Helping Heroes
"All Gave Some, Some Gave All
Music: Hymn to the Fallen (From “Saving Private Ryan”), From The Best of John Williams.
“Operation Helping Heroes” places greater emphasis on the home front, to help those Marines in need of special services, treatment or general assistance upon returning from the battlefield, including but not limited to, educational scholarships to Marine families and local ROTC students, medical equipment, special wheelchairs, financial aid and personal assistance to Marines and their families in need.
Battle fatigue and shell shock now have a clinical diagnosis “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)” and there is a growing focus on developing effective and lasting treatments. A wide variety of specialists are coming together to better understand PTSD in an effort to find proven therapies that will help the vastly increasing number of war veterans struggling to deal with this crisis.
What are the signs of PTSD?
A wide variety of symptoms may be signs you are experiencing PTSD:
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Feeling upset by things that remind you of what happened
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Having nightmares, vivid memories, or flashbacks of the event that make you feel like it’s happening all over again
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Feeling emotionally cut off from others
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Feeling numb or losing interest in things you used to care about
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Becoming depressed
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Thinking that you are always in danger
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Feeling anxious, jittery, or irritated
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Experiencing a sense of panic that something bad is about to happen
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Having difficulty sleeping
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Having trouble keeping your mind on one thing
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Having a hard time relating to and getting along with your spouse, family, or friends
You Can Help Give A Service Dog
And
Make A Profound Difference In Someone’s Life
One of the ways the Moss Creek Marines are helping our most seriously wounded is in conjunction with “K9’s For Warriors” founded by Ms Shari Duval of Ponte Vedra Florida who experienced first handed the devastation of PTSD in her family. Through worthy organizations and their founders like this one, the Moss Creek Marines are able to provide funding for Service Dogs for Marines suffering from PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury and many other mental and physical injuries. The Benefit is significant, as is the cost to train these dogs and the Vets, and yet neither The Department of Defense nor The Department of Veterans Affairs will fund this lifesaving therapy. Each dog provided, cost an estimated $35,000 for training, vet services, food, etc., but the benefit to a recipient is priceless as well as life changing.
For More Information On Our Heroes Go To Our Archives Page.
Your contributions to the Moss Creek Marines will allow us to sponsor deserving Marines in their quest for a Service Dog of their own.
The Story Of Tony And Madison
Cpl. Tony joined the Marine Corps right out of High School in 2008. On his second deployment to Afghanistan as a Combat Engineer, on 4/6/2011, a day after his beautiful wife Jeanie gave birth to his first child a son named Cason, an IED took both of his legs and caused severe injuries to his right arm while sweeping for IED’s at the head of a combat patrol.
He completed rehabilitation in just 14 months and was discharged from Walter Reed Army Hospital after learning to walk with prosthetic legs and was then retired from the Marine Corps.
However, when returning to home and family in Georgia, he soon realized things would no longer be the same, when friends and others seemed to be uncomfortable around him, creating a sense of isolation for him. It was at this time that the thought of having a service dog as a full time companion and to help him take care of his family occurred. Tony found a provider on the internet and applied for a service dog.
With family in tow, Tony traveled to a training center where he first met “Madison” and knew immediately that “Madison,” was the dog for him. “Madison” helps Tony when he falls, is with him when moving about outside the home. These Service Dogs can also alert their masters during nightmares and lessen the danger of anxiety attacks by gently nudging the hand of their master. With “Madison’s” help and companionship, Tony is leading a more fulfilling life and is a productive member of his family and society.
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