DANIEL AND FREYA

On September 11, 2001, I started thinking about going into the military, and it took me til 2003, after the Iraq invasion to finally decide to do what I knew that I had to do. So on October 21, 2003, I arrived at basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, as an infantry trainee. After my basic training and infantry AIT, I reported to airborne school and then once completed moved onto RIP (Ranger indoctrination program.) after RIP, I was assigned to the 173rd airborne brigade combat team in Vicenza Italy. While with the 173rd airborne I deployed twice to Afghanistan. With three the weeks left in my last employment hey 107 mm rocket landed about 8 feet from me, and I received over 16 shrapnel wounds.  I left the army in November 2008 as an E4 (Specialist). I have mobility issues due to the shrapnel still left in my legs.  I have had hip replacement surgery through the VA due to the extreme toll the army took on my body. I also have some issues with posttraumatic stress disorder. I do not do well in large groups of people and would prefer to stay at home rather than be in public. I hope that having a service dog will help me get out more and be more social and comfortable around people.