07/03/2026
Honoring Veterans: The Story of Otis and His Family
At Eastside, we believe our veterans deserve more than our thanks—they deserve our support. Today, we’d like to introduce you to one of the veterans we are honored to help.
Otis proudly served our country for 10 years on active duty in the United States Army, leaving the service as a Staff Sergeant. He served with the 1st Battalion, 73rd Airborne Regiment in Vicenza, Italy, and was also stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where he served with a former Special Forces unit. His Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was 13F Fire Support Specialist (Forward Observer), directing artillery support for troops on the battlefield.
During his military career, Otis completed two combat tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. He also served in Taiwan and participated in training missions that helped prepare the Ukrainian military.
After returning home, Otis continued to challenge himself in remarkable ways. Alongside his military service dog, a German Shepherd named Athena, he hiked the entire Appalachian Trail. Athena became the only service dog to complete Mount Katahdin in Maine and has been honored with a memorial there.
Today, Otis is accompanied by his current service dog, Axel, who was trained by both Otis and Athena. Axel holds a special distinction as the first service dog to also serve as the mascot for the American Legion Riders, Post 8 in Dover, New Hampshire. Together, Otis and Axel have both been honored as recipients of the Quilts of Valor, recognizing their service and sacrifice.
Otis is married to a fellow veteran who has also dedicated her life to serving our country. She served seven years on active duty in the United States Coast Guard before later joining the United States Army Reserve, where she served for an additional 12 years, including 5½ years on active-duty deployments.
Throughout her military career, she served as a Lieutenant and Flight Medic in the Coast Guard, and later as a Sergeant in the Army Reserve. Her military career included multiple specialties, beginning as a 92F Petroleum Supply Specialist and 88M Motor Transport Operator, before becoming a Military Police Officer, Military Police Investigator, and eventually serving with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID).
She served in Afghanistan and Iraq, and during her Coast Guard service she patrolled the waters from West Palm Beach and Lake Worth through Miami and the Florida Keys. Her Army service included assignments with the 94th Military Police Company, the 368th Engineer Battalion in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and the 220th Transportation Group in Keene, New Hampshire.
Her years of service came at a cost. She lost most of her hearing and now wears hearing aids. Without them, she is completely deaf. She also lives with service-connected PTSD.
Like many combat veterans, both she and Otis continue to battle the invisible wounds of war. Loud fireworks can trigger painful memories, making holidays like the Fourth of July especially difficult.
In addition to PTSD, Otis lives with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Huntington’s disease, an incurable hereditary neurological disorder often described as combining the effects of ALS, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. The disease affects movement, balance, thinking, memory, and eventually the ability to perform everyday tasks.
Several years ago, his wife founded Chase’N The Cure, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families affected by Huntington’s disease while raising awareness and funding research in hopes of finding a cure.
Otis is currently under the care of a neurologist in York, Maine, and has recently been approved to participate in an experimental treatment program in San Diego, California. While the treatment is not a cure, doctors hope it will slow the progression of the disease, reduce involuntary muscle movements, improve cognitive function, and provide him with a better quality of life.
The couple receives care through the VA Manchester Healthcare System, primarily through the Somersworth Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. While the VA provides many of Otis’s medical services, his Huntington’s disease is not considered service-connected because it is hereditary, and they continue working with legal assistance to have his traumatic brain injury fully recognized. Thanks to the help of a New Hampshire veterans legal assistance program, he has increased his VA disability rating from 40% to 90%, and they continue fighting for the benefits he has earned.
The VA recently installed a stair lift in their home because Otis’s injuries and disease have made climbing stairs increasingly dangerous. After more than 80 airborne jumps during his military career, he now lives with extensive nerve damage in his back, legs, and arms, and has suffered several frightening falls.
Despite every challenge they face, Otis and his wife continue to put others before themselves. Their lives have been defined by service—to their country, to fellow veterans, and to families facing Huntington’s disease.
Their courage didn’t end when they took off the uniform. It continues every single day.
We are honored to stand beside them, and we hope you’ll join us in supporting this incredible veteran and his family.
