SD Comanche and BA have been actively traveling and participating with Irreverent Warriors, a veterans group that holds "hike" gatherings with a mission.  Improvement of Mental Health and Prevention of Veteran Suicide are no longer stigmatisms that stifle us. Camaraderie is crucial as Peer to Peer Support has proven to be one of the most effective ways to enable veterans and their families to transition from active duty military life back into civilian existence.  Losing your BATTLE BUDDIES and that way we connected generates  isolation or estrangement for many veterans. Having platforms that encourage us to stay involved or connected can be life changing. 

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Irreverent Warriors served as a personal reBoot in the midst of the coVid scene.  It was one of the few veteran support groups that stayed actively "Boots On The Ground", providing many of us a lifeline as other services were cut-off. Our IW tribe becomes that "BUDDY CHECK" many of us need. Comanche and I have 55 (+) hikes since we jumped in 4-5 years ago.  We volunteered as a working dog team for our first two IW NC Hikes, Wilmington and Raleigh. We were challenged to "hike" the VA Beach Silkies Hike; I was HOOKED by then.  The veteran connections I began to make soon became more than just casual acquaintances.  We shared, compared notes, swapped stories and talked shit.  Not having to explain oneself, letting your guard down and just having that military mindset was an equalizer I was looking for, for many years. 

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Service Dogs ONLY have IW hike access; our dogs are program, private trainer and owner trained working dogs. Some of us travel together, using the opportunity to train or work on Public Access and Socialization challenges.  As an AKC Evaluator, I can train alongside another team, support them and provide legitimate evaluations for teams needing certificates of completion such as AKC Canine Good Citizen.  I watch-dogged this veteran group for several years before I committed to lead out on this project. Working with veteran dog teams has shown me as our dog becomes our  BATTLE BUDDY, that the discipline of dog duty pulls us out of our heads.  Utilizing the canine connection for camaraderie and to improve mental health aligns with the mission of Irreverent Warriors. If you spice it up with some dark doggie humor - Even More So!