#102 Rescuing Dogs, Rescuing Vets - Danique Masingill, Leashes of Valor

A post-911 military joiner, Danique Masingill wanted law enforcement as a career, and only the Navy would promise that in a contract, so in 2002 she joined and went to boot camp. Her first command was Charlston, South Carolina. It was a tough assignment. Rampant sexual assault, high suicide rates and a terrible place to be for anyone, especially a woman. Danique was caught in a terrible trap; she was law enforcement and the high ranking officials in the LE were the perpetrators. So who do you call? There was no one. She was first assaulted in the barracks by a Marine and tried to report the assault and that’s where she first learned the phrase, “mission over people”. “We need to make this go away” she was told, as the assaulter was necessary for the war that was going on and Danique slipped into self-medication to deal with the angst. She did manage to get reassigned to another command and then the same thing happened, only this time she was assaulted at the firing range and couldn’t complete her weapons course. Then her mental health issues caught up with her physically and she had to leave the first good command sadly and eventually was discharged medically in 2007. Not even having any disability benefits, Danique went to cosmetology school but didn’t really have the personality it took to be a hair dresser. However, in 2010 she found that she had GI benefits to go to Syracuse University while her spouse was deployed. She started coming unraveled from PTSD and was urged to go to the Veterans lounge and meet other college students from the military. She was introduced to a woman who told her about service dogs for retired military and threw herself into service dog policy in the Veteran space and got her degree. After working at a couple of organizations, she, her husband and friend decided to be hands on and start their own organization and founded Leashes of Valor. Their Virginia farm is where they train the rescued dogs, and the post-911 Vets who apply spend a two-week course on the farm learning to work with their new companion. Veteran Founder Podcast with your hosts Josh Carter and Cynthia Kao We record the Veteran Founder Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland. Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main Website was designed by Cameron Grimes Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster Theme music: Artist: Tipsy Track: Kadonka Album: Buzzz Courtesy of Ipecac Records 10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes