Sergeant Major was trained by Pam Cundiff in conjunction with Train A Dog Save A Warrior for SFC (Retired) L. Troy Dick, a military man with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
America Salutes SFC (Ret.) Troy Dick & SFC Jennifer Reyna for Their Service!
Troy Dick entered the Armed Service in 1982, at the Houston MEPS station in Texas, around the same time a young lady named Jennifer Reyna entered the service at the MEPS station in Des Moines Iowa. Troy went to MP Corps training at Fort McClellan Alabama, and then straight to the 82nd Airborne, at Fort Bragg North Carolina. Jennifer went to Fort Jackson South Carolina for human resource training, then back home to Iowa in the Reserves. |
SFC (Retired) L. Troy Dick, SFC Jennifer L. Reyna
In Their Quest for a Service Dog: Sergeant Major
*article written by Troy Dick
Troy stayed active duty for a total of 13 years with tours in Grenada, Egypt, Korea, Panama, and Saudi Arabia/Kuwait. Jennifer ended up traveling all over as well; she went to Korea, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait too.
Years later after Troy had left Fort Bragg for home (Galveston, Texas city); he again went on active duty, but this time as an Active Guard Reserve SFC, stationed in Houston Texas. It was here that he met the love of his life, Jennifer! Troy and Jennifer were both assigned to Kansas right after they started dating. This almost never happens to a couple in the Army, it was fate! After three years in Kansas, Troy and Jennifer were again assigned to the same place, Houston Texas right back where they originally met, it really was meant to be.
Troy had been involved in many operations while on active duty, Operation Urgent Fury, Operation Just Cause, Operation Desert Shield, and Operation Desert Storm. He also traveled in many countries, Korea, Canada, Germany, Egypt, and of course Grenada, Panama, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
It was during these operations and tours that Troy began to accumulate some psychological problems. Years later and close to retirement SFC L. Troy Dick began to show signs and symptoms of PTSD. With the help of friends, and professionals SFC Dick was told of a program that is being used Nationwide for the treatment, and psychological well-being of PTSD and TBI diagnosed soldiers.
This program matches a service dog with a Soldier to provide coping skills, some of these are: tactile stimulation to disrupt overload and provide reality affirmation, dogs can break the spell of hypnagogic hallucinations, they can provide help with combat emotional overload, and they can also provide a good excuse for the handler to leave an upsetting situation, dogs provide deep pressure for calming effects (this is when a dog leans heavily into the handler), crowd control and panic prevention and public, security enhancement tasks, and they reduce hyper vigilance through teamwork with their handler.
Troy had many problems trying to get a working dog trained for him due to the fact that he was stationed in Houston and was not at a regular army post where most of the dog handlers and organizations are that train these particular dogs. (like TADSAW) Train a Dog Save a Warrior foundation. This program wanted to train a dog for SFC Dick but was unable to get a trainer to come down to Alvin for the amount of time it would take. SFC Dick tried for close to a year to get a trainer or to work something out to get one of these dogs to help him in public. He needed help with emotional overload, and hypnagogic hallucinations. Troy retired in December of 2011 and still had trouble going out in public. He was having problems with hyper vigilance and had no dog trainer to help him for close to a year.
Frustrated Troy asked his veterinarian’s (Dr. Bob of Alvin) receptionist Sandy if she could recommend someone. Sandy made some phone calls and recommended Pam Cundiff, a super lady that worked with Noah's Ark Bayou Sanctuary and Animal Rescue. Pam is a volunteer trainer who, in cooperation with the Penny’s from Heaven Foundation, and N.A.B.S. trained Troy's beautiful golden retriever Sgt. Major. With Pam’s help Sgt. Major has taken to the training necessary to become Troy's “battle buddy”, with great enthusiasm.
I would like to thank my Wife Jennifer for dealing with me and for all of the love that we share.
I would like to thank my Son Tim for putting up with me.
I would like to thank TASAW for letting Pam train Major, and me.
And a special thanks to Pam Cundiff for not only helping me, Jennifer, and Major, but all the others that she has helped as well.
Thanks!
Troy Dick
Years later after Troy had left Fort Bragg for home (Galveston, Texas city); he again went on active duty, but this time as an Active Guard Reserve SFC, stationed in Houston Texas. It was here that he met the love of his life, Jennifer! Troy and Jennifer were both assigned to Kansas right after they started dating. This almost never happens to a couple in the Army, it was fate! After three years in Kansas, Troy and Jennifer were again assigned to the same place, Houston Texas right back where they originally met, it really was meant to be.
Troy had been involved in many operations while on active duty, Operation Urgent Fury, Operation Just Cause, Operation Desert Shield, and Operation Desert Storm. He also traveled in many countries, Korea, Canada, Germany, Egypt, and of course Grenada, Panama, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
It was during these operations and tours that Troy began to accumulate some psychological problems. Years later and close to retirement SFC L. Troy Dick began to show signs and symptoms of PTSD. With the help of friends, and professionals SFC Dick was told of a program that is being used Nationwide for the treatment, and psychological well-being of PTSD and TBI diagnosed soldiers.
This program matches a service dog with a Soldier to provide coping skills, some of these are: tactile stimulation to disrupt overload and provide reality affirmation, dogs can break the spell of hypnagogic hallucinations, they can provide help with combat emotional overload, and they can also provide a good excuse for the handler to leave an upsetting situation, dogs provide deep pressure for calming effects (this is when a dog leans heavily into the handler), crowd control and panic prevention and public, security enhancement tasks, and they reduce hyper vigilance through teamwork with their handler.
Troy had many problems trying to get a working dog trained for him due to the fact that he was stationed in Houston and was not at a regular army post where most of the dog handlers and organizations are that train these particular dogs. (like TADSAW) Train a Dog Save a Warrior foundation. This program wanted to train a dog for SFC Dick but was unable to get a trainer to come down to Alvin for the amount of time it would take. SFC Dick tried for close to a year to get a trainer or to work something out to get one of these dogs to help him in public. He needed help with emotional overload, and hypnagogic hallucinations. Troy retired in December of 2011 and still had trouble going out in public. He was having problems with hyper vigilance and had no dog trainer to help him for close to a year.
Frustrated Troy asked his veterinarian’s (Dr. Bob of Alvin) receptionist Sandy if she could recommend someone. Sandy made some phone calls and recommended Pam Cundiff, a super lady that worked with Noah's Ark Bayou Sanctuary and Animal Rescue. Pam is a volunteer trainer who, in cooperation with the Penny’s from Heaven Foundation, and N.A.B.S. trained Troy's beautiful golden retriever Sgt. Major. With Pam’s help Sgt. Major has taken to the training necessary to become Troy's “battle buddy”, with great enthusiasm.
I would like to thank my Wife Jennifer for dealing with me and for all of the love that we share.
I would like to thank my Son Tim for putting up with me.
I would like to thank TASAW for letting Pam train Major, and me.
And a special thanks to Pam Cundiff for not only helping me, Jennifer, and Major, but all the others that she has helped as well.
Thanks!
Troy Dick
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