USS Wasp welcomes facility dog to provide mental health support for Navy sailors, Marines
Mutts With A Mission founder and trainer Brooke Corson introduces Ike – a facility dog who will deploy with the amphibious warship – during Fleet Week 2023 in New York City.
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel who serve on the USS Wasp will welcome aboard a furry, four-legged friend soon.
Ike, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, has been assigned as the ship's facility dog to boost morale and mental health.
The USS Wasp (LHD 1) is an amphibious warship occupied by both the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps.
The pup was present during the opening ceremonies of Fleet Week 2023 in New York City, where the USS Wasp pulled into port on Wednesday, May 24.
Since he was a puppy, Ike has been training with Mutts With A Mission to be placed with a deployment resiliency counselor aboard the Wasp.
Based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Mutts With A Mission trains world-class service dogs and facility dogs to assist disabled veterans, first responders and law enforcement.
Fox News Digital spoke with founder and dog trainer Brooke Corson about Ike’s responsibilities as a facility dog.
"He’ll not only help boost morale, he’s also another modality for improving mental health on the ship," she said.
The program from Mutts With A Mission is "very new."
Ike will work alongside his handler to provide services such as alerting to the anxiety of others and responding to tragedies onboard in one-on-one cases, according to Corson.
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"There are tasks he’s trained to do to help alleviate anxiety," she explained, such as when individuals need to relax and refocus.
"[Ike] can also apply direct pressure to someone who’s having an anxiety attack and help to settle that," Corson added.
Ike remains attentive to his trainer, Brooke Corson, as his assigned ship, the USS Wasp, arrives in New York City on May 24, 2023. (Angelica Stabile/Fox News Digital)
The program from Mutts With A Mission is "very new," Corson said. The organization just placed another dog, Sage, aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford.
The Wasp will be the first LHD (landing helicopter dock) vessel to welcome aboard a facility dog while the program is still in its pilot phase with the Navy and Department of Defense.
While Ike has been training since he was 8 weeks old to be a service dog, the yellow Lab ultimately qualified to be a facility dog instead, said Corson.
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Facility dogs complete the same rigorous training program as service dogs. Yet instead of helping an individual with a disability, they help multiple people cope after a traumatic event or overly stressful environment, according to Mutts With A Mission's website.
Mutts With A Mission founder Brooke Corson and Ike (at right) are shown as the USS Wasp pulls into Pier 88 in New York City for Fleet Week 2023. (Angelica Stabile/Fox News Digital)
"We don’t decide until the very end whether they’re going to be a facility dog or a service dog," Corson said. "We really want to make sure they get the job they’re best at and [where] they’re happiest."
It’s clear that Ike "loves being aboard the Wasp," Corson shared.
"He loves the energy of the ship. He loves being busy all the time," she said. "So this is a perfect fit for him."
Ike, shown here, was chosen to deploy as a facility dog on the USS Wasp, as he "loves the energy of the ship," his handler said. (Angelica Stabile/Fox News Digital)
An amphibious assault ship is designed to deploy and support ground forces on shore, with the capability to host tanks, helicopters, cargo and a variety of support vehicles.
The vessel made its grand entrance into New York City last week as the finale of Fleet Week's ceremonial Parade of Ships, which included a flyover and a salute from both Navy sailors and Marines surrounding the perimeter of the flight deck.
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aboard the USS Wasp depart from New York City with a display of gratitude for the city's hospitality at the end of Fleet Week 2023. (Mass Communication Specialist US Navy PO2 Wesley Towner)
The USS Wasp, which is 843 feet long, can carry up to 3,000 people at full capacity.
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The Wasp houses the U.S. military’s "most important weapon, which is the Marine Corps and the Navy," David Forster, chairman of the Amphibious Warship Industrial Base Coalition, said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
The ship’s "intended purpose" is to transport its members to serve in specific areas of need, including humanitarian relief, protection of the homeland from amphibious assault, national security and other missions, the expert explained.
As the multibillion-dollar warship made its grand entrance into New York City, Ike was able to attend Fleet Week festivities, Corson said.
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For more information on the initiatives of Mutts With A Mission, anyone can visit muttswithamission.org.
