Rebecca + Gail

The Shelter to Soldier team welcomed Gail into our program through the generous Red Star Sponsorship of Elizabeth Mueller and our rescue partners at Labs & More.

Rebecca served in the U.S. Army as a First Sergeant, a senior Non-Commissioned Officer role carrying command-level responsibility over soldiers and operations. She specialized as a Senior Maintenance Supervisor with an additional qualification as a Basic Combat Training instructor, and brought deep expertise in the repair and maintenance of heavy construction, earth-moving, and engineering equipment. Over the course of her career, she completed three deployments: Iraq from January to December 2005, Iraq again from April 2007 through July 2008, and the United Arab Emirates from April 2012 through April 2013.

After years of leading soldiers through demanding and high-stakes environments, Rebecca returned home carrying the weight that so many veterans know well. The mindset that served her so faithfully in the field became something she found herself working to step back from in civilian life. She spoke about wanting to get out of the house more and to begin reprogramming herself after decades of service. What stood out most was her clarity and self-awareness: Rebecca is deeply committed to her mental health and understands that a service dog is one piece of a larger puzzle, a meaningful support alongside the other work she is already doing.

From the moment she started our program, Rebecca captured all of our hearts. Her level-headed training approach, quick wit, and eager attitude were present from day one, and so was the way she genuinely cares for everyone around her. She took to weekly training with enthusiasm and proved to be an exceptional student.

The celebration of her graduation alongside service dog Gail was full of love. Friends and supporters gathered to honor this dynamic team, and Gail’s Red Star Sponsor, Elizabeth Mueller, who had been with us since Gail’s adoption day, joined in the joy of seeing the teamwork her generosity made possible. Gail’s Labs & More foster parents, George and Suki, were there too, sharing the pride of watching a dog they loved in her earliest days now living out her purpose as a psychiatric service dog. It was a beautiful full-circle moment that none of us will forget.

The celebration ended perfectly: Becca and Gail riding off on their motorcycle, Gail safe in the sidecar wearing her doggles, ready for whatever adventures come next. This team is pure magic, and we cannot wait to see where life takes them.