This Able Veteran holds graduation service for veterans and service dogs

CARTERVILLE, IL (KFVS) - This Able Veteran Service held their graduation Friday, December 14 at the Carterville Community Center.

Eleven veterans arrived in southern Illinois, and 9 of them were introduced to their new partners - specially trained PTSD service dogs.

The service animals were extensively trained and prepared over the course of the past year by This Able Veteran, a non-profit organization based in Carbondale.

The incoming veterans and their canine partners have been participating in a three-week Trauma Resiliency Program together.

Eric Provo a veteran of both the Marine Corps and the Air Force said that having a service dog like his new friend Denny is life changing.

“Definitely he is life changing he’s going to give me the strength and the ability to get back out and do a lot of the things that I was worried about going and doing, being back out in large crowds or in venues where in venues where there is a lot of people and not feel uncomfortable,” said Provo.

This Able Veteran is dedicated to helping veterans heal from the psychological wounds of war.

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