David + Remi

David is a US Navy Veteran whose military career was defined by leadership, technical expertise, and unwavering dedication to serving others. During his 10 years of service, he completed multiple deployments, including the 2004 Fifth Fleet Indian Ocean Deployment, where he navigated strategic regions such as the Suez Canal, Persian Gulf, and Horn of Africa. In 2008, he deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, serving on an Embedded Training Team responsible for training the Afghan National Army. Throughout that deployment, David experienced multiple troop engagements and survived IED ambushes, experiences that would leave a lasting impact long after his military service ended.

Like many combat veterans, returning home did not mean leaving those experiences behind. The challenges that followed his military service led David to seek additional support as he worked toward rebuilding confidence, stability, and independence. When he first applied to Shelter to Soldier, David shared that he was searching for his future “battle buddy,” someone who could provide the trusted companionship and support he had once relied on throughout his military career.

Outside of his military service, David has continued to pursue personal and professional growth. He earned an M.B.A. in Supply Chain Management from California State University, San Marcos, building on an Associate of Science degree in Welding and Drafting Technology from Palomar College, as well as Associate of Arts degrees in Horticulture/Nursery Crop Production and Automotive Technology from MiraCosta College. His commitment to education and lifelong learning reflects the same discipline and perseverance that defined his time in uniform.

That determination carried into his journey with Shelter to Soldier. After an earlier match proved not to be the right fit, David remained patient and committed to finding the partnership that would help him succeed. That partnership came in the form of Remi, a sweet and steady rescue dog adopted from Labs & More and selected to become David’s future psychiatric service dog.

Remi’s adoption, training, and care have been made possible through the generous support of Shelter to Soldier Red Star Sponsor, Vulcan Materials Company. Their commitment to the mission of “Saving Lives, Two at a Time” has helped provide Remi with the resources, training, and support needed to become a life-changing companion for David. Vulcan Materials Company has also generously sponsored five additional Shelter to Soldier service dogs, helping create more partnerships between rescue dogs and veterans in need.

From the moment David and Remi were officially matched, he fully committed himself to becoming the best handler possible. Over the past several months, David has embraced every aspect of training, working alongside his trainers to strengthen his communication, confidence, and partnership with Remi.

Together, David and Remi earned their AKC Canine Good Citizen certification before advancing through task training and public access work. David mastered service dog handling skills, learned to confidently utilize task cues in real-world settings, and successfully passed his Handler Test, demonstrating his readiness to work as a service dog team.

Training took David and Remi into a variety of everyday environments, including restaurants, shopping centers, Lowe’s, the Oceanside Harbor, neighborhood walks, and ultimately MiraCosta College as David prepared to return to school. One of their most rewarding training sessions recreated a classroom environment similar to David’s own. While David completed a written exam, Remi quietly remained on her place cot for the duration, eventually falling asleep as she waited beside him. It was a simple but powerful moment that represented the confidence David has built and the trust he and Remi have developed together.

Throughout the program, David has demonstrated resilience, humility, and a willingness to learn. He welcomed feedback, refined his skills week after week, and continued pushing himself toward his goal of becoming a successful service dog handler. The same perseverance that carried him through military deployments, higher education, and personal challenges became the foundation for his success with Shelter to Soldier.

Now, David and Remi are preparing to graduate from Shelter to Soldier on August 28th, 2026. What began as David’s search for a “battle buddy” has grown into a partnership built on trust, resilience, and unwavering support. As they cross the graduation stage together, David will begin this next chapter with a highly trained psychiatric service dog by his side, thanks in part to the incredible support of Vulcan Materials Company and their dedication to changing lives through the power of the human-canine bond.