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Veteran, service dog recognized by VFW

Former Marine now helping others, ‘That’s why I do what I do’

By Rick Monroe

Village News Writer

Fallbrook resident Chris Ingraham and his service dog Mattis are being recognized in the national Veterans of Foreign Wars #StillServing campaign honoring veterans who continue to serve after the military. In conjunction with National Service Dog Month, the campaign focuses on veterans who #StillServe alongside their canine companions.

Ingraham is a U.S. Marine veteran who served in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. To deal with his post-combat PTSD and panic attacks, Ingraham was prescribed a service dog by his doctor. That’s when he met Mattis, a chocolate lab.

The Marine received his dog, Mattis, in January 2016 during a rough time in his life, seven months after he and wife parted ways.

“He really helped through that, when I was still going through PTSD and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) from a training concussion,” Ingraham said.

Now Ingraham’s constant companion, Mattis enables him to #StillServe in the community as the commander of the Fallbrook VFW post. Mattis attends all meetings and events with Ingraham, who says he doesn’t mind that Mattis is more popular in the community than he is.

“Mattis and I are two peas in a pod. Everywhere I go, he wants to go. He’s like an American Express Card, never leave home without it,” Mattis, who turns 50 in January, said. “If I leave home just to get something at the store, he freaks out. I’ll tell him to ‘Stay home with Mom’ but he’s definitely not very happy.”

Mattis also has been known to intervene when others are struggling. Ingraham recalls a dinner for Vietnam veterans that he was speaking at, with Mattis at his side at the podium as usual. When medals were being handed out, many of the veterans in the audience began to get emotional. One was there alone and having a hard time. Mattis left Ingraham’s side and went to the veteran to calm and redirect him until Ingraham was done speaking and came to sit with them.

Early September was a difficult time for Ingraham during and after the withdraw from Afghanistan.

“I was very emotional, with both sadness and anger,” he said.

“The way we did it, personally, as a Vet, was disturbing,” he explained. “I’ve sent letters and emails to our representatives saying that someone has be accountable for the failure there. With that big of a cluster fault, they all should be accountable, from the officers involved to the President.

“As a Marine, I was part of a draw down and it’s always the military that is the last to leave. This was just the opposite,” he added.

Ingraham said a friend introduced the idea of visiting the VFW.

“‘Come down to the post,’ he said, and it was the perfect match. I was able to build camaraderie with fellow veterans and in the five years I’ve grown to be able to help others,” he said. “Besides being post commander now, I am post service officer, which lets me help them with VA issues and personal needs. That’s why I do what I do.”

In addition to leading the local post, Ingraham is involved in regional and statewide VFW activities.

Ingraham said he knows he wouldn’t be able to #StillServe in the community without Mattis, saying the dog gives him back his purpose, which is to serve others. 

“Dogs often have a special bond with humans and are even called ‘man’s best friend’ because they mean so much to us. Often, that’s a result of how much they do for us and alongside us,” Fritz Mihelcic, VFW National Commander, said. “Veterans value the experiences they have with dogs whether that’s as a service member or in the workplace or their personal lives after transitioning out of the military.”

Veterans of Foreign Wars launched the #StillServing campaign in February 2020 to bring attention to and honor the continued commitment and sacrifice of America’s veterans. For some of those men and women, dogs have played – or continue to play – an important role. The VFW wants to share their stories.

The VFW urges all veterans who have experiences with service dogs, working dogs, therapy dogs and emotional support dogs to submit a brief story through the #StillServing website at todaysvfw.org.

This new initiative is seeking a wide range of stories including, but not limited to, service dogs or therapy dogs aiding veterans with physical or mental injuries, Veterans who benefit from emotional support dogs, Veterans involved in training service dogs, working dogs or therapy dogs, dogs who assisted service members during a military operation and Veterans employed with a police department K-9 unit.

“We value the outstanding service these wonderful animals are able to provide and want to recognize dogs who have been or currently are a great help to us,” Mihelcic said. “There are many veterans continuing to answer the call of duty or overcoming challenges in their lives, and we know that some of them can’t imagine doing that without a special dog by their side.”

The #StillServing campaign is raising awareness about the different ways veterans continue a life of service beyond their military career and how their ongoing contributions make a positive difference for communities and the country.

 

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