Military veterans are honored, and some are remembered, on November 11 each year.

Newtown Police Officer Matt Hayes, who served in the Army National Guard from 2000-09, and served in Iraq, received a special show of appreciation earlier this fall.

Ofc Hayes was recognized with a Quilt of Valor at the fourth annual Western Connecticut Police K-9 Challenge on the grounds of the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard at Fairfield Hills in early October. The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing quilts.

“I thought it was awesome. It was a complete shock,” Ofc Hayes said of receiving the quilt, which is personalized with depictions of his interests. A drummer, Ofc Hayes’s quilt includes a drum set. It also features a variety of police images, as well as dogs. Ofc Hayes not only owns a 10-year-old Basset Hound, Marvin, a rescue from Newtown Animal Control, but he also assists Newtown’s and other police departments in K-9 training.

He was the one wearing a protective suit, being voluntarily attacked by police dogs from several Connecticut towns during the K-9 Challenge. After getting bitten by dog after dog, it was a nice change for Ofc Hayes to be wrapped in a quilt by Newtown Ofc Felicia Figol and Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard Major James Marrinan. The quilt was presented by Jane Dougherty, Connecticut State Coordinator for Quilts of Valor.

“People are still thinking about us and appreciate the things veterans do. It makes you feel good,” Ofc Hayes said.

As does the quilt itself.

“It’s super soft,” Ofc Hayes noted.

A quilt was also made for Marvin. “He’s been sleeping with it ever since,” Ofc Hayes said.

A Soldier And A Cop

Ofc Hayes grew up in New Milford and joined the Army National Guard while in high school. While serving in the military, he worked as a counselor at the Latchkey Camp at the New Milford Youth Agency’s before and after school programs and summertime sessions.

“Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be a cop and a soldier, so when the opportunity came to do both I said ‘Why not?’” Ofc Hayes said.

After doing basic training in Missouri, his military path included a brief stint in Italy. In 2003, while in Iraq training military police, the vehicle Ofc Hayes was in hit a roadside bomb.

“It threw my team leader into my lap and I ended up falling into the back seat of the Humvee,” recalled Ofc Hayes, who still has shrapnel in his arm.

“It was bloody, but it wasn’t that bad,” said Ofc Hayes, who was 19 at the time and is now 34 years old.

The toughest part of being in the military, he said, was being away from home, but the experience proved to be beneficial for gaining new experiences, Ofc Hayes said.

“Being in the military helped with that. It forces you to get out of your comfort zone and be out on your own,” he said.

Ofc Hayes became a police officer in 2008 and, due to the demands of his new career, had to leave his role with the military.

“It was difficult wearing both hats at the same time,” Ofc Hayes said. “I got all of the action out of me when I went to war, but I still wanted to be a cop.”

Not knowing what will come with each day is one of the elements of police work that intrigues Ofc Hayes the most.

“The surprise of it. No day is routine,” Ofc Hayes said is what he likes best of responding to accidents and other various calls. “I like interacting with people. I can’t sit in a cubicle all day.”

Ofc Hayes and his wife, Meredith, have a 3-year-old daughter, Eliza. They were on hand when Ofc Hayes received his quilt. Not being at home for long shifts is the toughest part of his line of work.

“We work long hours — sometimes by choice, sometimes not,” Ofc Hayes said.

Working with the police K-9s, absorbing their bites, some of which leave marks despite a protective suit, and helping handlers train the four-legged friends to attack properly, is something Ofc Hayes takes tremendous pride in. He has been at it — well, really the dogs have been going at him — about as long as he has been an officer.

“They have to know what they’re doing, just like we do,” Ofc Hayes said.

“It’s an adrenaline rush. It’s a lot of fun,” said Ofc Hayes, who added, jokingly, “You have to have a couple screws loose to enjoy it as much as me.”

“If there is a pinnacle to the career, it would be to get the second dog,” said Ofc Hayes, who would like to do what Ofc Figol does and be a second K-9 handler for the department. “I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve most of my goals.”