American dogs have served valiantly in our military for more than a century. Join me tonight in honoring our four-footed veterans.
Military Working Dogs have been used by the U.S. Military since World War I. American families donated their dogs to the military to aid our troops during wartime. Dogs, along with their volunteer handlers, trained in teams as scouts, trackers, sentry, mine/booby-trap/tunnel and water detection of hostile forces. Dogs were used in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.
It has been estimated that these courageous canine heroes saved over 10,000 lives during the conflict in Vietnam.
Today all branches of our Armed Forces are utilizing Military Patrol Dogs specializing in Drug and Bomb/Explosive detection. (snip) They are being used to patrol Air Bases, Military Compounds, Ammunition Depots and Military Check Points. They are guarding and protecting our Military Personnel as they were trained to do, with Courage, Loyalty and Honor.
Source ~ United States War Dogs Association
From the front page of yesterday’s Washington Post:
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan aren't just forcing thousands of soldiers and Marines to deploy for two and three tours. The sacrifice is being shared by a key, and growing, part of the U.S. military: highly trained German shepherds and Belgian Malinois. In a war with no front lines, they have become valuable at sniffing out makeshift bombs, which cause most U.S. casualties.
The use of dogs in war, whether as scouts, sentries or trackers, goes back hundreds of years. But since Sept. 11, 2001, the Defense Department has increased the number of military dogs from 1,320 to 2,025, and many have served multiple tours.
(snip)
The U.S. War Dogs Association is trying to persuade the Pentagon to create a medal for dogs. Another group is pushing for a military working dog memorial in the Washington area. And the Humane Society, which criticized the Pentagon during the Vietnam War, when many dogs were left behind or euthanized, has credited the military with working to find retirement homes for them.
(snip)
It's impossible to estimate how many lives the dogs have saved, said Master Sgt. Robert Tremmel, manager of the Air Force's working dogs program at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, where the dogs -- and dog trainers from different branches of the military -- are initially trained.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, "they're finding ammunition," he said. "They're finding weapons -- AK-47s and caches and a lot of unexploded ordnance. . . . They're invaluable."
(snip)
At Andrews Air Force Base, which has the largest K-9 unit in the region, two dog teams recently deployed. In addition to military dogs, 38 contractor dog teams are in Afghanistan and about 140 dogs across Iraq. Since the 2001 terrorist attacks, 11 military dogs have been killed in combat, Tremmel said.
Source ~ Washington Post
Video ~ War Dog Bootcamp.
Since World War I, thousands of dogs have died in service to our country. Here are a few of our most recent hero canines:
Cpl. Kory D. Wiens of Independence, Oregon and Cooper (KIA July 6, 2007)
IGTNT
Robiek, KIA March 23, 2008 (Iraq)
K9 Wall of Honor.
Arras, KIA 2007 (Iraq)
K9 Wall of Honor.
Akki, KIA October 2005 (Iraq)
K9 Wall of Honor.
War Dogs ~ Forgotten Heroes.
A War Dog Comes Home.
Please consider signing the petition to honor our War Dogs with a Postage Stamp.
UPDATE: An even better way to honor our military dogs -- by sending one a cooling vest. Information here from kossack joyful. Thank you so much, joyful.
UPDATE 2 Video ~ War Dogs in Vietnam (many of whom were euthanized or left behind)
Thank you.
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With gratitude to those who serve with honor and courage on four paws, tonight’s Top Comments:
From k9disc:
It’s not an either/or, but an and/both from G2Geek.
From trashablanca:
In one of the most pugnacious, pugilistic diaries I have seen, Land of Enchantment eviscerates the diarist with humor, while invoking St. Arlo and Alice's Restaurant to boot. Pretty soon we'd have a movement. Heh.
From carolita:
RickMassimo makes a great point about "modern-day" vs Buckley-type conservatism in Devilstower's Yawp.
From sardonyx:
Yasuragi has a lovely comment on creation and growth.
Tonight’s Top Mojo brought to you by MY COUSIN, cskendrick. Thank you, dearest cousin.
Top Mojo - With Exclusions
1 - Motions.....Ray Radlein.....169
2 - I'm feeling a little less secure today.....FishOutofWater.....160
3 - I appreciate the diary, but I disagree with.....gustynpip.....145
4 - Regarding the nursing home massacre.....Black Leather Rain.....135
5 - Disagree........grannyhelen.....133
6 - Jobs Bank long gone.....jds1978.....116
7 - Herd immunity.....FishOutofWater.....108
8 - Only if you live in Korea. n.t.....dkmich.....107
9 - A Howling Outrage.....mattman.....105
10 - ...not getting horrible diseases? n/t.....giyoret.....98
11 - But they're still dangerous......dclawyer06.....95
12 - No reservoir for disease.....giyoret.....92
13 - I am a member of Southern Poverty Law Center.....linnie.....89
14 - Screw the UAW!.....phenry.....88
15 - Happy Monday.....Debbie in ME.....87
16 - TALF is the Dem philosophy?.....RFK Lives.....85
17 - No, the judge is not upholding the law......gustynpip.....83
18 - Michigan isn't the only place that's angry......boadicea.....81
19 - Saw Rachel slam dunk Tucker Carlson at ACLU.....jjackso1.....81
20 - This part of the article kind of seals it for me:.....Leap Year.....80
21 - Nope, wrong.....dhonig.....79
22 - Gone in Feb. I told you that yesterday.....dougymi.....79
23 - Limbaugh is on Armed forces radio.....skywalker.....75
24 - Thank You for Shedding a Light On This Issue......CityLightsLover.....75
25 - I believe in reasonable dissent.....Kevvboy.....74
26 - That pretty much.....Kevvboy.....72
27 - I'm An Unabashed Supporter of Organized Labor........Guaunyu.....72
28 - When I was a kid there were people.....marketgeek.....72
29 - And learn what you are talking about........ProgressiveMan.....71
30 - Actually they're more effective.....marykk.....71
Top Mojo - With the Tip Jars and Pooties Included :)
1 - Tips/Flames n/t.....Vyan.....574
2 - It's worse than that........Devilstower.....336
3 - Tips for Choices.....Ellinorianne.....266
4 - The floor is yours.....Kimberley.....248
5 - Scrub, Rinse, Repeat...washing away 30 years.....LiberalCanuck.....214
6 - very rough morning for Michiganders.....Jeffrey Feldman.....214
7 - tip jar.....Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse.....197
8 - Tips/Recs/Flames.....icebergslim.....192
9 - Motions.....Ray Radlein.....169
10 - Tips in honor of the Good Doctor! (nt).....ProfJonathan.....163
11 - I'm feeling a little less secure today.....FishOutofWater.....160
12 - Gadflies are drawn to vinegar and bullshit......Maimonides.....157
13 - Doesnt this belong on Redstate?.....Kevvboy.....156
14 - if these jackholes want to use the word.....clammyc.....156
15 - Modern-day conservatives have always run on.....wader.....145
16 - I appreciate the diary, but I disagree with.....gustynpip.....145
17 - Regarding the nursing home massacre.....Black Leather Rain.....135
18 - Disagree........grannyhelen.....133
19 - Great !.....thenekkidtruth.....127
20 - Jobs Bank long gone.....jds1978.....116
21 - Herd immunity.....FishOutofWater.....108
22 - Only if you live in Korea. n.t.....dkmich.....107
23 - A Howling Outrage.....mattman.....105
24 - Tip Jar.....kath25.....102
25 - ...not getting horrible diseases? n/t.....giyoret.....98
26 - Tip jar and Pimpage.....it really is that important.....98
27 - Tips for responsibility.....calchala.....97
28 - But they're still dangerous......dclawyer06.....95
29 - No reservoir for disease.....giyoret.....92
30 - Why so serious?.....Henry Porter aka 8ackgr0und n015e.....90
Remember ~ if you spot a top comment, send it on to top comments at gmail dot com before 9:30 p.m. EST . . . and don’t forget to include you screen name, so that we can give you a proper tip of the hat. Thank you!