A Hero’s Best Friend

Taronga Zoo Welcomes Baby Tree Kangaroo Ann Spader, service dog training instructor at the U.S. Army's Warrior Transition Brigade (WTB), Northern Regional Medical Command, and Sgt. Rex Tharp, 21, of the 2/87 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division, Ft. Drum, N.Y., assigned to the WTB Service Dog Training Program, prepare Penny for training at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. The 10-month-old golden retriever is training to be a full-service mobility dog for a future wounded veteran. Sgt. Tharp lost his left leg and muscle tissue in his right leg in a blast in Afghanistan. He's been assigned to the dog training program for eight months. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Taronga Zoo Welcomes Baby Tree Kangaroo Sgt. Rex Tharp, 21, of the 2/87 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division, Ft. Drum, N.Y., talks to 10-month-old Penny inside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. As part of his recovery, Sgt. Tharp was assigned to the WTB Service Dog Training Program after losing his leg in a blast in Afghanistan. To date, over 500 wounded, ill and injured service members have participated in the program. Service members benefit both physically and mentally from working with the dogs, which are training to become full-service mobility dogs for a wounded veteran. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Dogs take a quick rest during intensive training at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Penny, Justin and Indy are in the Service Dog Training Program at the Warrior Transition Brigade. Penny and Indy are in training and will one day become full-service mobility dogs for a wounded veteran. Justin is one of two dogs within the program who are lead instruction dogs. These dogs teach the younger dogs the skills they'll need to become service dogs. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

U.S. Army Specialist Seth Pack, 21, of the 1/32 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division, Ft. Drum, N.Y., along with his friend-in-training, Indy. Specialist Pack lost his left leg and badly injured his right leg after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan in 2011. He says the WTB Service Dog Training Program has helped him gain more balance and confidence. Indy is a 16-month-old black Labrador and is on the path of becoming a mobility service dog for a wounded veteran. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Instructors and soldiers take part in the WTB Service Dog Training Program session at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Instructors Carolyn Ford and Ann Spader teach soldiers how to train dogs to become full-service mobility dogs. Justin, 8, is one of the lead service dogs helping Penny and brothers Indy and Sam, the black Labradors. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Penny poses for the camera during training at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The 10-month-old golden retriever is the youngest in the WTB Service Dog Training Program. Sgt. Rex Tharp is training with Penny and Sgt. Cory Doane works with Sam. Both soldiers lost legs in blasts in Afghanistan. Joining the program with the dogs is part of their recovery. It gets them out of their rooms, forces them to be more social and helps with their balance after losing legs. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Irvine, 8, takes a break after training with other dogs in the WTB Service Dog Training Program. Irvine is one of the lead training dogs at Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. He showcases various skills with instructors and the younger dogs try to mimic his behavior. The dogs will learn over 60 skills, all with the goal of enriching the life of a wounded veteran. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Justin, 7, is one of two lead service dogs in the WTB Service Dog Training Program. He carries out various skills, such as getting and retrieving items, pulling a tug-toy or pushing a button with his nose. The skills are important since once the younger dogs in training turn 2, they will be pulling wheelchairs, opening refrigerators and retrieving items for wounded veterans. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Justin chills out while waiting his turn. He's one of the lead service dogs and trains at Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir. When he's wearing his U.S. Army vest, he's in training mode. By the way, you won't hear these dogs bark. Unless there is danger, these dogs are trained not to bark. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Sam, a 16-month-old black Labrador retriever, is currently in the WTB Service Dog Training Program. He will train in the program until he's 2 years old and ready to be a full-service mobility dog for a wounded veteran. The dogs are bred specifically to become full-service dogs. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Sgt. Cory Doane, 22, of the 2/87 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division, Ft. Drum, N.Y., with Sam, who's standing on a training table at Walter Reed. "Stand," "jump on" and "dress" are just some of the commands the dogs must learn in the WTB Service Dog Training Program. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

U.S. Army Specialist Seth Pack, 21, of the 1/32 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division, Ft Drum, N.Y., gets comfortable with Indy. They are training together in the WTB's Service Dog Training Program.

Indy sits on top of U.S. Army Specialist Seth Pack after a day of training. Everyone gets a good laugh. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Maeve Carey, an occupational therapist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, is the rehabilitation manager at the Warrior Transition Brigade, Northern Regional Medical Command. She gets to work with wounded soldiers and dogs, like Justin, in the program every day. She says it's an extremely rewarding job watching soldiers helping dogs who will help other wounded veterans one day. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese

Maeve Carey, an occupational therapist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and rehabilitation manager at the WTB is also a "puppy parent." She cares for Indy after work hours and brings him home each day. Her primary role is to support the training that he gets all week at Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir. Carey takes Indy everywhere -- to the grocery store, library and even on airplanes during trips. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

WTOP/Darci Marchese