The past few days have presented an interesting odyssey for me to observe.  As I have a tendency to do, I've made many of the folks I have met at the Fisher House and barracks a part of my heart...I did that in places of employment, and I'm doing it now as a volunteer.  Oh well, after 6 decades, I've learned that's just who I am.  That having been said, I've been watching the afore-mentioned odyssey with an eye to seeing both sides.  Let me explain.  Before I do, take a look at this video, then come back. 

Now that you've seen the story, let me tell you where I fit in.  This young soldier's mom and I have become friends.  She is one of the most conscientious and caring ladies I've ever met.  She's also a mom who would do anything for her children.  When she told me her son had been gifted with a dog, but they wouldn't let him keep it at the Fisher House, I told her I would keep the dog.  Sounds simple enough, right?  No big deal, right?  Wrong!  Remember this guy?  Ron calls himself my "Mexican son".  He was severely injured in Iraq, and has not even fully recovered, yet he founded and is running the foundation that gifted the soldier you saw in the video with his service dog. 

The dog will require further training, as the Army would not give the soldier a sufficient amount of time to be trained with the dog and what the soldier requires of him.  Local coverage has focused on The Fisher House  telling the soldier he cannot have the dog with him in the Fisher House.  The real story is that the Army does not believe he requires a service dog.  Why?  He has neither hearing loss or sight loss.  Accorning to the Army, they can fix everything else, i.e., replace his legs, but not the loss of those two faculties.  It boils down to "if we'd have wanted you to have a service dog, we'd have issued you one!" 

Meanwhile, another soldier at the Fisher House has apparently been making waves that have reverberated to the halls of congress.  They (the soldier and his father) have had major run-ins with Fisher House management.  I've spoken with them often about their trials and tribulations with Fisher House management, as I've seen these problems and have several of my own.  It went so far with the management that their way of dealing with their problems was to "fire" me...if you can fire a volunteer. 

Sometimes it doesn't pay to see both sides.