USO 2023 Canine Volunteer of the Year

Vote between now and March 8th for which dog you think should be the USO 2023 Canine Volunteer of the Year! The USO understands the strong bond between humans and animals, and the critical roles a dog can play within the military community to help address mental, emotional, and physical needs. Interacting with therapy dogs reduces stress and provides a unique morale boost for service members and their families.

Penny – USO Warrior Center, Germany

Penny actively participates in special events and programs at the USO Warrior Center, located next to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, bringing comfort and joy to the wounded, ill and injured service members she visits. She also makes weekly visits to the hospital, bringing love to countless in-patient and out-patient individuals. In the Combat Casualty Clinics outreach program, she provides invaluable support to patients undergoing various treatments, offering encouragement from one specialty to another. Penny's unparalleled ability to alleviate stress has made her a cherished volunteer and a true star at the USO Warrior Center. FUN FACTS: Penny is from Hawaii. She really likes squeaky toys and enjoys making them squeak. Also, she loves taking the kitchen towels and sleeping with them! Penny even provides support to local military youth soccer teams by showing up as the team mascot.

Ranger - USO Delaware

Ranger, a beloved canine at Dover Air Force Base and Coast Guard Station Indian River, has become integral to the military community, making numerous visits to various squadrons and units over the past year. Beyond base visits, Ranger attends family and holiday events, bringing joy to military children and offering comfort to those coping with deployments or loss. His most impactful visits have been with those service members who are involved in bringing home our fallen service members. The impact of Ranger’s presence truly makes a difference and gives everyone involved invaluable time to decompress throughout their difficult workdays. FUN FACTS: Ranger likes to walk himself with his leash, is very talkative, and loves car rides.

Apache - USO Missouri

Apache is a gentle giant amongst our service members and their families. Apache spends his time working within the USO Center on Fort Leonard Wood, where he helps put smiles on the faces of thousands of patrons who utilize the USO. Through the USO, Apache plays a key role within the school system helping lift the spirits of our military children of all ages, from listening to students as they work on their reading skills, to working with youth within the middle school and high school to help bring awareness to their mental health needs. Apache plays a key part in the wellness of our service members and their families, being their rock to lean on when times are tough. FUN FACT: Apache weighs in at 240.5 pounds and thinks he is a 5-pound lap dog!

Bozeman - USO Okinawa, Japan

Whenever Bozeman visits the USO Center in Okinawa, Japan, he provides a source of delight and comfort. He is often found snuggling with guests, watching television, playing fetch, or simply lying beside our service members and their families, enjoying all the affection. Bozeman also makes the journey to service members living in the Camp Courtney barracks, which has no USO Center and is 30 minutes away from USO Okinawa. During these visits, Bozeman provides a much-needed morale boost and service members often share that they count down the days until his next visit. FUN FACTS: : When Bozeman gets excited, he “happy sneezes!” He always greets his human with a toy in his mouth, has traveled to sixteen different U.S. states, and is now living abroad in Okinawa, Japan.

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USO 2023 Canine Volunteer of the Year

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