabled veterans hear is, "What makes them so special that they can have their dog here and I can't?"
So, we must explore all options to mitigate this problem and ensure veterans get the care they need. This includes service dogs.
K9s For Warriors, the nation's largest non-profit pairing service dogs and veterans, is just one of several organizations saving lives by doing this. K9s For Warriors has paired more than 700 veterans with service dogs thus far, including 15 current and future veterans in New Jersey.
A study by Dr. Maggie O'Haire of Purdue University confirmed that service dogs provide a host of benefits to veterans with invisible wounds of war, including alleviating PTSD symptoms, decreasing depression, raising life satisfaction and providing a higher overall psychological well-being.
Let's remember that about one-fifth of veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and about 15 of every 100 Vietnam veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD. Those figures are probably way too low because they only account for veterans who seek assistance from the Veterans Administration – we know that only about 60 percent to 70 percent actually use VA health services. Even more alarming is that some 20 veterans commit suicide every day.
War is costing enough American lives. Service members should not have to continue fighting when they get home. New Jersey should immediately pass the Tucker legislation.
David Crenshaw is a retired U.S. Army master sergeant who lives in Kearny. Rory Diamond is the chief executive officer for K9s for Warriors, the nation's largest provider of service dogs for veterans.
