Operation Overwatch

Operation Overwatch has been established for charitable and educational purposes. Specifically, we rescue dogs and then train them to be Service Dogs for military veterans, first responders and their families that suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Our founding team consists of three Military Working Dog handlers/trainers/veterans, a police K9 handler and an entrepreneurial development specialist. We are veterans that have seen both sides of the need for appropriately trained service dogs, the effects that they brings as well as knowing what it truly takes to train a dog to be a reliable source of freedom, rehabilitation, empowerment, comfort and peace. Recent government sponsored studies indicate that since Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom there are over 800,000 reported diagnoses of PTSD/TBI, and a similar study indicates the rate of suicide amongst veterans is up to 22 per day, up from a low of 18 per day in 2007. Not all of these cases would be candidates for a Service Dog, however, if only ten percent were, that would be over 80,000 dogs, a number that barely sees a 2% reduction from the existing Service Dog providers. Of the current Service Dog training groups, less than 10% train more than 12-24 dogs a year. Our approach to just the training aspect alone can afford us the ability to train hundreds of dogs a year, per location! As we grow, a goal will be to put an Operation Overwatch facility near as many Veterans Administration locations as possible, to make accessibility to those in need much easier. As we scale up, we can make a serious impact on the aforementioned numbers. While our founding team truly understands how to create and manage a quality dog training program, another key that will separate us from most existing programs is our support classes that each handler will receive when at our campus(es). While the member’s are with us to receive and train with a dog that can potentially save their life, they will also receive classes on coping, career development, trigger awareness, dealing with grief, and many more classes to make this an extensive piece to the rehabilitative process. We will require communication with each member’s therapy team prior to, during and after our hands on training to ensure that we are efficient in our efforts to be of service. We will bring in experts in the appropriate fields to develop educational protocols and teach the course of study that they oversee. The members that are selected to receive one of our dogs will bear no cost for the dog, lodging during their stay with us and meals while on campus. We are in negotiations with different dog food manufacturers to provide dog food for the life of the dog, and we are also working on free or low cost veterinary care for the dogs once they leave our possession.