Battle Buddy Bulletin: Edition 4
June 2026
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I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors for Healing Paws for Warriors (HP4W). I began as a board member five years ago. One year ago, I was selected to serve as the Vice Chairman. Throughout the years, the HP4W team has provided critical support for military veterans and their family members by providing trained service dogs at no cost to the veterans. The dogs selected to become service dogs are locally rescued dogs. This has resulted in “Saving Lives at Both Ends of the Leash” for the veterans and the dogs! The training and support that is provided during the initial training and well after graduation results in the feeling of a family. As a flight nurse in the United States Air Force and a war veteran, it has been so rewarding to help other veterans. One of my most memorable flight missions in Iraq was providing in-fight care to a military dog who was injured protecting his assigned military member aka Buddy. I have experienced firsthand the benefits dogs provide to our veterans and their family members lives!
Since my retirement from the miliary fourteen years ago, I have served as an Adjunct Professor of Nursing at Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC). One of the events I facilitate is training for veterans and their dogs in our simulation lab at the college. This lab provides a hospital environment with nursing students taking blood pressures and providing basic patient assessment with the service dogs present. This training is a “win-win” event for veterans, service dogs and the nursing students. Many nurses are not aware that veterans have the right to bring their service dog with them when they are receiving medical care or upon admission to the hospital. Veterans and family members have overwhelmingly reported feeling more comfortable about bringing their service dogs to the hospital and having them by their side and sometimes in their hospital beds.
It is so motivating to attend the monthly Volunteer Meetings and personally meet with the veterans, their family, specially trained service dogs and hear their success stories and the obstacles they have overcome. It is confirmation that the HP4W motto to “Save a Veteran/Rescue a Dog” is being accomplished for the veterans and the rescued dogs. Many thanks to our Volunteers, Board Members, Community, Fosters and expert dog trainer who are crucial to the success of the program. As a family, we join to provide support that is crucial to the program and allows the organization to accomplish our mission!
Dr. Lenora L. Cook, RN, Ed.D, Lt Col (Retired), USAF
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Stuff the Bus Supply Drive & Adoption Event
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We were very excited to sponsor a Pet Supply Donation and Adoption Event for our fellow nonprofits—Road Dogg Rescue, Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), and Pet Welfare (Eglin). These organizations have provided us with incredible service dogs over the years, and we wanted to pay it forward. We used our bus to collect donated items and then distributed them to all three of these wonderful organizations.
At Healing Paws for Warriors, we’ve always aimed to support our community partners wherever we can, and this event was a great success in helping us do exactly that. Thank you to Pet Supermarket in FWB for allowing us to host this event at their store.
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GRADUATION Classes 23, 24, 25
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We are filled with pride for our Veteran dog team graduates from Classes 23, 24, and 25. Their dedication, growth, and resilience have been nothing short of inspiring. What an unforgettable graduation at the Air Force Armament Museum, a true celebration of hard work, healing, and hope.
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Find these stories and many more like them on our Facebook page!
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Upcoming Events - Save the Date
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Volunteer Meetings
June 13 @ 10am
*Every 2nd Saturday of the month at Task Force Pizza in FWB.
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Dog Daze
October 3
Sign up and more details will be available soon
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St Rita's Knights of Columbus Golf Tournament
October 12
Sign up and more details will be available soon
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Eggs on the Beach
November 7
Sign up and more details will be available soon
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Pensacola Jeeps Full Throttle for Vets Show & Shine Car Show
November 14
Sign up and more details will be available soon
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A foster home becomes the vital bridge between a rescued shelter dog’s past and its future as a veteran’s service companion. By opening your home for a short time, you give that dog the chance to decompress, feel safe, and learn the basics of good manners. You also play a key role in helping our trainer determine whether the dog is a strong candidate for service work. It’s a meaningful, hands-on way to change a dog’s life, and ultimately, a veteran’s life too. Interested in becoming a foster?* Apply here
*We are currently looking for fosters in the Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Valparaiso and Niceville areas.
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Information from our trainer, Lisa, about the command "Stand":
You have been preparing for your vacation trip which requires flying on an airplane to your destination. You’re approaching the TSA checkpoint, and now it’s you and your dog’s turn to step up in line to go through the scanners.
The TSA agent tells you to place your vested service dog in a stay and then only you walk through the scanner. You walk through the scanner with no issues, Meanwhile, your service dog performs the sit stay command perfectly, and now it's your service dogs turn to go through the scanner The scanner goes off because of the metal that’s on the service dog vest. The agent tells you the normal procedure is to pat down your dog.
You ask your service dog, who at this point was sitting, to perform the stand command. The dog lifts itself up, all four legs straight while in a standing position. You then ask the dog to stay in the stand command, allowing the agent to perform the pat down. Upon successfully completing the pat down, you and your dog are given the OK to proceed forward to your boarding gate.
For service dogs the stand command has specific purposes for the veteran during their daily lives. The stand command can be used not only for the TSA pat down, but it can also be used for putting the service vest on the dog, during grooming and veterinarian examinations.
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Pairing night was awesome!. After successfully completing the first 2 weeks of classroom academics training without knowing their dogs, each veteran was awarded their new service dog to begin the practical hands-on training. This is the first time they meet their new "battle buddy." The pairing is an event not just for the veteran, but the entire family.
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Our newly paired teams head into week five. It’s been incredible to watch their progress. As always, we’re grateful to Beast Code for opening their space to us during the first weeks of classroom training, and to the many stores and restaurants that support our public access training—it makes a huge difference!
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Q&A: An interview with one of Healing Paws' K-9 heroes.
1. What is your name?
Booker
2. What is your breed?
German Shepherd
3. What is your age?
Approximately 3 years old
4. Who is your veteran and when were you first partnered together?
My Veteran is Jenise, we were paired in May 2025
5. What are some of your favorite activities when you're not working?
I love car rides, walking down the long driveway with daddy to check our mailbox, and playing with Ms. Kitty (the family cat). I enjoy volunteering with my veteran, Janice, on Tuesdays at her daughter's hair salon and visiting with all the ladies.
6. What are your favorite treats and toys?
I enjoy dental treats and pup cups (whip cream treat). I also love my squeaky toys.
7. What are some ways in which you help your veteran?
I help her step by step down stairs and off and on street curbs. I stabilize her when she bends down to pick up things. I bring her comfort when she is having an anxiety attack, and I am always on high alert when we are out in public and I help to calm her PTSD.
8. What are some ways in which you help your family?
I give assurance to my family by proving to be a true companion/battle buddy. They say I am a blessing to them all.
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Booker has proven to be an asset to Jenise by helping her with daily activities and being there when she needs strength dealing with emotional concerns. I now have peace of mind when they are out on errands or appointments that she is safe with him.
David- (Jenise's Spouse)
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"Save a Veteran, Rescue a Dog"
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