Josh Aronson’s new documentary To Be of Service, now available on DVD and also streaming at Amazon Prime and Netflix, paints vivid portraits of the physical and emotional scars combat veterans often live with after service.

To Be of Service Review

As the film opens, we meet a number of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Their stories are harrowing. One man recounts his experience of surviving a helicopter crash that claimed his leg; he describes how his limb was on fire while he screamed for help. A woman speaks of watching people die horrible deaths on the streets of Baghdad. Naturally, such experiences haunt these soldiers after they return home.

All of the documentary subjects have been diagnosed with PTSD — post traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms include severe depression, anxieties, nightmares and flashbacks to the horrific events which caused their conditions. At times, the symptoms are so severe they struggle to do day-to-day tasks.

One combat veteran admits to having attempted suicide — he lay in a coma for 19 days after filling his body with alcohol and pills. Another manages to take his daughter to school each morning, yet he is careful to stand far apart from the other parents because his deep paranoia has made it all but impossible for him to approach other people.

These are men and women who have been wounded on many levels and now live with a permanent disability. And as such, their doctors recommend that they get emotional support animals to help them manage some of their PTSD symptoms.

Service Dogs Helping Veterans

Aronson’s camera follows the veterans as they become acquainted with their new canine companions. There’s a training period, but it’s not just the dogs who are trained. While the dogs are taught how to obey commands and provide the needed emotional support, so are the humans. The veterans are taught how to interact with their new companions by a dog trainer. Each former military person establishes a deep bond with their dog, and the dog, filled with love and eager to please, bonds just as deeply to their humans.

The changes these animals make in their humans’ lives are remarkable. Thomas, the dad who was afraid to approach the other parents at his daughter’s school, now stands with the parents and happily waves goodbye to his little girl, his canine friend by his side. Greg, the man who attempted suicide and who found it difficult to leave his house to do the things he loves to do, now walks out his front door for a break to the beach a few blocks away.

PTSD: An Invisible Disability

Aronson spends a lot of time with his documentary subjects. The viewers get to know not only them, but also their family members. We see the depth of their pain, and we also see the joy in their faces as they transition into a more positive phase in life. They will always have PTSD, but now they have a canine companion that makes things easier. It’s a touching thing to see.

PTSD is an invisible disability, one that is not always taken seriously by the general public. To Be of Service puts a face on the condition, as well as explains symptoms and shows how it affects people. The film is a call for compassion and understanding. While the film has some scenes that tug at one’s heartstrings, it is ultimately an uplifting experience. Aronson wisely includes commentary from several psychiatrists, giving the film’s stories a great deal of credibility.

The film’s DVD includes optional closed captioning for the hearing impaired, but descriptive audio for the blind is nowhere to be found. The same goes for versions on Amazon Prime and Netflix. For a documentary that deals with disability, this is a glaring omission on the part of the production and distributor.

Buy To Be of Service on Amazon now!

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links (at no additional cost to you).

Photo: Courtesy of To Be of Service

I was preparing to cross the street and paused to listen to the traffic for a few minutes. I was about to take a step forward when I heard a man shout, “Wait! I gotcha!” I smelled citrus cologne and was stunned to feel a pair of very strong arms lift and throw me over a muscular shoulder. I moved my lips but my words were playing hooky and I remained mute. I could now smell the fragrance, which I now recognized as Aqua di Gio. I could also feel his toned stomach with my left hand and was now hoping he would take me home. I sensed him take a step up onto the curb and I knew my ride was about to end. The buff guy placed me on the sidewalk and scolded me, “You shouldn’t be crossing by yourself.” Still mesmerized by the stranger’s physique, I ignored his naïve yet cute comment. I checked the time on my cell and asked, “Will you be here in about a month at the same time?” Although I love being independent, I have definitely learned when to enjoy being helped.

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, the “Get to Work” columnist for SFGate.com, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Photo: “I Get Around” by Freaktography is licensed under CC BY 2.0

NOTE: This article is available for reprint in magazines, periodicals, newsletters, newspapers, eZINEs, on the Internet or on your own website. To obtain permission and details contact info@belocipriani.com

A street full of manic traffic informs me it’s a major thoroughfare and I should use it to navigate this new domain.

The smell of coffee whispers, “We can awaken your brain with a delicious cup of brew.”

The distinct scent of certain chemicals gently reminds me I’m due for my bi-weekly haircut.

And, once night descends, the laughter and music radiating from doorways is an open invitation to go dance the night away in a club. Walking back to my hotel, I know my face will soon be hitting the pillow when I smell the pizzeria right next door.

Traveling My Way

A warm rush of elation washed over me as I arrived at LaGuardia airport. I’d been away from New York for a while and was looking forward to reconnecting with this most vibrant of cities. An airport employee soon greeted me and inquired about my book tour as he led me to a cab. The vehicle pulled up two feet away from the employee, and I was escorted to the door when suddenly, a man shouted in broken English, “No dogs allowed!”

He was, of course, referring to my guide dog, Madge. And so began another epic struggle for my pre-existing rights as a traveling blind man. The airport employee and I explained that my yellow lab was a service dog. The cabbie continued to deny me service. Another employee piped up in my defense and — perhaps a little too loudly — explained to the driver that he was breaking the law. I whipped out my cell phone and warned the driver I would report him. Finally, a third employee joined in the ruckus, insisting that Madge was not merely a pet. With four people angrily indicting the cabbie, he finally caved, and Madge and I were allowed to board the cab — albeit beneath a flurry of angry mutters.

The tense and silent ride that followed represents many frustrating moments I have experienced while traveling in both the U.S. and abroad. Even though I am protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) — and by similar regulations in other countries — I am constantly reminded of just how unfamiliar ticket agents, flight attendants, hotel staff, and transportation companies are with the law. What’s more, they often seem to lack training in dealing with disabled patrons.

I was not born without sight. My vision loss was the result of a brutal attack that occurred in San Francisco six years ago. The point being that I know what it’s like to travel as a sighted person. It was a shock when I went from being greeted politely by members of the travel industry to having to instruct airport and hotel staff exactly how they should deal with me. Sometimes, it only takes the person a few simple instructions to help me with a task. Other times I run into a situation where I’m denied service and actually asked to leave an establishment. So, you can see, even though there are laws in place to protect and assist me, they aren’t always universally applied.

After losing my sight, the mere thought of depending solely on my senses of smell and hearing to get around made me anxious. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that while my attackers may have robbed me of my sight, I’d be damned if they were going to take away my love of travel. I adapted accordingly. I now travel internationally and can honestly say I feel more connected to my environment than when I could see.

As I alluded to earlier, there are all sorts of sights and sounds — especially in a city — that really help me place where I’m at. Once I get a whiff of hot coffee, for example, I tell Madge to find the door. We end up in a coffee shop where I can ask people for directions or use the Internet. People’s footsteps let me know where there are sidewalks and stairs.

Whether we’re relying on sounds or smells, finding a location with Madge and my GPS is a fun game, and making mistakes helps me learn a place better, just as it would a sighted person. If discovering new places was thrilling back when I was sighted, it’s absolutely intoxicating now that I’m blind.

A Unique Set of Problems

Still, every traveler has a host of challenges waiting for him along the way, and it’s no different for blind people. The challenges we face, however, tend to be different than those of the average sighted traveler. I would say that there are three main problems I encounter while traveling.

The first problem centers on my guide dog. Traveling with a guide dog really amps up your speed. In my experience, cane versus canine boils down to riding a tricycle underwater versus driving a Harley Davidson gifted with an exceptional sense of orientation.

I make sure to only travel to countries that have some type of access law for service dogs, yet some people still ignore the law and refuse to let me in. Sometimes this is dependent upon how the culture of the country I’m in views dogs. In the Czech Republic, for example, a service dog would be heartily welcomed. Many restaurants even have a communal water dish for canines accompanying their human patrons. However, if I were in India, with its abundance of mangy street dogs and lack of a strong dogs-as-pets culture, Madge would likely be canis non grata.

The second problem I often encounter makes me want to scream, “Who moved my cheese!?” I always explain to the hotel’s cleaning crew how imperative it is that they never move my things. Unfortunately, in many cases they do. When this happens I have to call the front desk to send someone up to help me find what I’m looking for. Granted, this is a big, preventable waste of everyone’s time.

The third problem is entrance. I’m not talking getting on buses or subways; the whoosh of the automatic door shows me where to go in. But rather being denied entrance. Even without Madge, some places of business have refused me entry simply because I was blind and unaccompanied. They viewed me as a liability, thinking I would get hurt without the help of a sighted person.

I’ve also found that certain cultures view blind people as bad luck. They feel that the blind person lost his sight because of bad karma, and they prefer to keep their distance. On the other hand, there are certain cultures who revere the blind. This is definitely something I consider when choosing what country or city to visit.

Training the Travel Industry, Along With Everyone Else

Up until this point I’ve been a pretty “negative Ned,” but I really wanted to drive home some of the problems before I present possible solutions. Like most problems, if we work together, we can make traveling easier on everyone.

I definitely think the travel industry would benefit from some corporate initiatives. You know, actually enforcing disability etiquette training for its employees. This is especially important in places like the U.S. and Europe, where it is already part of the law. Not only would this help travelers with disabilities, it would also promote a greater understanding to the public at large by busting certain stereotypes about the disabled.

When it comes to hotels, front desk staff should be trained to ask patrons who are blind what specifically they can do to make the their stay as comfortable as possible — no two person’s needs are alike.

Travelers who are blind can help by always having a copy of the part of the ADA that details the guide dog section. If traveling to Europe, make sure to have a copy of the corresponding EU law written in the language of the country of destination. I also always call ahead to hotels and airlines to let them know I’ll be arriving with a guide dog. Even though I write my specifications when I make my reservations, these don’t always get read, and I find people usually appreciate a kind heads-up.

It’s also important for the average Joe to know what they can do to help out a traveler who is blind. A blind person should always be asked if they’d like help before a stranger jumps into an advocacy role. My situation with the angry cabbie in New York is slightly different; the airport employees were on duty, and it is their job to help customers.

Increased Global Mobility

Traveling is no longer an exclusive luxury. Even the blind can go online and score a great travel deal. The travel industry has seen a significant increase of blind travelers, and the numbers will only get bigger. Travel companies should take heed, lest the frequent neglect of our ADA rights turn into a legal nightmare.

Many people who are blind are ready and willing to experience what international travel has to offer our senses. Dr. John Prescott, a musicologist and lecturer at University of California, Berkeley, was born blind and has traveled internationally all his life. Despite all of my griping, he insists that the travel industry has gone through a slew of positive changes in the past decades, and I believe him. For example, when he studied abroad in England in the late ‘80s, he had to quarantine his guide dog for six months. These days, according to Guide Dogs UK, the quarantine has largely been abolished.

Diana Saint James is the owner of Dimensions in Travel and has personally seen the increase in blind travelers. Her travel agency has created various vacation packages for blind people and their guide dogs. In fact, Dimensions in Travel has done 13 guide dog cruises since 2004. Efforts like these help spur the travel industry into making changes in accessibility.

If nothing else, it would greatly behoove industry leaders to realize that the millions of blind people around the world comprise a very viable market; after all, they have to travel for college, weddings, and other practical reasons — just like the next person. I firmly believe that much of the ignorance can be eliminated via education and training, ensuring that everyone’s trip is memorable for the right reasons.

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Belo Cipriani: Did you have any dogs growing up?

Jason Bellucci-King: My mom got us a Jack Russell Terrier mix for my 11th birthday. Her name was Sally and she lived until she was 17. She was an amazing pup that taught me a lot about communicating with dogs.

Belo: Where did you work before joining Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB)?

Jason: I have a varied professional background that began in the real estate industry when I was fresh out of high school. I worked my way up and eventually spent most of my time as an mortgage underwriter. After the real estate market shifted, I worked as a low voltage field technician installing phone and data systems for high-end residential clients for a couple years. I then got a job at a local pet food supply store and worked there as I was going to school for an EMT certification.

Belo: How did you hear about GDB?

Jason: After I received my certification, I was looking for a job on an ambulance when a good friend of mine told me about GDB. We had been friends through high school and worked at the same mortgage company together. She was a puppy raiser when she was younger and had just gotten settled into a position as a Canine Welfare Tech in the training kennels. She encouraged me to apply and I was very intrigued and began volunteering over the summer as a lifeguard at the old dorm to wait for an entry level position to open up.

Belo: When did you decide you wanted to train guide dogs?

Jason: Once I started working in the kennel and learning more about what GDB does everyday.

Belo: How far along are you in the apprentice program?

Jason: I’ve just entered my 3rd year as an apprentice.

Belo: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

Jason: Multitasking — it doesn’t come naturally for me.

Belo: Where are some of the dogs you’ve trained working now? (city, state etc.)

Jason: Dogs that I’ve trained are working in California, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia in the USA, as well as in Ontario and Alberta in Canada.

Belo: What is your favorite part of the job?

Jason: Everything.

Belo: What does your family think about your profession?

Jason: They are very proud of me and extremely supportive.

Belo: How many dogs have you trained?

Jason: Almost 30 so far.

Belo: What’s next for you career wise? (taking tests, etc.)

Jason: Looking forward to going through the certification process and getting a GDMI license within the next year.

Belo: Any tips you can share about training or grooming?

Jason: Follow your dog.

Jason Bellucci-King is an apprentice trainer at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Learn more about the largest guide dog school in the United States at www.guidedogs.com

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Photo courtesy of Guide Dogs for the Blind

Belo Cipriani: Did you have any pets growing up? And, if so, what were they?

Laura Chandler: My childhood was full of animals. Over the years we always had at least two dogs. I also had cats and horses growing up.

Belo: When did you know you wanted to work with animals?

Laura: I hoped that my professional path would include animals and was lucky when the first practice I worked for hired me and took a chance on a green 19 year old! When my mom or I tell childhood friends and acquaintances what I do for a living, every one of them gushes over how perfect my job is for me.

I used to play vet clinic when I was a kid. My mom loves to tell stories about how I used to set up a makeshift waiting room and exam room in our home office. I would have my mom bring in my stuffed animals and I would check them in, take vitals, explain the procedures that needed to be done, and check the client out, including taking payment for services! I was born to be a vet tech!

Belo: Did you have any other jobs prior to Guide Dogs that had you working with animals?

Laura: I have worked in the veterinary field since 2002. The first half of my career was spent in emergency and critical care, working nights and weekends while attending college. I have spent the past six years at Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB), and at another general practice with a high dentistry case load, concentrating on my growing love for veterinary dentistry.

I have been in the field in varying capacities for the last eleven years, and, over the years, I have been amazed at what good oral health can do to the overall health of a patient. It has been proven time and again by medical studies that patients with clean, healthy mouths have better surgical, oncological, and medical treatments. I have been privileged to watch patients come back from the brinks of death just by addressing the disease in their mouths. I heard a veterinary dentist once say that if the level of disease present in most of our patients’ mouths was somewhere else, say the skin, clients would be rushing their pets to emergency clinics. Clients just don’t look in their pets’ mouths. If they did, they would be rushing to get them in for dental cleanings! The mouth is the gateway to the body.

Belo: What type of training did you have to complete to do the work you are doing at GDB?

Laura: I have a Bachelor of Arts degree and also took post-secondary education and continuing education courses to obtain my Registered Veterinary Technician license in the state of California. I then continued my education focusing on dentistry for the past four years, including more post-secondary education, mentorship programs, and continuing education to obtain my Veterinary Dental Technician certification from the American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians. I am currently in the process of pursuing my specialty license in dentistry with the Academy of Dental Technicians.

Belo: How many dogs do you treat in one day?

Laura: Both at GDB and at my other practice we see many dogs a day for a variety of treatments, appointments, and procedures. On average, though, I have about two dental procedures each day.

Belo: Any funny stories about caring for a dog?

Laura: I have loads of entertaining vet stories, but funny is subjective. Our field is made up of medicine geeks. What is funny to us may not seem funny to the lay person!

Belo: What are some foods or toys that help clean dog teeth?

Laura: When I recommend tools for veterinary dental care, I suggest items approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC), an organization that independently evaluates the effectiveness of veterinary dental products. This council endorses veterinary dental products that are proven to work. Typically, I do not recommend any dental home care product that does not carry the VOHC seal.

Just like human dentistry, not just one modality will address all the needs of oral health. We brush, we floss, and we use mouthwash. For my dental patients, I suggest at minimum a two-front approach, usually consisting — first and foremost — with brushing every other day (at least), since it takes about 48 hours for plaque (bacterial colonies) to mineralize into calculus, which cannot be removed by teeth brushing alone. I also recommend chew treats or a water treatment product.

Some of my favorite chew products:

• Bright Bites® (see next answer for more info)

• Hill’s Science Diet T/D food (Not as the patient’s full diet, but they are great as treats. These large kibbles break up and “clean” the surfaces of the teeth as they are chewed.)

• Greenies® are good for patients with no food allergies

My favorite water treatment product:

• Healthymouth™ water additive prevents plaque accumulation. Just add it to the patient’s drinking water.

Bones are not something I recommended for oral health. Most bones are too hard and the risk of fractured teeth and damage to the oral cavity is way higher than any dental benefit claimed by the maker. As of now, there are no bones approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council. I just don’t believe they provide benefit in the form of creating a healthy mouth. With that said, there are dogs that need to chew and enjoy the stress relief. For those dogs, I subscribe to Dr. Fraser Hale’s (a prominent veterinary dentist) knee cap rule: If you wouldn’t want to hit yourself in the knee cap with it, don’t give it to your dog to chew! Also bones should be used supervised, so dogs cannot chew too hard, risking fracturing teeth, or eating the bones!

I do not recommend hard bones (i.e. NylaBones™) for any patient! They fracture teeth — it is that simple!

Bones I do recommend:

• GoughNuts™ Sticks

• Kong® Extreme Goodie Bone

• West Paw Design Zogoflex® Dog Toy Line – Hurley Bone

Belo: Do breath mints for dogs work? Do you recommend them?

Laura: Bad breath is not normal. If your dog has bad breath, there is most likely some disease in the mouth. 80% of dogs over age 3 have periodontal disease. There is no such thing as “doggy breath.” Bad breath is the first indicator of periodontal disease. Having said that first, I do not recommend doggy breath mints to clients, since most are only masking the smell of disease, not addressing the cause of the bad breath. Also, most doggy breath mints are not hypoallergenic.

After a professional dental cleaning to address the possible causes of the bad breath, I do recommend a product called Bright Bites® to maintain a healthy mouth. They can be found online or at Pet Food Express stores. This product is approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council to not only improve breath with their three fresh flavors (cinnamon, spearmint, or peppermint), but also to abrade the surface of the teeth to remove the plaque (bacterial colonies) and calculus (mineralized plaque) that lead to periodontal disease. Also, Bright Bites® are hypoallergenic and are easily digestible (100% soluble).

Laura Chandler is a Veterinary Dental Technician at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Learn more about the largest guide dog school in the United States by visiting www.guidedogs.com.

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Photo courtesy of Guide Dogs for the Blind

Unphased by my annoyed tone, the officer started to tell me he received a call from a concerned neighbor that worried I was lost and would get hurt. I began to think about this “so concerned” neighbor and asked in an agitated tone, “Am I trespassing?” The officer explained that the neighbor just wanted to help, but that she was afraid of scaring me and so called for help.

People tend to want to treat the blind like porcelain dolls, something that really makes my blood boil when it occurs to me. Biting my lower lip I imagined an older woman who looked like Ethel from the “I Love Lucy Show” clutching a cordless phone in one hand and a newspaper in the other. I rolled my eyes as I envisioned her telling everyone in her world how she saved a blind guy from great danger.

I told the officer I was fine and continued to walk up and down the block with Madge a few times. I did not know if the concerned woman was still watching or if I had gained additional audience members. What I did know was that I did not need rescuing.

***Belo Cipriani is a freelance writer, speaker, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. Learn more at belocipriani.com
NOTE: This article is available for reprint in magazines, periodicals, newsletters, newspapers, eZINEs, on the Internet or on your own website. To obtain permission and details contact info@belocipriani.com

Madge and I have been a team since 2009 and because I do not always catch every single small step or maneuver that she does in my favor, I realized I had taken some of her guide work for granted. We arrived at my dentist’s office and I verbally thanked the stranger for walking with us and also mentally thanked him for narrating the obstacles Madge dodged to keep me harm free. The man asked, “So, what is the hero’s name?” Smiling and rubbing her velvety ears I cheered, “Her name is Super Madge!”

Belo Miguel Cipriani, Ed.D. is a digital inclusion strategist and the founder of Oleb Media. Learn more at olebmedia.com.

Occasionally, I run into people who take anything I say too seriously. I think that it is hard for some to picture the blind being comical, sexy, or fun. Madge and I left the Yoga studio and walked down the street. I told Madge, “There is another yoga place down the street; hopefully, they are a bunch of sillies – just like us.”

***Belo Cipriani is a freelance writer, speaker, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. Learn more at belocipriani.com
NOTE: This article is available for reprint in magazines, periodicals, newsletters, newspapers, eZINEs, on the Internet or on your own website. To obtain permission and details contact info@belocipriani.com

I was startled out of my haze of frustration by a rumbling deep voice. I looked up toward the ceiling and the man repeated himself, “Need a hand?” The man’s voice seemed to be coming from past the florescent light bulbs and roof and straight out of the clouds. “Wow, you are really tall!” I huffed. The stranger chuckled and offered his arm; his massive structure was confirmed when I grabbed his elbow and realized it was at my shoulder level. Although 5’8” is not tall, I was not used to feeling this short and my first instinct was to start skipping like a kindergartener. I attempted to push my awkwardness away, yet it still surfaced in the form of a giggle.

The giant, Madge and I began to make our way through the store, slowly crossing items off my shopping list. When we got to the final item, I sensed my face get warm as the giant said, “Condoms are over this way.” I could not figure out why this man made me feel so weird and self-conscious, but not wanting to act immature I started to ask him questions, “So, what kind do they have here?” He began to elaborate on the various styles, flavors and even colors of condoms the store was displaying. We spent a good five minutes discussing jimmies until I made a decision.

I made my purchases and Madge guided me out of the store. I heard the giant behind me ask, “Need a ride too?” Surprised he had also stepped out the drug store with me, I shyly retorted, “Are you on your break or something?” The man laughed and said, “Nope, I don’t work here.” I awkwardly said, “No, thanks,” And Madge and I sped back to campus.

There are people in this world who bring out the adolescent in all of us. Maybe I bring out that adolescent behavior for people who are not used to being around the blind. The giant reminded me that reactions are not always personal, but a lack of exposure.

Belo Cipriani is a freelance writer, speaker, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. Learn more at belocipriani.com
NOTE: This article is available for reprint in magazines, periodicals, newsletters, newspapers, eZINEs, on the Internet or on your own website. To obtain permission and details contact info@belocipriani.com