Local Veteran and Service Dog Honored for #StillServing

Scottsdale resident Jeff Daley and his service dog Marshall are being recognized in the national Veterans of Foreign Wars #StillServing campaign honoring veterans who continue to serve after the military. For many veterans, canines are an integral part of that service.

A Vietnam veteran, combat duty left Daley 100 percent disabled due to neurological issues. He discovered he qualified for a service dog received a Belgian Malinois named Marshall from the Malinois Foundation.

Daley says Marshall has normalized his life to a degree he did not think possible. “It's amazing what he is capable of and his enthusiasm for supporting me is immense,” Daley explains. “He sticks to me like glue and is forever watchful over me.”

Because of Marshall’s help, Daley is able to give back to others. Daley has a PhD so with Marshall at his side, he volunteers answering suicide hotline calls. In addition he speaks at events and schools to educate the public about the responsibilities of service dogs and how to recognize and interact with them. He wants disabled veterans seeking a service dog to know there are organizations like the Belgian Malinois Foundation who can provide dogs for less money and in less time than the VA-approved vendor.

VFW invites all veterans to submit their still serving stories at vfw.org/stillserving.