Photo By Taylor Mayberry | Buddy Niner, firefighter, Letterkenny Army Depot, crouches down to look at his service...... read more read more
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – For the first time in history, the Letterkenny Army Depot’s Fire and Emergency Services onboarded a firefighter and service animal team when Buddy Niner and his dog, Bea, joined LEAD on June 17.
Niner enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2007 and deployed to Afghanistan for over nine months from 2009 to 2010. “I specifically chose the U.S. Marines because my dad was a Marine, and he was someone I always looked up to my entire life,” he said.
Determined to continue serving his country, he joined the Air National Guard for a four-year term in 2015, where he served as a firefighter after departing the Marine Corps. Despite having no prior experience, he quickly grew to love the role and said it was one of the best decisions he had ever made.
After 12 years of combined military service, Niner continued his career as a DOD firefighter.
Encouraged to receive a service animal by a therapist, Niner connected with Warrior Canine Connection, a mission program that trains puppies from birth to assist veterans in coping with past experiences.
Niner decided to contact WCC after learning that a service dog had the same name as his Marine friend who had passed away in his unit. Upon meeting the puppy, he remarked, “The puppy has big shoes to fill,” in tribute to his friend. Niner began volunteering with WCC, meeting several veterans who were receiving service dogs, and eventually had the opportunity to receive his dog, Bea.
WCC names each service dog after a significant figure in military history. Bea’s named in honor of U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Beatrice Bouchard McLogan. McLogan was known for intercepting and decoding Nazi war plans, resulting in saving many members of our military.
Bea, a trained five-year-old black American Labrador retriever, fulfills a range of tasks for Niner. These include waking him from nightmares, operating lights and doors, retrieving objects, and delivering items to others. When she senses his high stress levels, she provides comfort through deep pressure therapy by lying on him. In public, Bea circles around Niner and leans against his leg, serving as a reassuring presence.
“Bea impacts my life daily as a veteran and firefighter because you just have those days where you just don’t want to get up or do anything,” said Niner. “By having her with me, I always have positive reinforcement since she’s always wanting to play and snuggle up next to me.
“Owning a service dog is like having your own personal cheerleader to support you through hard days, which gives me a purpose to get up and try harder every day.”
Bea has made a significant impact not only on Buddy but also on the entire fire station.
“Bea didn’t just impact Buddy. She impacted all of us,” exclaimed David McGlynn, LEAD fire chief. “Bea brings positivity out in everybody and knows when someone in the station is having a hard time and will walk over and try to cheer them up.
“When she’s not there, you can just tell the difference in the level of positivity. Bea helps Buddy, but we all benefit from having her around because she brings out the best in us.”
“Letterkenny welcomed us with open arms and was very supportive as we transitioned into the fire station,” said Niner.
He encourages anyone in need of a service dog to consider getting one. “It does improve your life, and people around me have noticed a huge difference since I got Bea. Don’t be afraid to get help; it’s worth it in the long run.”
| Date Taken: | 08.29.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.29.2024 13:28 |
| Story ID: | 479733 |
| Location: | CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,452 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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Letterkenny Army Depot
