Like many high school students, KariAnn Uecker’s plans for her future started with a college education. But before she completed high school, KariAnn’s plans were derailed by injuries sustained in a serious car accident. Burdened with a long recovery process that caused her to become completely dependent on her mother’s care and miss many high school classes, KariAnn saw her plans to attend college fade away. At age 17, upon completing her recovery, she decided to enlist in the Army, which she hoped would provide her with the independence, structure, and discipline that her injury had deprived her.
Now 26 years old, KariAnn has achieved the rank of Sergeant, having served in the Army for more than eight years, including two tours in Iraq in 2003 and 2009.
“I like the sense of purpose it gives me,” KariAnn said of her Army service.
Following her second tour in Iraq, KariAnn became a patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”) and other injuries. During her past 15 months at Walter Reed, KariAnn began looking for opportunities to acclimate to life outside the hospital. Having participated in two other internship opportunities that proved to be a bad fit, KariAnn heard about the Washington Humane Society’s Dog Tags program and became intrigued by the idea of working with shelter dogs. KariAnn has a long history of working with animals, having spent most of her life on her family’s 400-acre farm in Mayer, Minnesota, caring for cattle, pigs, horses, dogs and cats.
KariAnn says the Dog Tags program has proved challenging in light of her PTSD and other injuries, which have made concentration and working in large groups more difficult. But KariAnn says that Dog Tags appeals to her because of its small class size, which offers her a low-pressure environment; its division of classroom time and hands-on training, which allow her to practice concentrating without becoming overwhelmed; and, of course, the dogs.
“The dogs cheer me up and make me feel calm and comfortable,” KariAnn said.
In September, KariAnn will be medically retired from the Army, at which point she intends to return home to Minnesota and start the college education she had to forego as a teenager. KariAnn plans to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in sociology while residing on her family’s farm, where her two Beagles and Golden Retriever are awaiting her return.
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