JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. - The everyday stressors of military life can contribute to mental health challenges such as depression and isolation. With this in mind, the United Service Organizations at Joint Base Langley-Eustis created a program to connect military personnel with certified therapy dogsto help alleviate some of these pressures.
Lunch with Therapy Dogs, a monthly event held at both USO centers on JBLE, offers service members and their families an opportunity to enjoy a complimentary lunch while spending time with the USO’s certified therapy dogs on their canine team.
“It was the instant, obvious feedback we got from service members when we brought our own dogs into the office that really started the program,” said Kristen Celiceo, USO center operations supervisor.
Due to the positive reaction the team received and witnessed, they began brainstorming a lasting solution to bring service members a way to connect with therapy dogs in a lighthearted and safe atmosphere.
Approximately three years after starting the program, the USO has more than 10 certified therapy dogs, making events like these possible to show support to military personnel and their families.
These 10 canines are trained to assist with emotional comfort and offer unconditional affection. Factors like helping military members with stress, PTSD and even pressures of deployment are what make the therapy dogs a great impact on the JBLE team.
“He [Rocky Road, a registered therapy dog] brings a smile to my face, along with other Airmen,” said Senior Airman Mystee Faircloth, First Operation Support Squadron airfield management shift lead.
Another service member, Senior Airman Paul Alvarez, First Maintenance Squadron technician, has attended the program with remarks of it feeling heart-warming and homey. He explained that even though you can always count on fellow Airmen to be in the USO, this program has created its own unique atmosphere that encourages morale.
Lunch with Therapy Dogs honors the USO’s mission statement, “To strengthen the well-being of America’s military service members and their families” Whether military members are looking for an opportunity to unwind and recharge or connect with others, this program can provide it.
“The program is impactful because we always see people leave smiling and happy after connecting with the therapy dogs,” Celiceo explained. “It's a cost-efficient way to bring a little joy into people’s lives and it's a program that supports everyone who wants to be a part of it.”
The USO is always looking for new friendly faces to pop in, so make sure to stay updated with their schedule at [https://midatlantic.uso.org/langley-afb](https://midatlantic.uso.org/langley-afb) for theLangleyUSO and [https://midatlantic.uso.org/fort-eustis](https://midatlantic.uso.org/fort-eustis) for the Fort-Eustis USO. Volunteers interested in joining the USO Canine Team can do so by reaching out to either of these centers.