STURGIS, S.D. — Special Operation Wounded Warrior (SOWW) presented a service dog to a female veteran for the first time during a ceremony at the Buffalo Chip on Thursday night.
The organization, based in Myrtle Beach, S.C., focuses on supporting special operations service members who often return home without public recognition. Jess, a SOWW representative, said the group has given away a dog on the Buffalo Chip’s main stage each year for the past nine years.
“These dogs save lives, one at a time,” Jess said. “They give veterans a battle buddy, help them reintegrate into society, and give them something to focus on.”
The recipient, identified as Audrey, served 13 years in the special operations community and earned a Purple Heart. Jess described her as an “alpha female” and a “wonderful individual” who could no longer continue her military work.
SOWW partners with Baden K9 in Canada to train Belgian Malinois, Dutch shepherds, and other breeds for up to 15 years of service. Veterans undergo multiple interviews before being matched with a dog, then train with the animal in Canada before the official handoff.
The charity also organizes four “operator reset weeks” each year, bringing in doctors and clinicians to provide counseling and reintegration tools for veterans and their families.
Jess, whose father served in Vietnam, said he joined the cause as a way to give back. “I didn’t serve, but this is the way I choose to honor my dad,” he said.
For more information, visit https://sowwcharity.com/.