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Dirk Ellena, an Iraq War Veteran, shown outside his Roseville home with his wife, Courtney. He suffered post-traumatic stress after he returned home from war and his life fell apart. The Soldiers Project, a Sacramento non-profit which offers free counseling to returning military members, provided him with the counseling he needed to become stable and successful again. He is now married to a supportive wife and is working on a degree in nursing at American River College. The Soldiers project is in need of a quality copy machine so that they can market what they offer to returning veterans in need. -
Dirk Ellena, 30, decorates a Christmas tree with his wife, Courtney December 5, 2012. -
Dirk Ellena, is shown with his wife, Courtney on their keepsake Christmas ornament marking their first Christmas as a married couple. This is their second Christmas married. -
Dirk Ellena, goes through commands, including the "shake" command, with his dog, Sargent in his Roseville home. The dog obeys well to both hand signals and verbal commands. -
Iraq War Veteran, Dirk Ellena, prepares ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree with his wife, Courtney December 5, 2012. -
Book of Dreams readers are asked to donate money to provide the program with a commercial grade printer so that they can get the word out to other soldiers in need. The organization would like to save money by printing their own marketing materials in their office. -
Sitting in their Roseville office, Becca Bettis, program manager for The Soldiers Project/Sacramento, right, and volunteer, Becci Angell, listen as Dirk Ellena recounts the experiences that he suffered during the Iraq War that led to his post-traumatic stress diagnosis. He received extensive counseling from the Soldiers Project/Sacramento, which helped him get his life back after it fell apart. -
Becca Bettis, program manager for The Soldiers Project/Sacramento says goodbye to Dirk Ellena, a Iraq War Veteran while volunteer, Becci Angell hugs Ellena's wife, Courtney, goodbye at the program's office. The Soldiers Project offers free counseling to military members who return from war who's mental health is not being addressed adequately by the VA. -
Dirk Ellena is shown outside his Roseville home with his wife, Courtney, December 5, 2012. -
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