Local Veteran & Service Dog Nationally Honored for #StillServing

Coos Bay resident Julian King and his service dog, Mocha, are being recognized in the national Veterans of Foreign Wars #StillServing campaign honoring veterans who continue to serve after the military. In conjunction with National Service Dog Month, the campaign this month focuses on veterans who #StillServe alongside their canine companions.

King was a combat medic deployed to Egypt, Iraq and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. After retiring from the military he experienced a large void in his life, missing the comradery of the service. He was in a VA hospital for a while and a therapy dog came to visit once a week, and he thought to himself “I would like to do that for others.” He and Mocha now have hundreds of therapy visits under their belt volunteering with Furry Friends and South Coast Hospice to help enrich the lives of people when they are at their lowest point. He shares that some patients don't remember his name, but they never seem to forget Mocha.

King knows he would not be able to #StillServe others without Mocha. Mocha can tell by his voice if he is getting stressed and calms him by continually nudging him with her nose.

VFW is proud to recognize King and all other veterans who are #StillServing. Veterans are invited to share their stories of continued service at vfw.org/stillserving