March 2026 Newsletter
YOUR IMPACT
⚓MAKING A DIFFERENCE🐾
Pictured left to right: CAPT Fathom, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72); CAPT Sage, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78); CDR IKE, USS WASP (LHD1)
After months at sea, the days begin to blur together. Stress is constant. Sleep can be limited. Families are far away. For many Sailors, the weight of deployment is carried quietly.
And then an Expeditionary Facility Dog (EFD) walks into the room.
A Sailor sitting quietly in the corner of the mess deck looks up. For the first time all day, he smiles. Another kneels down, burying her face in soft fur for just a moment before returning to watch. A deep breath is taken. A connection is made. In that brief pause, something shifts.
Whether it’s a Veteran paired with a Service Dog, police departments supported by a Facility Dog, or Sailors strengthened by our EFDs aboard U.S. Navy ships, your generosity is creating meaningful change every single day.
Currently, six EFDs are serving aboard U.S. Navy ships, including two deployed in support of Operation Epic Fury. As deployments continue to lengthen, accessible mental health support has never been more important. EFDs are more than morale boosters; they are vital mental health allies. In the high-stress environment of deployments, they help break down barriers between Sailors and medical professionals, encouraging conversations and support that might not otherwise happen.
After two years of training with their volunteer Puppy Raiser, these dogs are prepared to serve under the most demanding conditions. Throughout deployment, EFDs visit workspaces, medical spaces, and common areas, supporting not only the carrier crew but the entire strike group. Their presence is a visible reminder that help is always within reach. Each EFD has a team of handlers and deploys fully equipped with protective gear, enrichment items, and a $5,000 medical kit, ensuring they are mission-ready at all times.
Your support keeps them healthy, visible, and ready to care for those
Serving to Keep Us Free.
▶️FOLLOW OUR EXPEDITIONARY FACILITY DOGS (EFDs) ◀️
Click the buttons below for EFD Instagram pages
CAPT FATHOM
USS LINCOLN (CVN-72)
CAPT POSEIDON
USS NIMITZ
(CVN-68)
CAPT RUDDER
USS CARL VINSON
(CVN-70)
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Just in time for soccer Saturdays, spring walks with your pup,
and everything in between.
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❤️ Red Level Sponsor – SAME Hampton Roads Post
We were proud to be invited back to attend the SAME Hampton Roads Post Conference this past February at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Our SDiTs were able to practice calm greetings, walking backwards through rows of chairs, staying on their mats, and standing in buffet lines with their Puppy Raisers. In addition to all the great training for the dogs, the members of SAME donated to MWAM, and we are thrilled to welcome them as a new Red Level Sponsor.
💚Camouflage Level Sponsor – VFW Riders
Thank you to the VFW Riders for joining our Camo Sponsors! We appreciate your donation. Our SDiTs and staff enjoyed meeting you when you stopped by our training center to say hello.
Thank you, SAME Hampton Roads Post and VFW Riders, for standing with us and supporting our mission.
Welcome to the MWAM Family!
Pictured above are SDiTs Kiwi, Patriot, sponsored by
Raytheon, an RTX Business, Phoenix, and Rivet.
Pictured above with the VFW Riders are SDiTs Kona, sponsored by Clyde "Cash" Barber and Tubbs.
Pictured above left to right are SDiTs Opp, Hudson, sponsored by ODU Athletics, and Glacier.
💫VOLUNTEERS WITH A PURPOSE🐾
We are fortunate to have built strong relationships throughout Hampton Roads and with our incredible community of volunteers! We are excited to welcome Tommy’s Express Car Wash from Norfolk as a new volunteer group. These folks helped us sort merchandise, stock shelves, and scrub puppy crates. Thank you for spending time with us and tackling much-needed tasks.
Navy Federal Credit Union has been, and continues to be, a consistent and enthusiastic volunteer partner. A fun fact about NFCU is that when their team members arrive, they don’t know each other, as they come from different branches, but when they leave, they are friends and will often see each other again when they return to volunteer.
Thank you, Tommy’s Express Car Wash and NFCU!
👏We appreciate your time and dedication.👏
Pictured above left to right are SDiT Trit with the crew from Tommy's Express Car Wash and SDiT Gadget with the NFCU team.
🎮Leveling Up🐾
Training at Apex Entertainment
Our SDiTs took part in real-life training earlier this month when class was held at Apex Entertainment in Town Center, VA Beach. Apex Entertainment is an arcade entertainment venue featuring bowling, go-karts, games with loud bells and whistles, and dining.
In the middle of all the activity, our pups worked hard on maintaining connection with their Puppy Raisers as well as practicing settling and remaining calm despite all the sights and sounds around them.
MWAM is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Apex Entertainment. Thank you for welcoming us and allowing our SDiTs to practice so many skills.
🎉GROCERY OUTLET🎉
COMMUNITY PARTNER!
Pictured above are SDiT Rivet and SDiT Steele. Steele is sponsored by Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group.
On March 12th, our Puppy Raisers and SDiTs had a great time welcoming Grocery Outlet to the neighborhood! From listening to the DJ spin the hits, to the many customers lined up to shop, people stopping by to say hello, and meeting store management, our pups remained calm, focused, and attentive to their Puppy Raisers.
As the music played and shopping carts rolled by, our SDiTs quietly held a perfect “down" beside their handlers, unfazed by the excitement! A small but powerful reminder of the confident dogs they are becoming.
Thank you, Grocery Outlet, for allowing us to be part of this exciting event and for the generous donation to MWAM. We look forward to a long partnership with you.
🛒Welcome to Virginia Beach!🐾
MWAM WINE AT WATERS EDGE WINERY
(THEY SHIP!)🎉
🏒MISSION MOMENT🥅
Thank you to everyone who came out for MWAM/Norfolk Admirals Night! The energy in the arena was electric, and our SDiTs, along with a few of our EFDs, were right in the middle of it all. With the excitement of the game, the loud horns, sirens, and alarms, and oh so many fans, our pups didn't miss a beat! A highlight for us was stepping onto the ice after the game for a special post-game photo.
We are grateful to the Norfolk Admirals and to each of you who showed up to cheer, support, and celebrate the mission with us.🐾
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