For more than a decade, Smoky Mountain Service Dogs has been assisting wounded veterans on assimilating back into civilian life.
For the majority of those (actually) 15 years, the focus has been on those veterans with physical wounds — whether it be amputees or victims of brain injury that might have impaired balance or senses. But the folks at SMSD, many of which are veterans themselves, are privy to the fact that not all scars of war are immediately visible … and not all heroes are draped in camouflage.
In more recent years, the group has been of assistance to veterans who return from war with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as first-responders in need of extra assistance. Since 2010, SMSD has been able to aid 76 wounded veterans and first responders with an extra four-legged friend to accompany them through the challenges that everyday life brings. Though Mike Kitchens, the Volunteer Chair for the group, says these animals abilities impact far more than just the man or woman holding the leash.
“The mission is pure,” Kitchens said. “To see how that dog impacts the family life in addition to the veteran. Now the wife who’s working isn’t so worried about her husband at home, that sort of thing.”
Kitchens said that there’s around 200 volunteers for the organization, all contributing some small skill to the bigger picture for what SMSD can be. A green team that mows the grounds and keeps them clean, community event organizers, client services that help veterans through the application process and, of course, dog trainers and behavioral specialists.
But the line of communication doesn’t end once SMSD has passed the reins of the pup on to its new owner, however. Professionals within the organization help hand-pick the animal-to-veteran pairing for a good match in personality and personal skill sets, as well as follow-up with the dog and owner for the rest of the dog’s life. Kitchens said that seeing how much both parties grow and flourish in the process is one of his favorite aspects of the position he’s in.
“I’ve had veterans look me in the eye and say ‘I wound’t be here without my dog,’” Kitchens said. “That’s happened more than once, because they can get in a dark place.”
Almost all of the manpower supplied to SMSD by its workers is completely volunteer based. From trainers to event planners all the way to bookkeepers and grant writers, there aren’t any pay stubs distributed among those who see the need for the mission. Kitchens called the environment himself his “second paycheck,” stating that getting to work with so many passionate volunteers makes for an incredible environment.
While the group accepts donations from a number of channels, two of their biggest events for fundraising are the Challenge Golf games in June, as well as the upcoming annual “Night for Patriots” coming to The Venue in Lenoir City later this fall. Kitchens stated that they’re expecting a sold-out evening, somewhere north of 500 guests from around the county.
The event will include music, dinner, a cash bar, silent auction and several speakers — at least one of whom previously served in the military.
This year’s lineup is impressive and diverse. United States Air Force Lt. General Steven “Bash” Basham, who previosuly flew B-2 and B-52 bombers, will be the event’s keynote speaker. Following up is recipient speaker Dr. Dawnie Steadman, Director of the University of Tennessee’s Forensic Anthropology Center, who will be giving her remarks alongside her SMSDog “Hondo” and talking about how her work was used to identify remains of the victims from the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center.
The organization has also just begun their process for the presale of custom license plates, where donors can purchase a custom-made SMSD license tag. Those wishing to purchase a tag can find a pre-order link on the group’s website.
“Night for Patriots” is currently scheduled for Saturday, October 4, at 6 p.m. in The Venue at Lenoir City. General tickets are $135 per person, with reserved tables of up to 10 guests available with a request for a $1,350 donation. Those wishing to buy tickets can contact Mike Kitchens directly at mike.k@smokymountainservicedogs.org. For more information on SMSD, go to smokymountainservicedogs.org.
