Ashleigh & Montana
The Dogs Who Saved Me
When Ashleigh joined the U.S. Navy as a young adult, she was eager and ready for adventure. The idea of facing battle seemed highly unlikely. Afterall, the U.S. wasn’t engaged in any active conflicts at the time, and everyone had told her that the odds of seeing war were slim to none. But fate had other plans.
Ashleigh’s first assignment took her to Souda Bay, Crete, Greece, as part of the U.S. Navy law enforcement. As a young woman just starting her career, she looked forward to exploring a new country, learning the ropes of her job, and spending time with her fellow military members. It was a dream deployment. That was until September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center was struck down in a terrorist attack.
Even though Ashleigh and her unit were half a world away, the impact of the tragedy struck deep. Tensions grew between the Greeks and Americans, and Ashleigh’s base faced daily threats and violence for weeks after the attacks. Everyday she lived in a state of stress, fear, and devastation.
Ashleigh was more than relieved when she got the opportunity to return to the United States to train as a Military Working Dog (MWD) Handler. Working with K-9s gave her a sense of purpose and direction again. For the first time since the events in Greece, it felt like her career was back on an upswing. She even got to be a part of a K-9 Bootcamp series on Animal Planet during her time in the training program, which felt like an honor. After getting her certification as an MWD handler, Ashleigh was sent to Naples, Italy, to serve as a MWD Kennel Shift Manager. Then came the call that changed everything.
She and a MWD named Dexter had just one week to become a certified team and prepare for a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq. “My heart sank when I made the call to my family letting them know that I was being deployed… it was heart crushing,” Ashleigh recalled. She hadn’t worked with K-9 Dexter before, but she knew they were going to need each other if they were going to survive the deployment.
In Iraq, Ashleigh and Dexter operated alongside other MWD handlers and the U.S. Army’s riot control team in the Abu Ghraib Prison. What was supposed to be a three month deployment stretched into six months of deadly riots, abuse scandals, poor living conditions, and violent attacks on a daily basis. Fear became a constant companion—not just a fear of losing her own life but also fear for Dexter’s life and her fellow military members’.
Through it all, Dexter was Ashleigh’s anchor. More than just a skilled MWD, Dexter was her lifeline as he provided much-needed love and friendship when they were off duty. Ashleigh knew she could count on him (and vice versa), and he proved his loyalty by saving her life and their fellow Americans’ lives on multiple occasions.
The day finally came that Ashleigh and her fellow MWD handlers were able to return home. “We (the MWD handlers) cried tears of joy and hugged when we were out of enemy air space and safe. We couldn’t believe we survived the deployment,” Ashleigh remembered.
“My Military Working Dog Dexter saved my life in war.
Now, my Freedom Service Dog Montana is saving my life in the aftermath of war.”
– Ashleigh, U.S. Navy veteran
While her time in the military had come to an end, Ashleigh’s war was far from over. PTSD, suicidal ideation, debilitating depression and anxiety, alcoholism, and physical challenges resulting from service-related injuries clung to her like a second skin. She spent her days alone in her house with the blinds closed, quite literally shutting out the entire world. Once bright and vibrant, she had lost her spark. “Emotional and psychological scars are deep and difficult to heal,” Ashleigh shared. “I was stuck. I couldn’t function and had no desire to do anything. I hid from everyone and felt alone. When I did interact with people, I felt like I was being attacked. I wasn’t myself and had to learn to live again.”
It can be difficult for veterans to reach out for help, and Ashleigh is no different. But for the sake of herself and her son, she knew she needed to make a change. Having experienced the power of the love and companionship of a good dog with Dexter, Ashleigh reached out to Freedom Service Dogs. Finally in fall 2024, Ashleigh received the news she had been long awaiting—FSD had found her perfect match in an outgoing FSD Service Dog named Montana.
Even before meeting Montana, Ashleigh felt like their partnership was meant to be. She had grown up in the state of Montana, so the coincidence just felt like destiny. During their first meeting with FSD Service Dog Montana, he walked right up to Ashleigh’s son and started cuddling with him as if he had always belonged in the family. At that moment, Ashleigh knew he was the one. “Montana was the missing link to me living my life and helping me be the best mom, daughter, friend, and person I was meant to be,” Ashleigh said.
With Dexter’s big shoes to fill, Montana quickly proved that his love could heal even the deepest wounds. Ashleigh had tried all the medications and therapies, and while they did help, Montana’s friendship filled the gap Ashleigh had been missing. “I pet and love on him constantly, and that brings me so much happiness and stress relief,” Ashleigh gushed. Along with providing Ashleigh comfort and companionship, Montana helps Ashleigh mitigate her symptoms by performing deep pressure therapy, retrieving objects, providing comfort during stressful times, interrupting anxious behaviors, and helping her increase her confidence in public settings.
Just a few short weeks after going home together, Ashleigh and Montana went to a Halloween parade at her son’s school. Ashleigh was already filled with anxiety being in a crowd with loud music. Mid-way through the parade, the fire alarm went off and people began pouring out of the gymnasium. Overwhelming panic set in as Ashleigh looked for a way to escape. Noticing her distress, Montana began to nudge Ashleigh and encouraged her to keep moving to a safe location to calm down. “Montana sat on my lap and helped me have a moment of clarity. I was able to get my bearings again and go back to the parade. Before Montana, I would’ve just gone home. Because of him, I got to be there for my son that day,” she said.
There are countless moments like that that Ashleigh can recall. Moments where Montana has quite literally saved her life and allowed her to be the type of person and mother she wants to be. “I feel like I can live again,” Ashleigh said. “Not just hide in my house, drowning in depression and anxiety. Montana knows and can sense what I’m going through and is more than willing to help. There are truly no words to describe how Montana has changed my life. Dexter saved my life in war. Now, Montana is saving my life in the aftermath of war.”
There are many veterans and others living with disabilities like Ashleigh still waiting for their Montana—their lifeline, their battle buddy, their hero. It is only with your support that FSD can continue partnering more life-changing assistance dogs with people in need, at no cost to them. Give a gift of any amount today and become an everyday game changer in the lives of others.
Author’s Note: After Ashleigh returned to the United States from her deployment in Baghdad, Iraq, MWD Dexter continued his work at the Abu Ghraib Prison with another MWD handler where he continued to save hundreds of American troops’ lives. During his career, Dexter patrolled the streets of Baghdad, helped suppress prison riots, and detected an explosive device hidden on a garbage truck that would have detonated at an American mess hall, potentially injuring and killing hundreds. After serving six years in the U.S. military, Dexter was inducted into the American Legion as a veteran and spent the rest of his days living a peaceful and happy civilian life with his first handler. Ashleigh still shares a deep love for Dexter and appreciation that he saved her life and the lives of her fellow Americans on multiple occasions. Now, she feels Dexter’s legacy lives on in Montana.
Would you or someone you know benefit from the partnership of a Freedom Service Dog? If so, please contact FSD at [email protected] or call 303-922-6231 for more information.
Published 2/25/2025
Contact Erin Conley at econley@