The Scuttlebutt | Season 9 Episode 8

Dogs for Our Brave’s mission is to provide professionally trained service dogs at no cost to veterans who have suffered debilitating injury or illness while in service to our country. Their goal is to use rescue dogs at every opportunity, thus saving two lives at once. In order to fully realize their mission without adding financial burden, they also provide a continuum of free support that covers all food, veterinary care, and pharmaceuticals for the life of the dog.

Bryan Pieschel has joined the Dogs for Our Brave Team as the first Director of Veteran Services. Bryan served as an active-duty US Army medic from 2004-2009. During his time in service, Bryan served as both a lead company medic and lead battalion medic attached to a mechanized engineer unit. His unit deployed to Iraq in October 2005 with the purpose of conducting and training Route Clearance missions (IED hunters). The battalion saw significant action in combat which led to multiple KIA’s and numerous significantly injured soldiers. Bryan was one of the injured, during a night mission in Sept 2006 his vehicle was struck by an EFP (explosively formed projectile) that threw him into the back of the vehicle rendering him unconscious for several minutes, which resulted in him being awarded a Purple Heart. Upon returning to the states in Nov 2006, Bryan began to experience significant symptoms of PTSD and despite receiving great care, the symptoms would ultimately lead to him being medically retired in 2009. Despite his Retirement from active duty, the mission to serve his brothers and sisters in arms remains.

After being medically retired from the Army, Bryan returned to St. Louis and began working with his other passion in life, coaching kids, and teenagers in the sport of volleyball.

Listen to the Scuttlebutt this week to hear Bryan’s story firsthand and how Dogs for Our Brave is serving veterans in need.

Dogs for Our Brave – https://www.dfob.org/about/our-story/

Bryan Pieschel – https://www.dfob.org/team/bryan-pieschel/

Thank you to our sponsors:

UPMC for Life: upmchealthplan.com/medicare

Tobacco Free Adagio Health: tobaccofree.adagiohealth.org/

To find out more information about the Veterans Breakfast Club and view our upcoming schedule of online and in-person events, visit our website at: www.veteransbreakfastclub.org/

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