[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15772-15773]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           PITS FOR PATRIOTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Quigley) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the exceptional 
work of an organization operating in my district called Pits for 
Patriots. This innovative program strives to save not just one life, 
but two.
  The Chicagoland organization currently trains rescued pit bulls to 
become service dogs for veterans in need. In addition to helping our 
country's patriots, the program is committed to educating the public 
about the loyalty, devotion, and commitment of the pit bull breed. 
Their service dogs are trained to help improve a veteran's quality of 
life in their day-to-day activities, such as opening and closing doors, 
retrieving items, and assisting with mobility problems.
  I had the honor of attending a training session and meeting a 
dedicated veteran, Sergeant Danny Randall, and his companion dog, 
Shiloh. After serving for 9 years in the Army, Danny felt an emotional 
disconnect between military and civilian life. Reentering the civilian 
workforce had been a difficult adjustment. Danny suffers from 
posttraumatic stress disorder, making it difficult for him to remain 
calm in large crowds or tight spaces. He is not comfortable sitting 
with his back to a door or window and feels stress when strangers enter 
his personal space. But Danny has found a way to help battle some of 
the aftereffects of war. Danny's medicine is in the form of a four-
legged pit bull dog that goes by the name of Shiloh. Shiloh helps Danny 
to remain calm when going out in public and increases his comfort level 
and socialization skills.
  Shiloh and other pit bulls do more than just facilitate the day-to-
day lives of the recipients; they provide a sense of independence and 
unconditional love. For the veterans, caring for a companion animal can 
provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment, while lessening feelings of 
loneliness, isolation, and depression.
  There are over 22 million veterans in America today. And although the 
number of servicemembers being deployed in today's wars are fewer than 
in wars of the past, those returning from war are suffering from 
increasingly severe disabilities, such as traumatic brain injury, 
numerous amputations, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
  Over the past decade, the number of vets in need of disability 
compensation has more than doubled, from 600,000 in 2000 to over 1.4 
million in the year 2011. As more vets return home from multiple tours 
in Iraq and Afghanistan, the need for assistance will grow even 
greater. We must do all we can to support inventive programs such as 
Pits for Patriots that provide essential support and assistance to our 
veterans in need.
  I want to end with the words of Sergeant Danny Randall, who said 
about his pit bull, Shiloh:

       He truly gives me a reason to be successful. Shiloh gives 
     me a great sense of calm and balance. He is an amazing dog, 
     not just where he has been and what he's lived through, but 
     all that he has overcome. In that sense we are a lot alike, 
     and I believe that is why we have such a strong bond. We 
     truly do everything together, and I could not have asked for 
     a better pittie partner.

  Let's make sure other veterans in need have access to the same 
program that has done so much to help Danny and Shiloh.

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