The Greatest Bond

There is such a need for these wonderful animals and what they can do for our returning veterans.

- I hope when I get a dog, it helps me out with my depression, my PTSD, my anxiety.

- They come back with the scars that they have, how do you say thank you?

- [Narrator] Patriot Paws has partnered with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and we train the ladies how to train our dogs.

- I think the veterans have fought for our freedom.

I gave up my freedom when I committed my crime.

- I'm partially paralyzed on the left side, I have pain everywhere, it kinda shut off my hope.

- I'm limited due to my physical inabilities of what dogs they can select.

- We're gonna have certain dogs that you're gonna work with.

We want to watch which dog picks which veteran.

- We've been praying so hard that a dog would pick me.

- [Narrator] Keep your heart open and we will be able to tell which one picks you.

- Meant a lot, like I wasn't forgotten.

(upbeat music) - [David] Every month one thousand veterans attempt to take their own lives.

Which is more than one attempt every 30 minutes.

Which is 22 veterans each day.

More troops have died from suicide than have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001. than have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001.

I want you to sit back and think about this for a minute.

You have a sickness, it's just destroying everything around you, nobody wants to be around you.

You don't even wanna be around yourself, it's that bad.

People going to concerts, you're in your closet.

People going to the mall, you'll find an excuse to stay home.

It's killing you.

That's the situation that a lot of veterans are in.

We know what's wrong with us, we're not broke, we're bent.

We're gonna recover, we do great things in society.

We just need some medication.

We've got it right here.

(soothing piano music) - [Jay] There is such a need for these wonderful animals and what they do and what they can do for our returning veterans.

It's a proven fact, all the research shows it, and the sad reality is the demand is way ahead of the supply.

(upbeat soothing music) - You ready?

Let's go.

- Oh boy.

- [Bonnie] When the veterans are struggling, Barney travels with me, just to let him calm them down.

Plus to give them an insight as to here's a real dog, Plus to give them an insight as to here's a real dog, and this is what your real dog can do for you.

- [Jay] You know, we got a lot of issues with him, but we're going to make his life about a thousand times better.

I was a platoon leader in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive of 1968.

I participated in over 168 night ambushes and over 200 combat air assaults.

(explosion) When I came back, what I found the most difficult was to live with the mundane.

- [Bonnie] There's Frank.

- [Jay] Hey Frank!

- [Frank] How you doing Jay?

How you doing Bonnie?

- [Jay] Hey, we're doing great.

- [Bonnie] This is Barney.

- [Frank] Can I pet him?

- [Bonnie] Sure.

- [Frank] Okay.

I try to take it one day at a time.

You know?

I inherited a house from my mother, passed away from cancer two months ago.

But my depression, that's really kicking me in the butt.

It's really kicking me in the butt.

And I got a lot to live for, but on the days I don't feel like I want to.

- Frank put in his application, he was a good candidate for a service dog.

- [Frank] I was just telling Jay like I've, I feel like, not that I feel, I know my depression has gone up big time.

- [Jay] I could see this guy, you know, is really on the edge.

- [Frank] I hope when I get a dog, it helps me out with my depression, my PTSD, my anxiety, my loneliness when my kids are not here.

- [Jay] Let me put the light on.

(soothing piano music) - Watch your head coming down.

- [Bonnie] All right.

When I go to do a home visit, I'm meeting the veteran but we're also looking at the environment, making sure it is a safe environment for the dog.

- This is my basement, like I said.

- [Bonnie] All right.

- It's where the kids play, I spent a lot of my time down here.

You know?

I know it's cool down here, but the heater does get up to, I can set it whatever I want.

- [Bonnie] Okay.

- [Frank] I just feel safer downstairs, I just, it's just a safety barrier, you know?

The concrete, it just feels safe.

You know?

Just safer, and then in the summer it's a lot cooler, but it's just safer.

I've been sleeping down here.

Even if I did sleep upstairs, I don't sleep in a bed, I like sleeping on the floor, just I feel like I'm below the window.

Not that anybody's after me, I just, I hate to say it's a hyper vigilance they call it.

All my stuff.

- And there's the kennel.

- [Frank] Crate for the dog.

I stay down here, I just feel safer down here.

It feels, you know, it's comfort and stuff.

- How long have you been doing that Frank?

- I've been doing it since about, probably all my life, almost like 20 years.

- Yeah.

- You know?

- [Bonnie] How long since you been out?

- The military?

- [Bonnie] Uh huh.

- [Frank] The day I got out, 81, 84, then I went back in the guards.

Then they found out I had PTSD, and they just, you know.

But I wanted to be honest with you, that's one thing my therapist told me at the VA. You gotta be straight up with me.

- I appreciate that.

- You know, I used to have firearms in the house.

I can't have those, you know?

- Hm.

- But I'm not afraid to say it either that I've had my days that I feel like putting my uniform on and going in that garage and, - Yeah.

No, I know.

- You know, ending it.

- [Jay] I know.

- And I got everything going for me I mean, but I just, just it's depression.

- [Bonnie] Go see Frank.

(soothing piano music) - I just can't believe this is happening.

- Yeah.

- I just can't, you know can't imagine, like this is like.

I'm glad they brought the dog.

It felt really good to have Barney there.

I felt relaxed.

Meant a lot, you know?

Like I wasn't forgotten.

- The really sad part about post traumatic stress is that veterans tend to isolate and withdraw completely away from society at a time when they really need that feeling of family.

And hopefully that's one of the things that we provide.

- [Bonnie] Soon you're gonna have your own leash.

- Great.

- It'll be wonderful.

(airplane engine roaring) - [Jay] I had two boys in Iraq.

They were both with 101st airborne.

My youngest was in the infantry, and my oldest son was air defense, he was a sergeant.

And my youngest came back, and he was more like me in so many different ways.

Except he didn't have, to be honest, he just, there was a part of, the grit.

He was such a sensitive soul that it, it affected him very deeply.

Where for me, I could kind of channel it into different behaviors.

For him, it was all about trying to forget.

And it, he couldn't, it was just in his nightmares, and I knew it was coming.

I mean I knew it, and I saw it.

I saw all the signs, you know, I had him in and out of treatment.

I had him staying with me, I did a lot of things, but unfortunately he just, he made the choice.

You know, when my son took his own life I sort of lost track.

I think if it weren't for Patriot Paws I'd be, I don't know where I'd be.

(subtle country music) (engine revving) - [David] When I'm on a motorcycle, it's just a feeling that I can't replace.

It's my chance to get away and forget about the problems.

Everything that was on my shoulders seemed to come off when I got on it.

The bottom line is, I'm missing out on a lot.

Socializing is probably the main thing that I wish that I could, I could change.

Being around other people.

I'm six, one, 250 pounds, I've been through everything.

(gun shots) (bang) Every day (explosion) we would leave the fire base not knowing that that was, would that be it.

(helicopter whirring) Would that be the last time that we did that.

(helicopter whirring) You give four years for the country and you come back and you're not able to enjoy the freedom that you have fought for.

I was too scared, and I am today, to come up and talk to that young lady right there.

What is she gonna do?

She's not a terrorist.

So when I pass some of these people, who are very friendly, they think I'm a jerk.

He's rude.

(sniffling) Far from the truth.

(sniffling) (birds chirping) There was a point last summer where for four days I sat on the couch with a gun.

And after about six days, I couldn't take it anymore.

So I got on my motorcycle.

Man, if I could just ride down the road and get hit by a car maybe I would die like that.

I was driving down the street and I saw the building for Patriot Paws.

15 years in the service, I'd never heard of Patriot Paws.

(intense piano music) - [Jill] When I first met David, there was just something different about him.

He was a little bit on edge, and he came in and said, "I wanna volunteer today, what can I do?"

And he was kinda jittery, nervous.

I just knew that I couldn't let him leave.

The statistics of 22 veterans a day committing suicide, I could tell he was in a dark place.

And the look in his eyes was just hollow almost, I mean it just was not, I knew he needed help, and I knew if he left here it would not be good.

- [Jay] David came in one day completely, really having a real tough time.

And I think he's been having a tough time.

And basically wanted to do something, you know?

Anything.

- We happened to get some new crates in that day that needed to be put together, and so we had him doing that, and then the trainers had him cutting up treats for the dogs.

- [David] So I'm putting these kennels together and for the first time in I cannot remember how long, suicide hadn't crossed my mind.

- One of the trainers had noticed a note that David had left us and it said, "Thank you for saving my life today."

So just the simple presence of the dog, So just the simple presence of the dog, and being able to pet him and focus on that dog, allowed him those few hours of relief.

(dogs barking) Aw, look there!

(upbeat country music) - [Bonnie] Patriot Paws is partnered with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and we train the ladies how to train our dogs.

- [Trainer] Do y'all wanna do a class?

- They're training our dogs, which is wonderful and it helps us, but we're trying to change their mindset so they can get out and lead productive lives.

so they can get out and lead productive lives.

- When I got sentenced, prison saved my life.

And you know, I had been in trouble one time before and did 11 months, it was not near long enough for me to be able to get away from the people that I needed to leave.

But when I found Patriot Paws, I had been in prison for maybe, maybe six months, seven months and I found out about the program.

Someone had told me about the program, and so when I applied for Patriot Paws I remember Lori asking me, "Okay, why do you wanna be with Patriot Paws?"

And I said, "Because I wanna help people."

I wanna help the veterans.

- [Bonnie] You know, she came to the program not knowing anything, like the other brand new offenders, to slowly stepping up and then big time stepping up.

And she has gotten out, and doing fabulous, and working for Patriot Paws, so she's, she's a role model for those girls in there right now.

And she keeps them, she keeps them pumped up.

So it's good.

So she still plays a role in the prison without her ever going back in there.

She plays a vital role.

- [Sharon] I guess I did three years in Patriot Paws, I was their senior trainer.

I mentored, I knew that I was fixing to come up for parole.

- [Bonnie] Watching Sharon come out, evolve from offender in the program to where she is today, I'm very proud of that.

I'm very happy for her.

- Black and then.

(dogs barking) - [Sharon] When David first started coming up here, he would always sit in that chair right there by the table and he would just, he would be laying there, leaning back in his chair, just relaxing with his little headphones on.

And so I remember the first few times I went up to talk to him, he didn't answer me.

I was like, "Okay."

You know?

But I didn't realize he had headphones in, so I finally started tapping him on the shoulder and he would see, and then he would take them out and start talking to me.

What I want you to practice on is when you're loose leash walking, and don't ask for the sit.

Let's see if he automatically does it.

Over time, he would come and actually approach me and say, "What are we doing today?"

You know?

"What do you need help with?"

So you could also, you could see a change at that point in him.

Me and David have never had a problem talking, so I mean I don't know how it was like with other people, but in our relationship specifically, he just started approaching me and you know, I turn around and there he was.

Hi.

You know?

And so, you know, we got, we became really close that way.

Stop, okay turn around, reset him, there you go.

Stop.

Although our situations are not the same, but they're kinda similar that he, he has been to the lowest point of his life.

I remember hearing him say how, you know, his family just thought that, you know, he was mean.

And that, you know, they just thought he was an unkind person and we know that's not David.

Because talking to him one on one, or getting to know him, or when he comes over and gives you that big teddy bear hug, you can't hardly ever see that side.

I gave up my freedom.

They didn't, but they chose to fight for our freedom.

And that's hard, you know?

It's hard to face some of the veterans knowing the mistakes that I've made, you know?

And what they've done for us, and we take it for granted.

And they come back with the scars that they have because they gave their all and put their heart, they risked their whole life for that.

And when you just take it for granted, and then I have to sit and talk to him, and you know think, how do you say thank you?

How do you say thank you for fighting for our country?

When so many people don't care.

(dogs barking) (laughter) - [Jill] A few weeks before Frank was set to come out for receiving his dog in the graduation period, his anxiety was at new heights.

- Good boy.

- It was good.

I was nervous, nervous I get on a plane, there was another vet, this guy, I forget his name, he was a retired major in the marines.

He knew I was a veteran, he was like, "You'll be all right."

- [Jill] We found a program through the TSA that is specifically for veterans and wounder warriors, called TSA Cares, and we set that up.

They meet veterans at the curbside and walk them through, do private screening, so they bypass all of the people.

- Step one!

- Step one, we got a few more steps, but we'll get it.

Tomorrow you get to meet the all star team, buddy.

- [Frank] I'm just concerned about the unknown, you know?

About going on nervous, going around the prison, I'm nervous about the dog, I hope I don't fail.

You know?

I got a lot of people counting on me, you know?

I definitely need the dog.

You know?

- I can get one handle of it.

- [Frank] I only got about what?

Three hours of sleep last night.

So I've been up, walking around down here in Texas, enjoying the, it's a lot warmer than being up in Boston.

(uplifting music) - [Daniel] If you looked on my medical records, you had a soldier that was deployed overseas, that had nothing wrong with him.

Clean all the way through my life, with no medical problems.

The mission that I actually flew on, the experiences, and the repetitive training that you're exposed to, the OPSEC, COMSEC, and then you complicate it by throwing on a medical condition from unknown exposures, that mimics very similar to MS. - [Michael] I'm perfectly paralyzed on the left side.

I've had several MRI's, and I have multiple sclerotic lesions on my spine and in my brain.

I have a feeling it was caused by the Anthrax vaccine during the first Gulf War.

- You wanna sit with him?

- [Jay] I'd like to introduce our guest speaker tonight, Ms. Lori Stevens.

- [Lori] First of all, welcome okay.

I am Lori Stevens, the founder of Patriot Paws and tonight is just a welcome night and tonight is just a welcome night to welcome you all here and give you a little bit of pointers about what's fixing to go on and what's gonna happen.

You're gonna go in through your basic training, you're just gonna walk ride across a little road, and we're gonna go to a big gymnasium.

Everything we do is gonna be in that gymnasium.

- [Bonnie] We're gonna have offenders, female offenders be assigned to you so that when you're at work, and you're at your stations, there's always gonna be one person that you know that is gonna be there with you.

- [Lori] We're gonna have certain dogs that you're gonna work with.

We want to watch which dog picks which veteran.

So you're gonna go in there, and you're gonna fall in love with this beautiful Labrador and we're gonna say, (whispering "no, no") So I'm telling you right now, keep your heart open and we will be able to tell which one picks you.

Because if we let the dogs pick you, then they're most likely to pick up on your post traumatic stress, your night terrors, and your medical conditions.

And we want you to go home with the best dog available.

We have six dogs up for graduation, and we're just gonna watch and see which dog picks which person.

There's fear and anxiety everywhere, you can cut it with a knife it's so thick.

We need to sit down and talk to them, explain the ins and outs of going into the prison, the women that they're working with.

Letting them talk to these people and see that they're, they're real people.

This is team work, this is a partnership, this is a new partner that you're getting to live with.

- [Frank] The other graduates seem very nice, the other veterans.

It felt like a family.

I didn't feel alone.

(birds chirping) (subtle country music) - [Warden] This is the Christina Melton Crain Unit here in Gatesville, Texas.

Currently we have around about two thousand on the unit.

From drug offenses all the way to murder, capital murder.

The Patriot Paws program is something positive.

Any type of program where it will benefit the offenders, it benefits us in the long run because they're coming back out to the same community I live in.

And we're making a difference.

- [Bonnie] I'm sure the girls don't know how to take me a lot of times.

All right ladies, let's talk about graduation 'cause that's what we do right?

But my military, I think, helps because I run it, I run it kinda like the military.

We will get these dogs up to Rockwall before our graduation.

All right, first of all let's talk about the dogs.

Y'all have three of the graduating dogs.

If I say, "Let's go" I mean let's go.

You have Pilot, Alex, Patton.

And they know not to give me excuses.

These dogs, let's rotate through them, just pushing these doors.

As soon as they take the leash, I mean they're caring for that puppy right away.

Probably the biggest thing I've learned about myself since working in the prison is to not be judgemental.

If you went online and actually looked at what some of the offenders have done you'd be going, "Oh my goodness."

And I make it a practice to not do that because I don't wanna look at them in what they have done.

Because what has happened is already happened, it's just time to move forward.

And if they're doing good in the dog program, I mean we're just gonna keep moving forward with them.

So I try not to think about their past because it's their past.

(applause) - Over the line!

(shouting) (subtle music) - It's wonderful to be able to start from the beginning with a puppy.

It lights up my world when I'm able to teach a dog to do something.

I think the veterans have fought for our freedom, and I wanna make this my life so I can give back for everything they've done for us.

I think freedom is something people take for granted.

I gave up my freedom when I committed my crime, aggravated robbery.

My life was out of control, I was on a downhill spiral.

I was very selfish, it was all about what I wanted to do.

And I ran from my problems, I never faced them.

So it was easier to stay in my addiction, than to face my problems.

I needed a lawyer, and I didn't have the money so my only avenue I thought was to take it and that's what I did.

And if I could go back and change so many things that would be one of them.

- [Tammy] They adore us, they don't know that we're criminals.

They don't know that we're, you know, have this number labeled as a criminal.

(subtle piano music) - [Kathy] We come in here and we're broken, this program is helping us to fix ourselves.

I took from the community for so many years that I guess now I feel like I'm giving back.

- My husband suffered from a great depression.

And he took his life.

And he took mine too, pretty much.

(subtle piano music) Just the image of finding him has never left, it never will.

And the alcohol and drugs won't ever cover it up.

And it's taken me this long to realize that.

Alcoholism and addiction has brought me back to prison three times, this time they gave me a 30 year sentence.

I finally just surrendered, I got tired of fighting, I think.

And so if it means for me to stay here three, five, ten years then I'm okay with that.

I would rather be here and doing what I'm doing than to be out there and to be miserable.

And I'm at peace with myself again, I'm at peace with my family, as a matter of fact this past Saturday my children came and saw me for the very first time in three years, just because they're proud of me and because I continue to be positive in their lives.

And I'm not that victim that I was for so many years.

You know, 'cause I can wake up in the morning and go, "You're pretty good, old girl.

You know?

As long as you keep your head together."

And my head's together and my heart's right and I'm at peace with my maker.

(subtle piano music) (birds chirping) (tense music) - [Jay] When you go in, it's, you know, it's a scary place.

So when you get into prison and you're locked in, and the climbing of the gates, and it's difficult for a lot of veterans, especially with post traumatic stress or anxiety.

You can see, as they're first walking in, they're just kinda wide eyed and looking around.

- [Frank] It's a strange thing, it's weird.

You know, just anything, just noises, just the unknown.

What's funny, the way it hits you, PTSD, it makes you feel like you're almost having a heart attack.

You know?

- In the prison situation, I think you saw a man who - In the prison situation, I think you saw a man who really was struggling with how this would all take place.

He was so worried that he was gonna do something wrong and he wasn't gonna get a dog.

- Are they doing good today?

- Yeah, they're great.

They're ready to go, they're waiting for y'all to get here.

To see those guys come in and be so beat down, hopeless is the word that comes to my mind.

And we're in an environment here that's pretty hopeless at times.

- [Michael] I have a tendency to get my hopes up, just generally, you know, with things in life.

And when I do, things never turn out.

My dogs died shortly before I applied to Patriot Paws and I knew it was gonna be a while, but kinda shut off my hope.

(dogs barking) - [Daniel] So the dogs have their own personality.

When we first walked in there, I liked Sparky just because of his mannerism, his nature while he was kenneled.

I like Alex because she's a sweetheart.

Kyle's a good, strong dog.

Ross is just very laid back.

- Let's get started.

- [Bonnie] What we've been doing is having the veterans go to the table with their offenders.

- [Jay] I don't know that you can prepare Frank for prison.

He definitely felt that he needed a dog, and that need was greater than, you know, the hurdles that he may have to go through.

- [Frank] You have to understand, it takes time 'cause you are getting a top quality dog.

- Call your dog, there you go.

Good job.

- [Frank] And Ross is a little over two years old, so he's been trained for, you know, over two and half years.

- [Michael] I'm partially paralyzed on the left side.

I have pain everywhere, I take enough medication to literally kill a horse, every day.

Constantly dropping things.

Okay, get it.

Click, and he picked it up and handed it to me and I was just like, "Thanks."

You know?

It was so cool.

Take it, let's go.

- [Daniel] I need a dog to work on my right side 'cause I've had three jaw surgeries.

I have a lot of myofascial problems and my rotation, I have very poor rotation.

I can go about in this range on the left, but this side I can almost get to my shoulder.

Well, they've trained the dogs to walk on the left side so I'm limited now, due to my physical inabilities of what dogs that can select.

So it was down to Alex.

- [Lori] Daniel was our challenge.

He almost overthinks, over processes, over worries.

- [Daniel] By the afternoon, she was shutting down.

She would not do the things, and it got to the point where her and I would sit there and she just didn't wanna work.

We're not working together.

- [Lori] We wanna see the dogs and the veterans together.

We know our dogs, but we haven't spent a whole lot of time with our veterans.

And if you watch the veterans and you watch the dogs, which dog works better for which veteran.

- [Daniel] If this fails, there's no other answers.

This is the last answers, I'm done.

I have failed, I have been rejected even by a dog.

We've been praying so hard that a dog would pick me.

(birds chirping) (subtle country music) - [Jill] Frank Defronzo, what a gem.

- He came to Texas, he was gonna get some cowboy boots and a cowboy hat.

- I'll be going to the chiropractor.

(laughter) - [Jay] He doesn't go a lot of places, but everywhere he does go, people know him and they really like him.

- [Frank] I want you to put this on, there's a guy Jay.

- Uh huh.

- [Frank] Put it on his credit.

(laughter) - Okay.

- That's okay though, 'cause when I went to Boston I put a lot of things on his tab.

- He got your phone number and he's cleared it all.

- [Woman] We'll see how that works.

Wonderful.

- [Frank] I'll go with these.

- He left with boots, he didn't leave with a cowboy hat.

(laughter) - I got a small head.

- [Daniel] After the training center, here's come Frank knocking on the door, brought in a beer and some chips and we both share how we're both feeling and we just talk as, almost like best friends.

- I mean, only veterans understand veterans.

- Round up.

(laughter) - There's more truth in that than anybody will ever know.

- I got my boots, came to Texas to get my boots.

(birds chirping) (uplifting music) - Oh, we're gonna do it now?

- [Tammy] It was an honor to work with Sparky and Michael.

Sparky was on Michael like, like instantly.

- Side, stand.

- [Tammy] He would jump up on him and he was like, "What can I get for you?"

It was insane just the connection right off the bat.

- Yes.

Yeah, it was very, very cool watching the dogs pick us.

- We're gonna put Kyle with Daniel this morning.

- [Daniel] So they went and got Kyle.

A dog who can't walk on the right side, hasn't been trained.

They are trained to go to both sides, but continuously stay all the commands are from the left side.

I told him "side" right up next to me.

Alex wouldn't do that.

He was on me like glue, and I didn't even have to think about the routine we were going through.

It was like all the commands were right there at the forefront of my brain.

He was working with me, we had eye contact, it was like we had been working together for weeks.

One of the offenders I was working with looked at me and she's like, "He's working great for you."

'Cause she wants to know that her dog's going to a good home.

- [Kathy] Right from the start of it, they just kinda meshed.

One minute Daniel was just, he was just kinda sad and the next he was a whole new person.

I think Kyle just filled that gap in him.

He'll always come right in front of you.

Have him to the side over here.

Because the instant he seen Kyle, it was over.

He was checking in with him the whole time.

It's practice, yeah.

Cross your sides and get back.

- [Daniel] He kept saying, "I want this person, this is my person."

We work together, I love him and I fell in love with him.

But yet I could see the Patriot Paws and they've told me, "We're watching, we're watching, we're watching."

So I sat down, I went over to one of the chairs and Lori came over and she was telling me, "Whatever dog we pick, trust me I've been doing this for years, it's gonna work out."

I'm like, "Yeah."

I'm starting to have a lot of anxiety.

I can tell Alex doesn't want me, no matter how much I love on her.

At this point in time, she doesn't wanna work for me.

So Kyle was being walked by one of the other veterans, right in front of me.

He stops, pulls away as Alex is right here, as I'm trying to work with her, and he pushes her out of the way and comes and sits his head right between my legs.

(subtle piano music) - [Lori] The public access test just kinda sets a standard for what dogs are going to do.

How the team works together in public, is what we're looking for.

- You want Sparky?

- Yeah, and I need your key.

- [Bonnie] Okay.

- [Frank] Sit.

Yes.

- [Lori] You know, it's not just like pass or fail today.

It lets us know how they load up, unload, go through busy parking lots, go through busy areas with crowds, basic things that we want them to be a good citizen out in public.

- [Bonnie] I would go ahead and make it a habit of just holding on to it.

- Just in case?

- [Bonnie] In case, but if something caught his eye and he boom, he might wanna go.

- Just like something frightens me, you know?

It's just baby steps, you gotta bond.

It was good to have the training, you know, just 'cause there's a lot of commands to know but they're not hard.

The Patriot Paws, they make it very easy.

- [Bonnie] You can see they're already bonding.

Getting that bond towards you.

- [Lori] You're gonna find that outdoors is a lot more distracting than indoors.

And that's normal, remember their sense of smell is over 700 times stronger than yours.

And you're a team, it's not something that's just gonna fit perfectly on the first try.

You cannot leave the hotel with your dog.

You can walk around outside, potty your dog, but you are grounded to the hotel okay?

- We're restricted to post.

- [Lori] You're restricted, I like that word better.

You are restricted to post.

You know, so it'll all work out.

It's slow and steady.

- The dog seems to be tuned in, in our relationship so far that he knows where that level is already, just in my room today.

Yeah.

You wanna play a little bit?

There's many things physically, that that dog can assist me with in the day to day routines of life that is gonna be a massive benefit.

Very smart, we're gonna be a great team together.

Yes you are.

Tonight's gonna be the first night together.

I don't sleep well, I have nightmares almost every night because when we were on the air field, we'd be on alert status and if the claques men went off two o'clock in the morning, you got up.

So you never really slept.

That doesn't leave you.

- [Frank] By getting this dog, hoping obviously I'll sleep a little bit better.

I was never a big sleeper, but I hope I can get at least maybe five hours.

Maybe like as you see, I'm always looking over my shoulder, my hyper vigilance is always up, maybe try to to get that down a little.

I haven't been taking as much anxiety medicine as I was from being around the dog.

So I know I'm a little bit more at peace.

You're getting a lot of that today, aw look at you.

He's counting on me, like I'm counting on him.

You know?

It's a new step in life.

(subtle piano music) (engine revving) - Come on Spot, let's go.

- [Keith] I retired as a O6 Army Colonel.

And so it was a, it was a wonderful experience.

So how was school today?

- Good.

- And you had an assessment?

- Yes.

- [Keith] I went to Vietnam in 1968 and remained for almost 18 months consecutively.

Push.

Having retired from the military, I was looking for something to do with my life.

I still felt I had something to offer and to give.

But I wanted it to be within the contents of military service.

And while living here, walking one day in my neighborhood I saw a van that had Patriot Paws on the side of it.

And so I looked their number up in a directory and called and introduced myself and said that I would like to come by and see what you all do and see if I could offer some service.

"What can I do?"

led to, "Keith, we really need some help in cleaning up the dog kennels and the dog runs."

Which was, as I refer to it as, the Colonel of Pooper Picker Upper.

I smile in hindsight, but the bottom line is they need the help here and I liked what they were doing.

I saw a need for what they were doing, which led to my saying, "Absolutely, whatever you need done."

(uplifting music) (dogs barking) Going back to my dog, Spot is not judgemental.

I have, in the time I've had him, I've talked to Spot about things I've never talked to anyone else before since I left Vietnam.

And Spot's lying there at my feet, he's looking at me with those big brown eyes, he's listening, and sometimes his head will go lie on his paws as if he's going to sleep.

But I know he's there, and he's not judgemental.

And it helps me to get some of those things off of my shoulders if you will.

That a boy, good boy.

(uplifting music) - [Lori] As David was working around here and volunteering, he was spending a lot of time with Fossil.

- [Sharon] You could see the bond between Fossil and David forming and you could see a change in his personality.

As the relationship built, we just saw that David needed Fossil and Fossil needed him.

And so Lori made that decision that, you know what?

I believe we're gonna give Fossil to David.

- [Lori] Fossil was one of those dogs that was gonna need the extra care or he wouldn't make the public access.

So by having a veteran that needed the special care and putting him with a dog that needed a special care, it's a great way to work together.

The day we were having the lunch and we invited him up there, and we just decided it was a good day to do it a little different.

It's kinda like our graduation, our pairing day.

But, so he didn't know what was going on and it was a nice surprise.

We all feel like you have become a part of our family and we love you very much.

- It's mutual.

- And we know you wanna be a part of it, but our special way of making you part of it would be possibly, if you are willing, present you with a service dog named Fossil.

- [Man] Wow.

- [Man] Yeah!

(applause) (cheering) (uplifting music) - [David] That's my buddy right there.

(laughter) - [Bonnie] Where are the tissues?

(cheering) - You know, you guys have definitely made me feel part of the family and I'm really thankful for that.

I really do.

- [Sharon] Congratulations David.

- [David] Thank you.

- [Bonnie] You did it.

(cheering) - [Sharon] Congratulations David.

- [Lori] There's some people that touch your heart, open your heart, and David's one of them.

(applause) (birds chirping) - [Woman] Left, left, left right left.

Work all day to train these dogs Work all day to train these dogs For future starts at Patriot Paws For future starts at Patriot Paws This dog is more than your best friend This dog is more than your best friend He'll work, he'll play, he will defend He'll work, he'll play, he will defend To comfort you and help you rest To comfort you and help you rest We're giving them our very best We're giving them our very best - [Daniel] The girls came out and did their Jody before the dogs were going away.

They did a song and each dog did a command.

Ross will stand there in place Ross will stand there in place If you need a steady brace If you need a steady brace Kyle is here to pray with you Kyle is here to pray with you If you're feeling down and blue If you're feeling down and blue Now it's time to say goodbye Now it's time to say goodbye Sparky wave it proud and high Sparky wave it proud and high Sound off One, two Sound off Three, four Sound off One, two, three, four One, two, three, four (applause) - [Jay] From the day they come in, till that graduation, there's a tremendous change that takes place.

There's a feeling of comradery with not only the other veterans, but certainly the offenders who spend so many hours of their time helping to train these dogs.

- [Lori] And it is just the best day of graduation.

Puppy raisers get to pass them off, and the trainers get to announce which is which.

- It's a pleasure to know you and work with you.

A fellow air force veteran and a security police veteran.

It's my privilege to present you from Patriot Paws, Kyle.

Come here buddy.

(applause) (uplifting music) - [Daniel] And so, Kyle and I have become a team.

So he picked me and we have a good, strong future.

- When they got around those guys, all they wanted to do was please them.

You know?

All they wanted to do was make sure that they were okay.

- [Carmela] All of the, the time you spend with that dog makes it worth it to know that they can help a veteran look around and to smile, and to feel like they're okay.

That they're safe.

(uplifting music) - [Lori] You ready?

Frank, here comes Ross.

(applause) (uplifting music) - [Bonnie] A dog is gonna change Frank's life tremendously.

I have no doubt at all.

- It's just like a new beginning.

A new beginning.

I got the dog I wanted, his name is Ross.

- Michael's an interesting gentleman.

The dogs have to chase him all over the unit because he goes so fast in that scooter.

But he is here today to get his service dog.

- [Michael] I really feel like I'm low on the totem pole, you know, those guys are running around there that are, you know, are missing arms and legs.

But it just, I guess that's why I felt like it was just surreal.

Sparky's just electric, you know?

In my face, and that's great 'cause I'm kinda that way anyway.

- [Kathy] And that's what this program is all about.

It's us working every day and struggling, so that we can change somebody's life.

And I feel like we did that.

- [Bonnie] Frank was already taking less medications at night to sleep, so that shows how good that bond was and how good that dog is for Frank.

These dogs, they know they have a purpose.

So yes, they're our family, they're our babies.

We love each and every one of them.

But they've got a purpose, and that purpose is to help that veteran.

- [Kathy] Watching Kyle walk out the door with Daniel was, it was a very proud moment.

It was like watching your kid walk out the door and I was very happy for Daniel, he needed that dog.

He walked out of that door a different person than when he walked in.

And I took part of that.

You know?

I helped do that.

- There will be days that I'm physically not feeling well, and I'm sure I'll face depression.

But he's gonna have his dark chocolate eyes, and he's gonna do a "See me" right to my leg, and he's gonna be right there with me.

- Private joke.

(laughter) Just hang in there, it'll work.

- I appreciate it.

After waiting for three years, boy if I could say something to the other vets that are out there on the waiting list, don't give up hope.

- He thanked me so many times for giving him a best friend.

You build a relationship with these dogs and you don't even mean to.

But I know that Michael's providing him a good home.

Without a doubt.

Yeah, without a doubt.

- [Frank] I wish I could have been able to hug all those inmates, 'cause they are, you know, they did a, did a tremendous job.

It was very, I know it's emotional and then they're leaving, you know, it's like it was something.

(subtle piano music) - [Carmela] For me to be able to give back, to become a best friend to a veteran, to save a life to a veteran, it's given me a purpose in my life, and it's a wonderful experience.

- We've had veterans walk in this door, their head down, they won't look at you.

Before they leave here, they're starting to smile, they'll look at you, they'll give you eye contact, and that's just walking into this place.

Being around the dogs, being around this family, so it's beautiful, it's wonderful.

(subtle piano music) (birds chirping) - [David] The day I brought Fossil home, my life actually started to change for the better.

For the last couple years, I've had an issue with socializing and going out in public and being in certain places.

And now that I've had Fossil, I'm able to overcome a lot of that.

And now I'm actually more comfortable being in public and talking to people.

And Fossil gave me that, gave me that back.

- [Sharon] Having Fossil, being a part of this family has helped build his confidence and helped him be able to want to share his experience.

- Good boy.

The students that we'll meet in a few minutes actually trained Fossil, as well as other dogs.

It's an amazing group of people, they've been part of my support system since I got Fossil.

And I really wanted to come down here and tell them how much they mean to me, and that they're saving lives.

- David has a huge heart, and he has a mission.

And I believe that mission is to help other veterans.

To reach out and to give them a chance.

- [David] You know, I just gotta say that coming down here is so relaxing for me.

Thank you for showing up.

Between you guys and the puppies, it just makes me wanna move down here.

It's a town that I can come down here and I can actually drop my guard.

At the end of the day, each and every one of you should go home and when you wake up in the morning and you go to bed you wanna tell yourselves, "I've saved a life today."

Because that's exactly what you've done.

- [Jay] You know, our applicants that come us, the men and women that have been through so much.

And they've displayed courage, and they've shown that they have courage in life to do the things that they did.

What happens though is they don't see that it takes that same kind of courage and they have it, it's in them, to make those decisions that are positive for them.

The people that see it through here, their lives are changed in a positive way forever.

I watch you bow your head each day - I have my good days and bad days, but just seeing him, it cheers you up.

It's the little things That make you feel this way - [Frank] I feel more calmer at home with the dog being there.

Don't let their words Fill you up with doubt - [Frank] I mean the bond's still growing, but I feel more secure, you know?

It's not gonna cure everything, but it helps out a lot.

It's well worth the wait.

Changed my life and saved my life.

Don't you give up now You have made your vows You might not know how But you will find the key - [Keith] If the VA and those that make those decisions could just come and spend time with us, spend a few days with us and see how these dogs provide that service and how they interact with these veterans.

I don't think anyone in the end, could not draw a relationship between the dogs and what they do for our veterans.

(uplifting music) To you who thought that it can't be done - [Keith] I see every day how these dogs save people.

You see how far you've come - And to some degree, me.

There's so much more space for you to fly - [Lori] We tell the veterans, "When you get a service dog, you are part of our family."

I'm not just gonna give you a dog and abandon you.

Don't you give up now - [Lori] But I am gonna be just a phone call away if you need us.

You might not know how But you will find the key Feel your soul arise From that spark in your eyes Watch it come alive This is your destiny - The veterans changed my life.

Seeing my first graduation in prison is actually what changed my life.

I knew that I would do this for the rest of my life.

I didn't know that I would actually be a full time trainer, what I knew is that I would be a part of helping with the veterans because that's the difference I wanted to make.

When your hopes When your hope fades away Don't be love astray When there's nothing left to lose When you feel you have to choose Won't you love on me Let your heart take the lead Take it all Take it all in your stride Show them all what's inside Take the dreams in your sight Hold them with all your might Stay strong, keep moving on Don't you give up now You have made your vows You might not know how But you will find the key - Once they can kind of slow their lives down a little bit and start making better decisions, it's easier every day.

That's the hardest thing, I think just trying to find a way to live and get a little happiness.

When you're not feeling it, it just feels like you can't do it.

But they really have that courage within them.

All of them do.

(uplifting music) Whoa, oh, oh - Will I ever heal?

No, but I'm moving forward.

Biggest fear that we have is to come back and to be forgotten.

You're providing the medicine for that.

Thank you.

Thank you for saving my life.

(motorcycle engine revving) (gentle humming) - [Narrator] The Greatest Bond is available on Amazon Prime Video.