Joe Nieves (40), collapsed on the couch in his Frederick, Maryland living room. Jem, his Labrador-Golden Retriever cross and his support dog, was three years old when he jumped up to her and placed her head on his thigh. He began to stroke her ears as he petted her.
“You know, look at her. He said that she doesn’t need to be there at all. She could have been in the bedroom, but instead she chose to be here. That means a lot.
Jem, a service dog that was specially trained to aid veterans with PTSD like Nieves, is called Jem. Jem is a service dog that Nieves claims acts as a buffer when he feels overwhelmed or disconnected from the outside world.
The two of them were matched in March. He commented that she has been more helpful than he had expected.
In 2006, Nieves, a former Army soldier was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (PTSD) and was discharged.
He claims that his 2004 and 2005 deployments to Iraq are another cause of anxiety. Like many veterans, he still feels the intangible effects of what he witnessed overseas.
He remarked, “It’s strange how many of the things that haunt people are the things that happened to them. While I have witnessed many things, those that happened to me have haunted my heart the most.
Because of Jem, Nieves attended his first gathering in approximately five years in June at Washington, D.C.’s Awesome Con, a Comic-Con conference that draws tens of thousands of “geek culture” enthusiasts.
Jem can perform many tasks to assist Nieves. Nieves said that her help in relieving his anxiety about social situations was very helpful. Her presence may prevent others from approaching Nieves from the back or the front.
He said that Nieves is able to enter places she can’t so it helps relieve his strain. He is introverted so visitors tend to be more focused on Jem when they enter the room.
“I believe it to be a result of the command. For me, that’s great because the focus is on her instead of on myself, which is incredibly refreshing,” he remarked.
Nieves was a very varied man during his mission. One incident stands out.
Nieves was looking over a checkpoint at his camp, Iraq, one night when a mortar shell struck an object just 100 yards away. Nieves claimed there were six to seven sleeping soldiers. The building’s roof burst into flames, creating a shroud of metal.
It seemed to be moving slowly, much like a movie. Simply put, it’s slow motion. “I feel it sitting in my eyes and face like the 100 yards just flew forward,” he added.
Before the mortars struck, he had heard them. He said that he understood at that moment what mortal dread meant. He wasn’t sure if he should move or stand still to prevent being struck.
He said that all the soldiers were able to get out of the battle with minor injuries. However, he was worried about losing his entire squad.
In 2012, he was medically discharged.
Nieves tried many methods to manage her anxiety, but none of them worked. Katharina Nieves gave him a camera to use when he was out with his girls.
“The camera was to aid in my downward viewfinder focus. Therefore, I don’t perceive all the other things.
When I glanced through the camera, I just saw her and my girls,” Nieves remarked.
He knew that service dogs were possible, but was dissuaded by the thought of getting one. He didn’t feel re-inspired that a service dog may help him until sometime in 2018, when he met the service dog of a veteran buddy at Wounded Warrior Project support group sessions.
In 2019, he was added to the Canine Companions List.
According to John Bentzinger, the organization’s public relations and marketing coordinator, Canine Companions has six training facilities spread out over the United States and spends about $50,000 to nurture and train each dog.
Veteran must complete a long process to obtain a service dog. Nieves reported that the company’s matching procedure runs smoothly.
The group selects several puppies that could be matched up with a veteran. Nieves quickly identified his match. The first dog, the first love.
Nieves remarked, “She really was amazing, the ideal amount of enthusiasm.”
Nieves says that Jem has transformed the game outside of the home and has become part of the family. Nieves also owns a boisterous French bulldog named Nemesis. Nieves commented that she was attractive but Jem is different.
In the way that only she can, he said, “the love and affection, as I’ve experienced before, but it’s different with her and not in a better way than the other dog.” “I’m eternally appreciative, even merely to have someone lay on the couch with me,” the speaker said.
Source:Military Times
