A CAT’S NOSE KNOWS
A TAIL OF COURAGE
A national hero from the U.S. Coast Guard had a lot to wag her tail about this year! K-9 Sonya, an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois, was honored with the Animals in War & Peace Distinguished Service Medal this March for her extraordinary heroism over the past nine years. The hardworking dog has a long list of achievements and continues to serve the Coast Guard proudly. Sonya was one of 18 explosive detection canines in the Coast Guard, assigned to two duty stations, the Maritime Safety and Security Team in Seattle and the Maritime Security Response Team West in San Diego. Alongside her human partner, Sonya’s primary job was to detect and detract acts of terrorism in the U.S. She has performed more than 5,000 hours of explosives detection work and more than 8,500 vehicle sweeps. The pooch’s expertise has helped other local law enforcement agencies handle bomb threats in residential and federal buildings, and she has worked with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. One of the highlights of her career was when she found a firearm that was ditched during a high-speed pursuit that was later linked to multiple homicides. Her work ultimately helped to identify the suspect.
Sonya has also had the opportunity to attend major events in the country, protecting guests and fans. Over her career, she worked security for four Super Bowls, the Rose Bowl, the U.S. Track and Field Olympics, U.S. World Athletics, PGA tournaments, and many other mass public gatherings. Sonya has assisted in security for four U.S. presidents, high-ranking dignitaries, and world leaders.
Sonya retired in 2023 and was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer, but she didn’t let it stop her from continuing to serve. Sonya worked as the Coast Guard’s first-ever canine recruiter until her passing in April. In a heartfelt message online, Sonya’s handler, Chief Petty Officer James Grant, paid tribute to his partner. “Sonya girl, you were a fighter until the end,” he wrote. “Your loyalty and love will be forever remembered. K9 Sonya, you were the greatest, most loving dog I have ever met.”
Sonya’s brave legacy lives on and continues to inspire.
TOP TIPS TO STAY FIT WHILE DRIVING HEALTHY FOR THE LONG HAUL
Life on the road offers a chance to see the country while earning a paycheck. The lifestyle of the professional truck driver, however, can easily lead to health problems, including twice the average rate of obesity and a high incidence of diabetes and hypertension, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Add to that a chronic lack of exercise and inadequate sleep, and you have a prescription for serious ailments.
the road. Prepackaged salads and quick, microwavable meals can also fill the gap. Curb your appetite and stay hydrated by drinking water before meals. Women typically need about 11.5 cups of water a day, and men need 15.5 cups. Keep a Brita filter pitcher or an insulated water bottle to refill at truck stops. One professional driver posting in an online forum told of cutting his weight from 215 to 175 pounds by bringing his own food on trips and exercising in the cab of his truck. He cooks chicken, fish, and rice dishes before leaving on a multiday trip and stores the meals in a refrigerator in his truck. Breakfast is a hardboiled egg and oatmeal. Build an exercise routine. The same trucker brings two 15-pound dumbbells to do curls and presses in his sleeper, cranking the air conditioning to avoid breaking a sweat. He also makes squats, situps, and ab crunches
a part of each day. Resistance bands can help tone muscles in a small space.
Aim for 2 1/2 hours of exercise a week. And when all else fails, take a walk on one of your breaks or while doing laundry. A hopeful improvement: A few companies have begun providing fitness facilities for truckers at terminals. Get enough sleep. Most people need seven or more hours. Plan ahead if possible to park in a safe, quiet place, such as a rest stop or a company or customer facility. Invest in creating a dark, quiet space, by equipping your cab with power units or bunk heaters and securing a sunscreen cover for your windshield. Also, reducing stress during the day will aid sleep. Invest in items for your own comfort, such as a high-quality seat cushion. And to cycle down before sleeping, try podcasts with soothing sounds, storytelling, or music.
“Exercise and healthy eating are but fantasies at this point,” wrote one
million‑mile trucker in an online forum. So, here are a few trucker-tested tips to ward off problems. Avoid truck stop food. Avoid truck stops’ fast-food restaurants and the processed fare that lines the shelves. To curb the munchies, bag crunchy veggies such as kale chips or baby carrots as snacks for
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