Wayne’s Journey To Freedom
A New Beginning
From Wayne’s Journal
My name is Wayne Haines. I am a Vietnam War Veteran who served as an infantryman in A Company, 4th Battalion, 3rd Infantry, 11th Brigade of the Americal Division from January 1971 to January 1972. I remained in the Army for 25 years, retiring as a Sergeant Major. My next career move was as a deputy for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, where I served as a patrolman, hostage negotiator, and Crisis Intervention Team member. I fully retired in February 2017 at the age of sixty-five.
I have a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and suffer from post-traumatic stress (PTS), which manifests as hypervigilance, anxiety, sleep disorders, and a desire to isolate. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officially diagnosed me with PTS and assigned me a 100% disability rating.
What does that mean? I cannot stay in large groups, stores, restaurants, or events without experiencing an anxiety attack that forces me to retreat to a place where I feel safe. My anxiety level is always high, and my family members are acutely aware of my limitations in public. My sleep is erratic; nightmares and anxiety often cause me to wake up and stay awake for long periods. At this point, I rely on anxiety and sleep medications to cope, but my primary strategy is avoidance. Unfortunately, this has had a very detrimental effect on my quality of life.
About a year before I applied, my mother-in-law, Alice, and my wife, Christina, saw a flyer at our local ACE Hardware store about an organization called Warrior Freedom Service Dogs. This organization trains Service Dogs for Veterans with PTS. Over the next several months, Alice and Christina encouraged me to apply for a Service Dog. One day, while shopping at ACE Hardware, I picked up the flyer. As I read about the organization and what a Service Dog could do for me, I was brought to tears as I realized that a Service Dog could greatly improve my quality of life.
I started the application process in February 2022. Along the way, I met several fantastic and compassionate people. After completing the initial application process, I was invited to start training in March by spending eight hours at the kennel for familiarization. During this time, I met the staff and volunteers, who informed me that several dogs were already prepared for training. They explained that the Service Dog would pick me, not the other way around.
On my second visit, it became clear that the big gentle giant, Charlie, and I had chosen each other. His calm and gentle nature instantly put me at ease. From that moment, I felt a sense of peace and connection. On March 14, I officially began training with Charlie. The excitement and anticipation for this new adventure were overwhelming, and I could hardly wait to see where this journey would take us.