Meet Your Instructor Trainer
Sergeant Montoya is a ten year Marine Corps combat veteran. He served in the infantry in Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. For his actions Sergeant Montoya received the Navy Cross for valor. The Navy Cross is the second highest military award in the nation. He was invited to the White House and recognized for his service by the President.
Sergeant Montoya is an active board member of 22 Until None. He has spent much of the last decade volunteering for various service dog organizations and veterans charities, as well as providing hands on obedience and service dog training. He is a certified instructor trainer and a service dog handler. He has had the good fortune of working with great mentors in the service dog community where he honed his craft. Sergeant Montoya is committed to giving back to veterans one of the greatest partnerships of all.
Pairing a veteran with their future service dog is challenging. The growth and partnership flowers into something few understand until they’ve held the other end of the leash, but Sergeant Montoya knows firsthand the difference a service dog can make. Some hear the call to serve their country and go without question. When that chapter of their lives is done, some may hear a second call to give back to our brothers and sisters who have given so much and asked for so little and are now in need of help. Always a fierce advocate for his fellow veterans, Sergeant Montoya felt compelled to found Faithful Service for Veterans in order to better serve the veteran community. He hopes to provide the building blocks they need to move forward with the next chapter of their life. One of Sergeant Montoya’s favorite sayings is, “If you ever say you are broken, your canine partner is the only one who will never believe you.”
