An Air Force wounded warrior has a new buddy that is helping him cope with his physical and mental pain, thanks to the Train A Dog – Save A Warrior program.
Staff Sgt. Andrew Goligowski struggles with post-traumatic stress and the pain caused by sarcoidosis, a disease with no cure that causes inflammation in the lymph nodes, organs, joints, and other tissues. For Goligowski, the disease strikes his joints at times making it painful to even bend his arms, and causes masses in his lungs making it difficult to breathe.
Goligowski was serving as a military training instructor with the 321st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, when his symptoms began. Once a military working dog handler with four combat deployments under his belt, Goligowski was not only in pain, but he became withdrawn and depressed, and needed help.