Our wounded veterans are faced with physical and emotional struggles upon returning from their service overseas. The nonprofit organization Paws and Stripes works to provide service dogs for wounded veterans of the United States military that face Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Because some insurance companies do not cover the cost of service dogs to assist veterans with symptoms associated with these disorders, Paw and Stripes hopes to provide qualifying wounded warriors with service dogs.

The service dogs are obtained only from shelters, and are trained by professionals specializing in service dogs. The organization allows the veteran to choose their own dog, then trainers work side-by-side with the veteran and the dog. The organization's goal is to provide the dogs and training for no cost to the veteran.

Lindsey Stanek and her husband, veteran Jim Stanek, founded Paws and Stripes in 2010 because of Jim's struggles with PTSD/TBI. He was sent home from his third tour in Iraq for injuries he received on deployment.

"After nine months in treatment, Jim discovered that the most comfort and relief he found was in the presence of therapy dogs," Lindsey said.

After learning how difficult and expensive getting a service dog was, the couple looked at one another and agreed to start their own organization for veterans.

Paws and Stripes is unique in that it is exclusive to the U.S. military veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD and TBI.

The Stanek's hope this program provides veterans with healing during this difficult time.

To find out more about the program and see how you can get involved, visit http://www.pawsandstripes.org/

For more on enrollment in the program click here

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