Never Doubt a Canine’s Senses
ANCHORS AWEIGH, BELLY RUBS AHEAD Meet the Navy’s First Full-Time Morale Dog
For one special soldier, the mission is clear: Provide comfort, lift spirits, and stand by his crew, four paws at a time. Raider, a 1-year-old Lab mix from an animal rescue in San Diego, isn’t your typical recruit. He’s about to make waves as the first full-time morale dog on a Navy ship, and he could transform life at sea for hundreds of sailors. With a wagging tail and unwavering loyalty, this pup is ready to serve his country in the most heartwarming way. The nonprofit Shelter to Soldier has been training shelter dogs as service animals for veterans since 2012, with a mission to “save lives, two at a time.” Though the organization partners dogs with individual veterans, it began bringing therapy dogs to Navy ships for special training outings
and made a discovery. Crew members felt a special connection with the pups and kept asking, “Can we take this dog on deployment with us?” Raider is the first canine cadet for the job. He was adopted from Labs and More Rescue and has been deep in training since April. This new furry crew member has been working hard on learning to use a “potty patch” on board and special safety gear like booties for his paws and eye protection. Along with getting his sea legs, he’s learning various commands that will help in his role, which is “designed to support the emotional wellness, morale, and mental health of sailors and Marines,”
according to the nonprofit. Raider will join a team of five handlers and live full time on the USS Makin Island in his own room. Crew members will get their wish, and any time the base deploys, he’ll be along for the ride. Known for his goofy personality and affinity for belly rubs, he’s already bringing cheer to the base and inspiring others to follow in his pawprints. The nonprofit is busy training morale dogs for other ships. “Everyone is just really excited to have a furry companion to go with them when they’re underway,” Director of Operations and Training Nicky Moore said, adding, “What makes you happier than a dog?”
of Drivers Roadblocks Ahead
New Federal Limits May Sideline Thousands
A moratorium on employment visas for commercial truck drivers threatens to slow hiring in the industry. Along with other federal government challenges to non-citizen drivers, the moves foreshadow reductions in the trucking workforce. The new federal restrictions cut off visas for non-citizens seeking work in the U.S., including driving commercial vehicles. The Transportation Department is also tightening restrictions on states’ issuance of commercial driver licenses (CDLs) to non-citizens. In addition, the Trump Administration recently tightened language- proficiency enforcement, requiring drivers who cannot pass tests of their English skills to be removed from the road. Industry data show that immigrants comprise roughly 18% of the nation’s 3.5 million commercial drivers. The new employment-visa moratorium applies to three visa categories, including the most common type held by commercial truck drivers, the H-2B temporary visa for non- agricultural workers. About 1,500 H-2B visas are issued to truck drivers each year. The federal moratorium on H-2B visas followed an accident last August in Florida caused by a truck driver who was an Indian national, licensed in California, who did not speak English and
lacked legal authorization to work in the U.S. The driver was charged with making a U-turn on a Florida highway that led to the deaths of three occupants of a vehicle behind him. The driver has pleaded innocent. Under the new rules, non-citizens not living in the country won’t be eligible for CDLs unless they pass a mandatory federal immigration status check and hold an employment visa. Federal officials recently accused several states, including California, of issuing licenses to drivers whose visas had expired. Industry groups and independent truckers’ organizations have disagreed about whether a driver shortage exists in commercial trucking. Industry groups claim 60,000 more drivers are needed, while independent drivers’ representatives say the nation actually has an oversupply of truckers, depressing freight rates and driver pay. Nevertheless, both the American Truckers Association, an industry group, and the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association have praised the Trump Administration’s visa cutoff, saying it will help remove unqualified drivers who pose safety risks to others from the road.
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