Service Dogs To Be Delivered To 2 Veterans In Brookfield

BROOKFIELD, WI — Two military veterans in Brookfield will receive a dog for their service to the nation, according to a news release.

Sixteen service dogs will be delivered to service members on Tuesday, the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

A service dog will be presented in honor of each of the 13 fallen service members killed on Aug. 26 in Afghanistan.

President Joe Biden announced in June the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York.

Thirteen U.S. service members were killed in a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 26. U.S. troops were looking out for evacuees rushing to depart the country.

The Brookfield veterans will be given a dog in honor of Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, and Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, both killed on Aug. 26.

The service dogs were part of an effort by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp., Fairway Wholesale Lending and the American Warrior Initiative to deliver 100 service dogs to military service members in 2021.

"What an honor and privilege it will be to grant 16 service dogs to 16 veterans in a timespan of less than one hour. These presentations will be happening in locations all around this nation!" said Louise Thaxton, director and co-founder of AWI and a Fairway branch manager.

Patch reached out to the organization for more information on the veterans from Brookfield.