Tom & Alanis
Duty, Honor, and Commitment
As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Tom lives and breathes the core values of the U.S. military—duty, honor, and commitment. These values shaped him as a young Marine and have carried him through some of the most difficult moments of his life. Today, they live on in his partnership with FSD Service Dog Alanis, who exemplifies these qualities every day.
Tom joined the U.S. Marine Corps at just 18-years-old. Immediately, he was swept into the uncertainty of the Gulf War “Operation Desert Storm,” where he trained and served in the Marine Combat Replacement Regiment designated to step in amid anticipated mass casualties. Though he didn’t ultimately deploy, he lived with fear and anxiety, which was its own kind of battle.
During his four years of active duty, Tom served most of his time in a scout sniper platoon where he was stationed in California, Okinawa, Panama, and New Mexico. His last deployment was in the U.S. to support U.S. Border Patrol with anti-narcotics operations.
Throughout his time in the service, Tom sustained multiple life-changing injuries that resulted in life-long disabilities, but the worst occurred during a training exercise in the jungle. While free-climbing a steep hillside, he lost his grip and fell 20 feet. The impact shattered bones, damaged joints, and left him with a traumatic brain injury and nerve damage. It ended his hopes of reenlisting and launched him into years of surgeries, chronic pain, and an early retirement from his civilian career as a civil engineer.
“My disabilities caused debilitating pain and limited my activities. The devastation distorted my values and removed my career, ambitions, identity, and purpose,” Tom shared.
In the aftermath of the incident, Tom’s world grew small and isolation took root. Eventually, he realized he needed the kind of support that no medication could give. He needed love, comfort, and companionship.
When Tom discovered he was eligible for a service dog, he felt something he hadn’t in a long time: hope.
He applied for a service dog from Freedom Service Dogs in 2022, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his life. Tom shared, “At first, the decision to apply for a service dog was a hesitant one because I was reluctant to ask for help. I thought I didn’t deserve a service dog, and I second-guessed my military service thinking maybe I didn’t meet the standards compared to others. But FSD encouraged me that I did deserve a service dog and all my service was enough.”
As Tom waited to find his perfect match, he began volunteering at Freedom Service Dogs as an onsite volunteer and weekend foster. While he loved spending time with FSD puppies and dogs, volunteering also helped him feel more prepared for the day he would be matched with an FSD Service Dog of his own. “By volunteering, I was helping other FSD clients and the dogs while learning about myself,” Tom said. “My capabilities as a handler became clearer, and now, I am a better handler because of my volunteer experience.”
While the wait to be matched was long and difficult, it was well worth it. In February 2025, Tom was finally partnered with FSD Service Dog Alanis, and his entire world changed. Tom and Alanis’s connection was instant, and it was clear from their first meeting that they were the perfect match for each other’s energy. “From the moment we met,” Tom said, “I knew we were both home.”
Today, Alanis gives Tom the gift of hope and independence by creating space in crowded public areas, performing deep pressure therapy when pain or anxiety rises, and interrupting behaviors triggered by stress. Because Tom lives with limited mobility and pain, Alanis also assists him by tugging off clothing and retrieving dropped items, which allows him to conserve energy for the parts of life that really matter to him, such as his family and faith community.
While the physical assistance Tom receives from Alanis is priceless, it’s the joy she sparks, the connection she rebuilds, and the encouragement she offers that has changed Tom’s life most profoundly. She nudges him to rest when he pushes himself too hard, and opens doors, figuratively and literally, to rejoin the world around him. She looks out for him on the good days and the difficult ones, always offering warm comfort, devoted companionship, and highly-skilled service.
“Having the support of FSD and Alanis has given me a new level of motivation and purpose I haven’t felt in years,” Tom said.
Every day, Tom enjoys cuddling, playing fetch, going for walks, and spending time in the community with his battle buddy, Alanis. She also makes his daily physical therapy more enjoyable and encourages him to share his story with the world. Because of the independence and confidence Alanis has gifted him, Tom also looks forward to getting back to the things he once loved, such as concerts, vacations, and fishing trips.
In every moment Tom and Alanis share, she reflects the duty, honor, and commitment that have shaped Tom’s life. With her steady presence at his side, Tom is reclaiming the peace, joy, comfort, and rest he once thought were lost. Together, they’re forging a new path—one defined by healing and the freedom to move forward.
American heroes like Tom still on our wait list are counting on the support of people like YOU to be matched with their own life-changing FSD Service Dog. To make a difference, give a gift to Freedom Service Dogs HERE!
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Published 2/26/2026
Contact Erin Conley at econley@