Dudley & Molly: A Life Grounded in Service

By Jennifer Mittelman

Dudley Ward is no stranger to change—but every step of his path has been rooted in service. 

Originally from England, Ward moved to California during his junior year of high school. After graduation, his parents returned to England—but Ward chose to stay in the U.S. He didn’t have a career plan or even a place to live. He just knew he wanted to remain in California.

For a while, he lived out of his car. But after a severe car accident in which he crashed into the back of a camper van, the car caught fire, and he found himself without shelter. With no other options, Ward often had to sleep on the street.
Eventually, he landed a job as a mall security guard. He saved enough money to buy a new car and secure an apartment. Still, he felt like he needed more purpose. Reflecting on the hardship he’d just experienced, he told himself, “I never want to be back in this position.” 

Some of the other mall security guards were former Marines. They noticed that Ward was looking for something more and encouraged him to consider joining the Marines. It wasn’t something Ward had ever imagined for himself, but it started to seem like a great opportunity. As someone who had immigrated to the U.S., he felt he hadn’t yet earned his place here. Serving in the military offered him a chance to give back, to belong—and to have a roof over his head. 
Ward took the advice and ultimately joined the Marine Corps as an infantry mortarman.

“I liked being a Marine. I liked what it stood for and the camaraderie. The Marine Corps has very high standards. They have a lot of rich history, and I was proud to be a part of that.”  

He served for four years, including two tours in Iraq. Ward remains proud of his service, but over time, the day-to-day demands of military life became overwhelming for him. 

Since childhood, he’d wanted to become a police officer, though he had once assumed that his immigrant status might prevent that. As he looked for a new direction, the timing felt right. “When you’re in the last couple of months of being in the military, you start to worry about what’s next.” 

He applied and was accepted into the San Diego Police Academy, allowing him to end his time in the Marine Corps three months early. His last day in the Marines was a Friday; by Monday, he was at the academy. At the time, he was laser-focused on staying on track and not risking instability again. Starting the academy right away felt like the safest choice. One of the reasons Ward had chosen the San Diego Police Department was because of its reputation for inclusivity. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, he knew the department marched in the Pride Parade every year and was generally supportive of the community.

Ward enjoyed most of his seven years with the police department. While he found the work meaningful, he began to struggle with burnout and compassion fatigue. “After a while, you can lose a sense of why you’re doing what you’re doing," he explains. He found himself growing bitter and angry, especially when responding to the same types of calls repeatedly. Looking back, he realizes that much of that emotion was unprocessed trauma from his time in the Marines, bubbling up and spilling into his police work.

During his time on the police force, Ward met his husband, who was serving in the Navy. In 2015, his husband decided to leave the military to attend culinary school in New York. Ward saw it as a chance for a reset. He applied to the Secret Service and was accepted, beginning his new role during the final six months of the 2016 election cycle. After President Barack Obama left office, Ward was one of the agents assigned to his protective detail. He also did a lot of work with Hillary Clinton. 
Ward says there’s a common misconception that Secret Service agents aren’t allowed to talk about their jobs. While certain details are confidential, the agency is a public-facing law enforcement organization.

As an agent, his two primary responsibilities were investigating financial crimes and protecting public figures. Many agents eventually transfer to Washington, D.C., to focus on protection full-time. The job requires building a sense of safety and trust. “Protectees must have a level of comfort, so they don’t have to worry about things getting out to the press because a Secret Service agent leaked it.”

Ward served in the Secret Service for about eight years. During his final year of service, homophobia showed up in his life in unmistakable ways, and the trauma he’d been carrying from the Marines and police work began to resurface. 
“When post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) goes unaddressed, the trauma starts to stack on top of itself,” he says. The combination of accumulated trauma and discrimination pushed him into a mental health crisis. He became suicidal.
Ward reached out to the Secret Service’s employee assistance program and told them about the urgency of his situation. He was placed on administrative leave for two years before his employment with the Secret Service ended.  Though the uncertainty of the future was hard, stepping away gave him clarity.  "When you get removed from a situation, that’s when you realize how bad it actually was.”

He began working with doctors and a therapist and got a formal diagnosis of PTSD. His therapist recommended a service dog, but Ward hesitated, worried he might be taking one from someone who needed it more. He also noticed that many programs had long waiting lists.

When he discovered America’s VetDogs, he was pleased to find they had a relatively quick application process. As he researched further, he learned about their facility dog program, the Puppy with a Purpose® initiative, and Sully—President George H.W. Bush’s service dog. He felt that America’s VetDogs was “the real deal,” and knew it was the organization he wanted to be associated with. 
He submitted his application and was invited to the May 2024 class. Though nervous when he arrived on campus, he was ready to meet the dog specially chosen for him. That dog was Molly, a black Labrador Retriever. “She had these amazing, big eyes, and it was cool to see all her energy. It was a special moment.” 

Molly had been trained to assist a veteran or first responder with PTSD. Ward struggles with social anxiety and finds large crowds difficult; one of Molly’s many tasks is to act as a buffer for Ward, extending his personal space in potentially anxiety-inducing situations. 

Now working as a real estate agent, Ward often attends large conferences. When it gets overwhelming, he thinks to himself, “I’m fine because I’ve got my best friend with me.” He steps outside with Molly, gives her some pets, and he feels calmer. 

“Everything else around me doesn’t matter for just a couple of minutes. This is what it is about—being able to change your focus to someone you love, trust, and have a connection with. It helps you reset.” 
Initially, Ward wasn’t sure if a career as a real-estate agent would bring him the same sense of purpose he once had, but lately, he’s been finding meaning by drawing on his past experiences. 

“Because of my background, I am calm under stress and strong negotiation and communication skills. One of the most rewarding parts of this job is that I can make people feel comfortable and calm when they are stressed about whether they are making the right decision.” 

Outside of work, Ward often visits a VA hospital to talk about America’s VetDogs and his journey. He wants to be a resource for others struggling with mental health and PTSD.   

His message to other veterans and first responders considering a service dog:  “There are plenty of dogs to go around, so if you feel like it would be a good resource for you, you should at least start the process. There is no set way to do this. You make it work for you,” he says, adding that it’s okay to take your dog everywhere—or not. It’s about doing what feels right for the individual. 

Ward’s journey has taken many unexpected turns, but through it all, he continued finding ways to serve others, whether in uniform, through real estate, or by sharing his story.

Today, he lives in Washington D.C., with his husband; their beloved pet beagle-bulldog mix; and service dog Molly.  “I couldn’t imagine my life without her now.”
Puppy Raiser: MCI Framingham, MCI Shirley, Massachusetts 
Weekend Puppy Raisers: Cynthia McGrane, Terry Baurley
Sponsor: Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer Semper Fi Fund
In for Training Sponsor: Dogtopia Foundation, Dogtopia of Cypress