Wounded Soldier Needs Help to Get Dog

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - Combat medic Brian Hall was a soldier with E Troop, 108th Cavalry of Georgia's Army National Guard 48th Brigade.

On September 13th, 2005, Hall was injured in Iraq by an improvised explosive device (IED).

Hall received a severe head injury which put him into a coma and on a ventilator for about three weeks. Hall has had five surgeries, has a drain in his brain cavity, and plate replacements for portions of his skull.

Hall also suffers from tinnitus (ringing in the ear), hearing impairment, blood clots of the brain, a heart condition due to the blast trauma, double vision, and many other afflictions as a result of the injury.

The last three years have been a struggle for former combat medic.

"I didn't fully comprehend how bad I was, till the President pinned the Purple Heart on my chest. It was surreal," said Hall.

What have followed are several surgeries -- he has a plate in his head, remains sensitive to light, is often in pain and fatigued.

"It was really bad when they were having construction in our neighborhood and I'd hear the banging of hammers and it would throw me into panic attacks -- sometimes flashbacks," said Hall.

Hall's wife, Jessica, said, "He has short term memory issues. So he can't remember certain things. When he first came home, he had to have a list of brush your teeth, shave, put on clothes and he'd have to go down the list."

Out in front of the Hall home is a flagpole - placed there two years ago by friends and family members. Hall said he tries to raise and lower the flag everyday in memory of the men he lost in Iraq.

In addition to the recognition Hall has received for his service, friends are trying to raise $6,000 to provide him with a service dog. The dog would help him get through his day.

"The dog would be trained to wake me up, to turn on lights and reorient me to the environment I'm in," he said.

Jessica said, "The dog comes in the house ahead of you and it's supposed to come in, turn the lights on, walk around the house, basically clearing the room, just like a soldier would."

Doctors recommend that he obtain a psychiatric service dog to aid him in his daily life.

The House of Hoytt -- a kennel that raised war dogs for the Army during World War II and Vietnam -- is willing to provide a psychiatric service dog to Brian for $6,000, which is half of their normal fee.

The dog would be nationally registered and able to go everywhere with Brian.

Douglas CORE -- a not-for-profit organization associated with Douglas County government -- needs 600 people to donate $10 each to pay for the needed service to Hall.

Donations are tax-deductible. Checks may be made payable to Douglas CORE. All proceeds will go towards the purchase of T-Rex, a Doberman service dog who is being trained to assist Brian, and who will be ready by late summer.

Donations may be mailed to: Douglas CORE
Douglas County Courthouse
8700 Hospital Drive
Douglasville, Georgia 30134