{"id":321360,"date":"2024-11-24T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=321360"},"modified":"2024-11-26T19:44:40","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T19:44:40","slug":"ministry-dog-aids-michigan-army-guard-soldier-resiliency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=321360","title":{"rendered":"Ministry Dog Aids Michigan Army Guard Soldier Resiliency"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Penny, a therapy dog with the Michigan Army National Guard, provides emotional support to Soldiers during training exercises and events at Fort Custer, November 2024. Penny works alongside Chaplain Adam Lavigne to foster resilience and well-being among service members.. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Paige Bodine)
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BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Soldiers may have spotted a furry new face around the Michigan Army National Guard\u2014 a four-legged addition already making an impact.<\/p>\n

Penny, a small black Labrador, is no ordinary dog. Trained as a service animal through the Puppies Behind Bars program, Penny works alongside Chaplain Adam Lavigne from the 177th Military Police Brigade Unit Ministry Team, bringing comfort and companionship to Soldiers. Offering emotional support in moments of stress, anxiety or solitude, Penny helps service members find peace in challenging times.<\/p>\n

\u201cPenny\u2019s job is to brighten peoples\u2019 day, and she does it phenomenally,\u201d said Lavigne. \u201cShe has a unique way of lifting spirits and changing the atmosphere wherever she goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Military chaplains support Soldiers\u2019 spiritual, emotional and mental well-being, serving as a bridge during challenging times. For Chaplain Lavigne, this mission took on a new dimension after seeing the profound impact therapy dogs had on fostering connection and resilience among Soldiers.<\/p>\n

Lavigne first encountered the idea of therapy dogs through a friend who had introduced one into a military setting in 2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought that having a dog would be a unique tool to connect with Soldiers,\u201d Lavigne said. \u201cThe culture today has changed, and we need to try new ways to help address mental health issues and build resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Levigne asked his brigade commander if he would be open to the idea of a therapy dog for the Guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018Absolutely,\u2019\u201d Lavigne recalled.<\/p>\n

Penny came to Lavigne through Green Haven Correctional Facility in New York, where inmates participate in Puppies Behind Bars, raising and training service dogs for military and first responders.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe training lasted a couple of weeks, and I spent hours working with Penny in a maximum-security prison,\u201d said Lavigne. \u201cThe puppy raisers taught us how to work with the dogs. Penny\u2019s raiser is serving 20 years to life. The prison had no air conditioning and many other challenges, but it was rewarding to complete the training and return home.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a therapy dog, Penny has quickly become a beloved presence among Soldiers. She accompanies Lavigne to meetings, training exercises and events, adding a calming influence wherever she goes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of Penny\u2019s strengths is her ability to recognize when a Soldier needs extra support,\u201d Lavigne said. \u201cSometimes, when someone\u2019s had a rough day, she\u2019ll curl up on their lap, offering them comfort in a way words can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Therapy dogs like Penny are especially beneficial for today\u2019s generation of Soldiers, who often face mental health challenges and stresses.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing more Soldiers open up and seek help for stress and anxiety,\u201d Lavigne shared. \u201cThis generation is more attuned to the importance of mental health, and therapy dogs offer a way to support them that feels approachable and safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something powerful about an animal\u2019s non-judgmental presence. A dog like Penny can make it easier for Soldiers to let down their guard and just feel, even if it\u2019s just for a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Penny has helped Lavigne connect with Soldiers from all backgrounds, regardless of their faith.<\/p>\n

\u201cSoldiers who might not usually stop by my office now come in just to see Penny,\u201d he said. \u201cShe opens the door for important conversations, allowing Soldiers to talk about life and check in without feeling pressured.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more National Guard news<\/a><\/p>\n

National Guard Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

National Guard X<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Penny, a therapy dog with the Michigan Army National Guard, provides emotional support to Soldiers during training exercises and events at Fort Custer, November 2024. Penny works alongside Chaplain Adam Lavigne to foster resilience and well-being among service members.. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Paige Bodine) (Photo Credit: 2nd Lt. Paige Bodine) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":321362,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-321360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/321360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=321360"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/321360\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":321363,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/321360\/revisions\/321363"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/321362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=321360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=321360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=321360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}