Celebrating Military Dogs

Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the contributions of the brave men and women who gave their lives for our great country. Yet there’s another category of courageous soldiers that laid down their lives in battle, and these particular military heroes had four legs and a tail.

Dogs have been a part of our nations military services since it’s inception, initially working as messengers and mascots. Canines were officially inducted into the armed forces during World War II, and over the years their duties have grown to include mortar detection, weapon and ammunition scent identification, and troop protection.

These highly trained creatures are an integral part of our armed forces and have helped save more than 10,000 human lives and discovered innumerable weapons. In honor of military service dogs, both past and present, we’ve created a list of facts and anecdotes to reveal their roles and celebrate their contributions.

• There are roughly 2,500 war dogs currently in service, with approximately 700 serving overseas.

• The bulk of U.S. military dogs are trained at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, at the facility’s 400-acre training center.

• Both service dogs and their handlers go through rigorous training, and are viewed as partners moving forward.

• Popular breeds include German Shepherds, Retrievers, Belgian Malinois and Doberman Pinchers.

• Military dogs are considered one of the most effective counter measures against terrorists and explosives.

• The team of Navy Seals who captured Osama bin Laden brought along a specialized military dog.

• Rin Tin Tin is arguably the most famous dog to emerge from a war. He was the puppy of German war dogs, discovered by soldiers in WWI and brought back to America where he made his film debut.

• The most famous military animal of WWII was a German Shepherd named Chips, trained as a sentry dog. Chips broke away from his handlers and attacked a group of men with machine guns, ultimately forcing the men to surrender. The dog was wounded but saved many lives and received the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, and Purple Heart –all of which were revoked due to official policy.

• Dogs are commonly known to retire after ten years of service.

• Roughly 90% of handlers are reported to adopt their service dog. Dogs who aren’t adopted by their handlers are welcomed by a civilian family. The civilian adoption waiting list is lengthy –retired service dogs are never in jeopardy of waiting for a forever home.

Title photo courtesy of www.homesforheroes.com