Marcus + Diego

The Shelter to Soldier team welcomed Diego into our program through the generous Red Star Sponsorship of Linden Root Dickinson Foundation and as an owner surrender who knew Diego had bigger fish to fry!

When we first met Diego, he was in a board-and-train program at our for-profit, Specialty Dog Training, alongside his German Shepherd brother. Our Director of Training and Operations instantly fell in love with Diego’s playful, silly personality, saying he’d make a wonderful service dog. Diego didn’t just bring laughter to everyone he met…he quickly mastered basic obedience, was confident in all types of environments, and interacted well with other dogs.

Recognizing they had their hands full with two large dogs, Diego’s owner generously offered to donate him to Shelter to Soldier to help a veteran in need. Without hesitation, we placed him on the psychiatric service dog path. It wasn’t long before Diego met US Navy Veteran Marcus, and it was as if they had been searching for each other their whole lives.

Marcus served our country with distinction, including multiple deployments in the Pacific Ocean in 2013, 2015, and 2017, as well as three submarine deployments. After transitioning to civilian life, he pursued his passion for technology and is now studying game development in college. Outside of his academic and professional pursuits, Marcus’s proudest accomplishment is raising his 3-year-old daughter. His dedication to family and education reflects his resilience, commitment, and drive.

Since being matched with Diego, the team worked diligently through training and passed the Public Access Test with flying colors on November 17th, 2025. Diego now accompanies Marcus wherever he goes, helping him build consistency and confidence. Diego’s former owner believed he could change a veteran’s life—and they were absolutely right. With his tall, playful presence, Diego is the perfect match for Marcus.

We were honored to celebrate the team’s graduation on December 9th, 2025, in an intimate ceremony for Marcus and his growing family. This season, they not only gained Diego as a loyal family member but also welcomed a beautiful, healthy baby boy.