The crossfire of combat traps an animal.  It is shaking, dirty, huddled in a corner and scared.  There is no understanding the chaos in progress.  A soldier comes into the area and sees the animal crouched in the corner.  The noise on the street begins to settle and the soldier turns toward the frightened animal, squats down, puts out his hand and waits.  There is no movement on the part of the animal – except for its shaking.

 

Some of our combat soldiers do manage to befriend animals displaced by the ravages of war.  The soldier comforts the scared animal, feeds it and loves it.  The animal follows its new owner and provides comfort in return.  Soon, the two become one as they share experiences of combat and the peace that comes from being together.  They are the only two that know about their experiences of war.

 

The end of the tour of duty will come soon for the soldier and home looms ahead.  How will this soul mate get home?  Military rules deal with situations of this sort by referencing document GO-1A that prohibits soldiers from keeping pets.

 

GO-1A claims that a pet somehow compromises troop character and morale.  They somehow “distract” the soldier from performing duties with integrity. Worse, pets cannot accompany the soldier home.  Upon departure of the troops, these pets again become victims of war. They are euthanized which only serves to complicate the mental health of the soldier.

 

Our soldier knows the reality of combat and is already depressed, stressed and traumatized. Now, they need to go through the process of grieving over the loss of their pet, friend and soul mate.  Simply put, it appears that the military would rather incur the steep costs of mental health treatment even when the cost to bring a “therapy” pet home is negligible in comparison.

 

Therapy pets give an indescribable and immeasurable amount of comfort to the elderly, handicapped and disabled.  They lift spirits, helping the over-wrought to re-focus for a bit and even forget.

 

Research over the years shows the intrinsic value when therapy pets visit the nursing homes, climb into the lap of a disabled person and slurping a big kiss on the face of this lucky person.  People note their feelings of comfort and happiness when an enthusiastic four-footed canine greets its returning family.  There is a bond between a pet and its family.

 

PTSD among our returning troops does not go away – for them or their pets.  It might lie latent for periods, but these latent episodes will emerge when least expected.  A pet cannot stop this from happening, but it will be a shorter episode when shared with a reassuring canine or feline buddy.  A loyal pet gives free, immediate comfort, warmth and security.  In the bigger scheme of war, it costs the military much less to provide vaccination and passage for a pet than paying when the veteran must reach for the speed dial to a psychiatrist’s office.

 

The troops should not suffer any longer.  Neither should the pets.  It is time that the Veterans Administration and the military acknowledge that these pets serve an important role in the mental health and general safety of our combat troops. A spirit of cooperation with organizations willing to help bring the adopted pets home would be a great benefit for troop morale as well as individual mental and emotional well-being.

 

The only other “person” that knows the horrific experiences of war is the pet that is adopted by our combat soldier.  At this time, it is important for the Department of Defense to consider the benefits of ditching this unfair policy in favor of the mental health of our returning troops.  These pets serve as a lifeline to reality when battle renders our soldier mentally wounded.  In this capacity, these animals honorably serve our country and deserve rewards for their faithful service.