Patriot PAWS Service Dogs

Freedom & Gus: A Story of Hope and Healing

When Freedom Marie Green came home after serving as a U.S. Army Combat Medic, her battle was far from over. The visible wounds of war had healed, but the invisible ones - trauma, anxiety, depression - followed her into civilian life. Each day grew harder. Freedom stopped leaving her home, withdrawing from friends, family, and the community she once served so boldly.

“I was in a place where I wasn’t sure I wanted to live anymore,” she recalls.

Then came Gus.

In November 2017, Patriot PAWS matched Freedom with Gus, a yellow Labrador Service Dog. From the moment he joined her, life began to shift. Gus grounded Freedom through panic, nudged her forward when the world felt impossible, and reminded her, moment by moment, that life was still worth living.

“I got Gus at a time when I wasn’t sure I wanted to be here anymore,” Freedom says. “He saved my life.”

With Gus by her side, small steps out the door turned into milestones. Freedom walked into stores again. She returned to school. Supported by Gus’s steady presence, she earned a Master of Research in Biomedical Research at Imperial College London. Today, she thrives as a scholar and as a Patriot PAWS Ambassador, sharing her story so that other Veterans know: there is hope.

Gus was not just a Service Dog. He was a lifeline

Why Patriot PAWS

Freedom’s story is powerful, but sadly, it isn’t unique. Across the country, Veterans are struggling with the invisible wounds of war. Post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, and severe depression steal sleep, peace, and connection from their lives. Traditional treatments often help, but they are not always enough.

Patriot PAWS exists to remove the biggest barrier to this lifeline: cost. Providing a single Service Dog to a Veteran is an intensive, months-long commitment of expert time and care that exceeds $45,000, a cost well beyond the reach of most families.

Each dog receives 18–24 months of specialized training tailored to the specific needs of the Veteran they will serve, followed by thorough placement, handler education, and ongoing support, including free veterinary care, personal monthly check-ins, and home visits by Patriot PAWS staff, to ensure the team succeeds for the long haul. But Veterans will never see that cost. At Patriot PAWS, every Service Dog is provided at no charge, and every Veteran receives not just a dog, but a community that walks with them for life.

From monthly check-ins and home visits to free veterinary care, our commitment is long-term. And while Veterans wait for their dog, they are never left alone. Patriot PAWS hosts outreach and fellowship programs that remind every Veteran they belong, that they are part of the Patriot PAWS family, and that we will stand beside them every step of the way.

At Patriot PAWS, we know that connection and community are critical to ensure every Veteran is here when their Service Dog is ready.

Our Impact

Every Service Dog trained through Patriot PAWS is more than a companion, they are highly skilled, life-changing partners. They interrupt nightmares, create space in crowds, retrieve medication, and offer grounding when panic takes hold. For Veterans, that means the return of everyday freedoms: a good night’s sleep, a walk through the grocery store, a laugh with loved ones, a future that feels possible again.

This is the work of Patriot PAWS: restoring independence, rebuilding confidence, and giving back the simple joys of daily life that too often feel out of reach.

Together, We Make Stories Like Freedom’s Possible

For every Freedom and Gus, there are countless more Veterans waiting for their own story of hope and healing. With the support of our community, we ensure that no Veteran ever receives a bill, that no Veteran feels forgotten while they wait, and that every Veteran has the chance to thrive with the partnership of a Service Dog.

Because every hero deserves a lifeline.