JP & Poseidon
JP’s Po-tential
You close your eyes, hoping for sleep, only to be jolted awake again and again by terrifying nightmares replaying memories from years ago.
When morning comes, you stay in bed. Leaving the house feels impossible. Even being around the people you love feels overwhelming. If you must venture out of necessity, you move through the world tense, fearful, and exhausted. Your body aches and your head pounds. Your mind races. Even the simplest tasks feel insurmountable.
The life you once loved feels far away.
Your world grows smaller and relationships fade. Joy, motivation, and sense of purpose disappears. You feel isolated, stressed, and depressed, while quietly holding out hope that maybe, someday, things will get better. Because there was a time when life looked very different. You laughed easily, traveled, and tried new things without fear. You spent time with family and friends. You slept peacefully. You navigated the world with ease and confidence. You felt like yourself.
For JP, a U.S. Air Force veteran, dedicated family man, athlete, and die-hard Colorado Avalanche fan who dedicated nearly 20 years of his life to serving our country, this was his reality.
JP served in the Colorado Air National Guard for more than 17 years as a security forces member and flight chief at Buckley Space Force Base, where he protected critical assets, responded to emergencies, and led personnel in high-pressure environments.
“My career required constant vigilance, quick decision making, and a deep commitment to service,” he shared.
During his service, JP underwent surgery. Unfortunately, complications from the procedure resulted in a traumatic brain injury, along with other service-related conditions, including chronic pain, fatigue, cognitive fog, sleep disruption, and difficulty managing stress.
Suddenly, the life he had built looked very different. JP was medically retired from the Air Force and thrust back into civilian life, where every day became a battle against pain, symptoms from his conditions, and PTSD. Anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and a loss of purpose consumed him.
He shared, “I had low confidence in performing everyday tasks. I was lost, frustrated, and confused, but I had hope that I could get back to doing what I love even with my injuries.”
That hope led JP to Freedom Service Dogs (FSD), where he applied to be partnered with a highly-skilled service dog custom-trained to help mitigate his symptoms.
In 2025, JP found his perfect match in an outgoing, playful black Labrador retriever named Poseidon (now affectionately known as Po for short). But Po was more than a dog with a big personality. He was JP’s lifeline.
Po was expertly trained to help JP live with more independence, comfort, and connection by interrupting his anxious behaviors, reducing hypervigilance in public, creating space in crowds, nudging him back to the present moment, retrieving dropped items, and awakening him from his nightmares.
After going home together, JP’s life quickly began to change.
Where his days were once filled with pain, anxiety, and frustration, they are now filled with possibility and so much hope. The outgoing, active person JP once was is beginning to return.
“Po helps ground me, guide me, and interrupt nervous behaviors. He gives me the confidence to go out in public alone. He knows when I’m sad or in distress and jumps right in to support me. He is my constant companion and very best friend,” JP shared. “He’s made such a huge difference in how I handle everyday situations and stress.”
For JP, Po has provided much more than skilled assistance. He has restored his confidence, connection, and given him a new sense of purpose. As a loving husband and father, JP is now able to be more present and involved for the people he loves most knowing Po always has his back. He has also been able to pursue his passion for fitness and athletics with less hesitation, and with Po as his number one fan, he is currently chasing his goal of competing for Team Air Force in the 2026 DoD Wounded Warrior Games.
For JP, Po became the light that guided him through one of the darkest chapters of his life.
“Freedom Service Dogs like Poseidon truly change lives,” JP said. “They give veterans a reason to keep going, continue trying, and build hope after tragedy. The emotional, physical, and mental support they give us is unprecedented and transformative.
Thank you so much for the gift of Po. He has changed my life in so many ways. Words cannot express my gratitude and how blessed I feel.”
June is PTSD Awareness Month! At FSD, we are proud to partner life-changing service dogs like Poseidon with American heroes like JP, as well as others living with disabilities, at no cost.
But there are still veterans waiting for their own lifeline.
It costs nearly $50,000 to purpose breed, raise, train, and care for each of our service dogs. While that number is significant, the impact these dogs make is priceless. They restore independence. They rebuild confidence. They reconnect people to their families, communities, and themselves.
Now more than ever, the heroes who have served our country and communities are counting on compassionate supporters like you to help make more of these partnerships possible. To make a dog-sized difference for veterans, make a gift of any amount today!
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Published 6/10/2026
Contact Erin Conley at [email protected] for all media inquiries.