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A golden opportunity for Domestic Violence Awareness Month outreach

  • Published
  • By Roland Balik
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  On the four-hour ride from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Lt. Col. Goldie hardly uttered a sound as Maj. Regina Owen, 436th Medical Operations Squadron psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, drove her guest to meet with Team Dover members for his four-day temporary duty assignment Oct. 18-21, 2017, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Lt. Col. Goldie, the only therapy dog in the U.S. Air Force, is a nine-year-old Golden Retriever stationed at WRNMMC where he and his sister-service therapy dogs typically work Monday through Friday visiting patients.

Wearing his custom-made Airman Battle Uniform vest donning silver oak leaf clusters, Owen, Jennifer Houseman, 436th MDOS Family Advocacy program assistant, and Ruth Yeboah, 436th MDOS domestic abuse victim advocate, escorted Goldie around the base to meet personnel at roll calls and squadron offices informing them about Goldie’s daily routine, purpose and history as a therapy dog, while the three performed domestic violence awareness outreach.

“Today Goldie is working for Family Advocacy and this is a new lane for him,” said Owen. “He loves doing outreach and I believe this is his first outreach.”

As the Family Advocacy staff escorted Goldie around the base, some personnel were expecting to meet with a human Lt. Col., not a dog.

“Lt. Col. Goldie was a great icebreaker that allowed us to spread DV awareness and have a little (a lot of) fun as well,” said Houseman. “This was Goldie's first time doing outreach and I would have to say it was very successful. When you walk into a room with Goldie, you immediately see smiles and hear sounds of joy.”

Eliminating any negative connotations associated with Family Advocacy was an added benefit for having Goldie come along during the outreach visits.

“There is a stigma that going to Family Advocacy will end one's career; however, we want to get the message out that FAP is not a punitive agency,” said Yeboah. “Our aim is to provide services and resources that will create healthy relationships through prevention and treatment.”

Typically, briefings given by Family Advocacy staff are conducted at commander calls or special events informing base personnel on programs, policies and procedures.

“Team Dover does not have very many opportunities to engage with the Family Advocacy staff other than to visit us at the 436th Medical Group in our environment. It was great to have the opportunity to visit their work locations,” Houseman said.

Working with Goldie since 2014, Owen is one of two U.S. Air Force and seven U.S. Navy handlers who work with Goldie.

“I originally brought him [Goldie] to see patients where he and the patient sit on the floor and gets them to open up,” said Owen. “If we go into a room full of people, he will usually go to the person who is in need. He is very treat-driven.”

Family Advocacy staff received positive feedback from personnel regarding domestic violence awareness and Goldie’s office visits.

“We have heard from staff in several squadrons that it is nice to be able to pet a dog like Goldie during work,” said Houseman. “It is soothing and calming to have a therapy dog when people are in high-stress jobs or those who are in units that are not as appreciated.”

Goldie was promoted from 2nd Lt. to Major Nov. 12, 2014, by former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh III, in a ceremony held at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He was promoted to his current rank by the Air Force Thunderbirds in September during the 2017 Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, air show.

Before returning to WRNMMC, Goldie and Owen stopped at The Landings for one more outreach opportunity with local area retirees attending the annual Dover AFB Retiree Day activities.

The base Family Advocacy Office can be reached at 302-677-2711 and the Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate at 302-677-5674. The after hours/emergency DAVA number is 302-213-3508. If you fear for your immediate safety call 436th Security Forces Squadron at 677-6664 or dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or www.thehotline.org.