Operation Rambo is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that specializes in working with veterans to train lifesaving service dogs for disabled American Veterans.
Our team of volunteers rescue shelter dogs and train them for specific tasks to help for veteran disabilities. Our goal is to prevent veteran suicide, as 22 veterans commit suicide in this country every day and that in our minds is unacceptable. We work directly with the veteran and the dog and teach the veteran how to work with the animal for specific tasks that the animal can assist the veteran with.
We also provide support for veterans that are looking to get into their own home using their VA home loan, and we work with veterans and their families to help provide the American dream with home ownership. We have helped over 450 veteran families get into their own homes, giving them the peace of mind with the promise of their own home and land.
We are currently in the process of fundraising to be able to expand our organization to be able to have foster families for dogs so that we can have more dogs in training so that we can have them ready when a veteran comes to us, we can have a dog at the ready.
We would like to be able to emulate this business model that we have been successful with and be able to branch out to other regional areas that are in need of this same type of lifesaving work.
We have partnered with several shelters around the State and have access to great dog candidates that would love to be able to serve a needy veteran.
It is rewarding to see our dogs accel. We have dogs that work at the V.A. with their owners. We even have a dog that is an aid and comfort dog for the Red Cross, he and his owner has helped people that were affected by hurricanes in Florida.
Hello,
My name is James McCallum. I served in Vietnam in the “brown water Navy from 1969-1970 and “blue water Navy” from 1971-1972.
I am writing this letter to express my gratitude and appreciation to Operation Rambo for giving my furry friend Fraya, to me. She is very smart and took to my wife and I instantly.
I was going through some counseling for my service-connected disabilities including PTSD. It was suggested to me by my councilor that a service dog would be a good fit for me. I saw a flier for Operation Rambo and decided to give them a call.
Operation Rambo found Fraya who was a young pup that was left outside in a back yard, lonely and was bored and needed a chance at serving a better purpose. They rescued her and took her into their program and started grooming her to be a service animal.
I did a weekend visit with Fraya and then another week. Ray and Dave came to do house visits and we did dog training at Home Depot. We decided Fraya needed to be a part of our family.
She is my service dog from heaven. She keeps me company, she senses when I’m down and sticks really close to me and I get extra loving, when my blood pressure changes as well, she extremely helpful she picks up and brings item to me that I dropped and passes items to my wife.
Fraya closes cupboard doors, passes items to meet in the dishwasher, very helpful when she brings me her bowl so I can feed her, she heals really well; and even gets packages for me left at the door. She will also pick up my oxygen hose to me when it falls on the floor and give it to me. Fraya even puts herself to bed in her kennel at night. This dog never ceases to amaze me how smart she is.
My wife and I have been trying to figure out what we did before Fraya came into our lives
She a Shepard / lab mix miniature. She super smart I’m truly blessed.
I would highly recommend Operation Rambo to any disabled veterans out there.
E 3 seaman first class James McCallum
Hello,
My name is Jacki Arnett. I wanted to tell you about my experience with Operation Rambo. I was in the Army and have experienced PTSD. Before I got Sasha in July of this year I didn’t go to stores, let alone park anyplace that was crowded by myself, I am very weary of people.
I am a nurse at the V.A. I was a clinic team nurse for years. Just before COVID hit I was assigned a new job under the Director of nurses for preventative health for all our veterans that are not assigned to teams at the V.A. then covid hit and things changed, the COVID clinic was priority they handed it to me to develop and run. This stress and a health issue made my PTSD worse. I was ready to stop working at V.A.
Then a co-worker told me about Operation Rambo. I called them to see what it was about. This team cared about me and my need for support. They found a couple dogs and asked me to meet with them. I meet Sasha and it just felt right.
Now I can go to work and Sasha is always with me. when I felt my anxiety coming up, she would just come and put her body next to me and push with paw on my leg and it helped. I go to all the stores by myself with Sasha. My confidence is back. Health is better. she’s amazingly awesome Shepherd that learns my emotions and my needs without me even telling her. Thanks to Operation Rambo for giving me back my confidence with having Sasha and my independence back.
Sincerely,
Jacki Arnett
Nurse White City V.A.
