dened combat veteran found peace with an unexpected canine companion named Dozer. Their meeting was surely influenced by a higher power, the author writes. After separating from the active-duty Marines, he found it difficult to adapt to civilian life. He felt he had lost his identity as an elite warrior, a Marine. He was used to handling the toughest tasks-including making safe-for-flight determinations for two separate aviation platforms, the AH-1W Super Cobra tandem seat attack helicopter and the UH-1N Huey utility helicopter. He went from being an integral part of a flight crew for combat missions to just another face in the crowd. The transition took its toll on his personal and professional well-being. He had no idea that the only dose of medicine capable of pulling him out of this nosedive was a dog.