LA PORTE CITY, IA (CBS2/FOX28) - In a small Black Hawk County City, help is on the way for military veterans struggling to re-enter life back home after their deployment. Some people are literally taking aim, just to lend a hand.
Around the Black Hawk Archers, there are plenty of veterans.
"Went to Iraq and actually got extended so total time, we were there for 24 months," said President of the Black Hawk Archers Denver Foote.
At first glance, chances are you'll miss what helps some of them fight, every day, now that they're home.
"The national veteran suicide rate is one an hour," said Retrieving Freedom Co-President and Co-Founder Scott Dewey. "We're losing more guys to suicide than we're losing in combat. That's crazy."
You'll miss it because they're on all fours.
They're dogs.
Soon after Bob Hayes came home from Afghanistan basically healthy, he lost strength in his legs. He walks with a cane and says he's a medical mystery.
"If someone else tried to come up to me, I'd tell them to leave me alone," said Hayes, who medically retired from the military as a Staff Sergeant. "He's going to come up to me, I tell him to leave me alone, he's going to nudge up on me more, and like cuddle up right next to me and like lick my face or whatever else he wants to do."
So with every arrow sent down range, Retrieving Freedom is raising the $18,000 to $25,000 needed to train each service dog, helping vets prone to PTSD or like Bob, who is unsteady on his feet.
"The tasks that we teach them to do are turn on a light in the middle of a nightmare, or search a house and clear it to make sure there is nobody in your house," said Dewey.
"I'll just let him walk out in front of me a little bit, he doesn't care who he bumps into," said Hayes. "And people kind of turn around and look at him and they automatically move, they see the dog."
Even when Bob isn't battling the crowds, Tags is someone to talk to, a head to rub or just a reason to be happy.
"Just driving in the truck, and watching him stick his head out the window," said Hayes. "It's just little things like that. I never thought I could smile driving my truck, but, I am."
Each veteran who receives a dog takes part in fundraising for the money to train him. Retrieving Freedom is planning on opening a training facility in Waverly in the coming months.
