About Pet for a Vet
Every day, countless veterans face the silent battles of PTSD. For many, the effects can be isolating—leaving them feeling disconnected from those around them and even struggling to trust their own thoughts and emotions. But there’s a powerful, life-changing support that can bridge this gap: a service animal trained specifically to support PTSD.
A service animal brings more than just companionship; they offer a steady presence that can calm, comfort, and reassure when anxiety or fear take hold. Perhaps most importantly, they provide veterans with a renewed sense of purpose and connection. For veterans who may feel isolated, a companion animal offers daily encouragement to step forward, show up, and care deeply for a life that, in turn, cares for them. This relationship isn’t just beneficial—it’s transformative, building a bond where both a veteran and their pet find companionship, purpose, and love.
Coming Home Incorporated is thrilled to launch the very first Pet for a Vet! The mission is to find a veteran with a deep need for companionship and pair them with a young puppy who will be provided with specific training tailored to that veteran’s needs for companionship as they mature into an adult dog. This brings both the veteran and the service dog to ward a journey of mutual healing and support. Together, they will learn, grow, and form a partnership built on trust, love, and unwavering support.
If you know a veteran who could benefit from this precious gift, nominate them for the Pet for a Vet starting November 11th! You will find all the information you need on how to nominate a veteran listed below. The deadline for nominations is November 30th.Help us create a new beginning for both a deserving veteran and a devoted companion animal—two lives transformed, one incredible bond. Thank you for helping Coming Home Incorporated and KID Newsradio honor and support veterans in our community with Pet for a Vet.
How to Nominate a Veteran
Starting November 11th, you can nominate a veteran in Southeast Idaho who would benefit from the companionship and support of a specially trained service dog. Here’s how to submit your nomination:
1. Complete the Nomination Form–Look for the “Veteran Nominee” section on the form below. Here you can fill out the details directly or you can attach a personal letter, sharing all relevant information about the veteran you’re nominating.
2. Provide Your Details–As the nominator, be sure to fill out your contact information where prompted. This allows Coming Home Incorporated to reach you if they need more details about your nominee.
3. Tell Us About the Veteran–The more you can share about the veteran, the better! Help Coming Home Incorporated understand why you believe this would be a life-changing gift for them. Include any specific ways a service animal would support their needs and why they would make an ideal companion for this special dog.
4. Ensure Complete Contact Information–To ensure your entry is considered, all required contact details for both you and the veteran nominee must be fully completed.
How Nominees are selected
All the nominations will be collected by KID News Radio and sent to Coming Home Incorporated for careful review. Finalists will be selected to ensure the best match for both the veteran and the service dog. If the veteran you nominated is chosen as a finalist, Coming Home Incorporated will reach out directly to conduct an interview and discuss next steps. Finalists will be notified during the week of December 2nd – 7th. The final selection will be made with thoughtful consideration of the veteran’s unique needs and the potential bond with the companion puppy! The chosen veteran will be announced by Coming Home Incorporated and Jolyn Thomas on KID News Radio on December 9th, between 4–6pm.If you have any questions about the nomination process, feel free to reach out Coming Home Incorporated directly via their Facebook page, linked below.
Meet Willow
Willow is a beautiful purebred golden retriever with a heart as golden as her fur. Born in Idaho Falls and lovingly donated by Jordan and Nicole Thacker, Willow has already shown herself to be calm, gentle, and endlessly affectionate—everything a veteran in need of companionship could hope for.
With her naturally sweet and loving demeanor, Willow is ready to bring joy, comfort, and companionship to a deserving veteran. She will receive special training to become a certified service animal, growing alongside her new partner to ensure a deep, lasting bond.
Willow is more than just a pet; she’s a best friend in the making, ready to be there every day with love, loyalty, and companionship. We can’t wait to see Willow become the perfect companion for her new home.
About Coming Home Incorporated
We are a team of change-makers who believe that every helping hand can assist a veteran and create a better future for them.
It’s hard to know where to start any story, but this one starts with Ben. Ben grew up in East Idaho and he soaked up what the area had to offer. Hunting, fishing, motors and guns, he really didn’t need anything else! Ben loved his country at a young age and after he earned his Eagle Scout award, he graduated early and joined the Army National Guard where he served as a Specialist with his brothers and friends with the 116th infantry, Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded several letters of Commendation and Achievement.
Ben genuinely loved and cared for anyone he came in contact with. He thought of friends as family, and he made sure you knew it. He loved with all of his heart and was compassionate beyond words. He was smart, artistic, cheerful and funny. He was the kind of guy to help a stranger change a tire or pay for the groceries of someone in need. Whether Ben had it or not, he would always give it. A listening ear, to hard labor, Ben was always helping others. Ben loved 3 things most in the world, guns, motors but most of all his children, a daughter Charlie and son Raye. His children meant the world to him and it showed through the constant teaching and friendship he shared with them. He was a hands on dad ALL the way, and he wanted them to experience everything he and the world could offer. The bond he shared with his children was truly special beyond words .Ben’s true talents showed best when working with his hands. He worked as a mechanic, pattern maker, machinist, gun smith, carpenter and much more. He lived for music, fishing, hunting, camping and spending time with his family and friends. Ben was a teacher and a friend. He could be found on his hands and knees playing trucks, Barbies or baiting a fishing hook. His family and friends being the center of his world. Ben fought his final battle January 18th 2018, but this time he lost. The hole he left in the hearts of his loved ones is monumental. When a force of nature as strong as the one residing in him chooses to leave, there’s really nothing one can do to prepare for the aftershock. Where so much love is given, just as much pain has to be felt. Ben was always the brightest one in a room, it’s hard to understand the inner battles he fought, because to the outside world, he could not have been happier.
Now it’s our turn to bare a portion of his heartache. Coming Home Incorporated–a non-profit organization was created by Ben’s family in the hope that the battles our brothers and sisters fight after “coming home” can be fought with other comrades and members of the community standing behind them, ready to fight for THEM. This is 100% volunteer operated and donations received are used to support our local veterans physically, mentally, and socially. We offer free PTSD counseling to veterans, cleaning, yard work, projects, monthly events and anything we can do to show our veterans we care and are thankful for the hard work they STILL put in for us. The battles continue long after coming home. We cannot save those that we have already lost, but we can make a difference in the lives of their families and those living in our community. Our goal is to connect veterans and community through service and love, in hopes to heal and unite. May we serve others as a way to heal ourselves. We want our veterans to build relationships with other veterans and the community through teaching workshops, charity work, socializing and events. Meeting the right people at the right time can make all the difference. These brave men and women have put their lives and their stability on the line to keep us safe and to protect us. Only those that have served understand the sacrifice of serving. We want to create an opportunity for veterans to connect with those that truly understand the cost of freedom in the communities they come home to. We want them to feel supported not only by the community, but also by each other. Through service and love, deep connections and lifelong friendships can form and have a lasting impact on those we help but also ourselves in return.
Qualifications:
- must be 21 or older to be selected
- served in any branch of the U.S. Military
- must live within eastern Idaho
Disclaimers:
Selection process is based on information provided and is selected by the members of Coming Home inc.
Finalist will be contacted for further information.
Last day for entries will be November 30th, 2024
Selection will be announced on December 9th, 2024.
Contact information:
https://www.facebook.com/cominghomevet
cominghomeincorp@gmail.com