Local war veterans visited Shore Regional in West Long Branch on Monday, November 7th to talk about the impact of Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how dogs help them cope.

James Brereton, a former Marine and Army soldier, came and spoke to the students about his time in the service and how his life has been impacted. He spoke on PTSD, which is a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event and is very common among war veterans.

Brereton explains where his condition stems from, “Back then, in the military, you didn’t say anything or they would probably bounce you off. How many people here are eighteen? We invaded Panama and I was nineteen years old. I was killing people.  That’s a lot to handle and again, it was a culture back then. Suck it up and be quiet.  Looking back now, I was a young kid doing some pretty heinous things.” Many people argue that the war fought back at home is actually worse than the physical battle.

When asked what the hardest part of coming home was, Brereton replied with confidence, “Driving. In Iraq, they laid bombs in garbage bags on the side of the road… So, I come home and I’m driving down the road, I see garbage, and I broke out in a cold sweat… My wife at the time said ‘why are you driving down the middle of the road?’. It was just natural but traffic’s coming at me on both sides and I’m driving in the middle of the road because I’m scared it’s gonna blow up.”

Typically, veterans may also struggle with large crowds in busy areas such as malls and tend to isolate themselves. There are several medications that claim to help lessen symptoms, and medical marijuana is being considered for treatment as well. To help him cope with chilling flashbacks and memories, nightmares, aches and pains, isolation, and depression that additionally come along with PTSD, James Brereton tried all sorts of medication but found little relief. It was not until he met Bernie, his assigned service dog, that he felt truly happy and secure again. “There’s nothing perfect, like Bernie isn’t perfect. Bernie is just another tool that I have on my toolbelt to help me out. But they’ve tried the drug rehab. Before I got Bernie, I was taking seventeen different pills a day… I had no idea what I was doing. I can’t sleep, okay well, take this. Can’t wake up? Okay, take this. Well that causes back spasms, okay well, take this. Sixty days after I got Bernie, I went back to my doctor. I take allergy medicine now and I take blood pressure pills. That’s it.”

Bernie does everything with Brereton and embodies constant security. He’s trained to pick up on his owner’s anxiety levels and that of other people as well. If he senses that Brereton is nervous, he will lick his hand and instantly calm him down. He also does this to signal that someone is approaching from behind. “I wouldn’t leave my house. I only socialize with certain close friends… Getting a dog, it’s literally like somebody turned a light on. The first day, we went to the mall…We went to Metlife Stadium, you would’ve had to have drugged me and dragged me. I wouldn’t have done it without him.”

Brereton goes on to say that there have been places where he was kicked out or not allowed in because of Bernie. He wants people to understand that “He’s not a pet. He really isn’t. Do I love him? Yes.  Do I spoil him? Yes, but he’s not a pet.  He’s so well-trained that when the vest goes on, he knows it’s time to go to work.”

The Veteran’s Day assemblies helped raise awareness for service dogs because according to Brereton, people aren’t used to seeing them. These dogs are true American heroes whose critical work saving veterans suffering from PTSD has gone unnoticed for far too long.