Military Dog Handlers Reunite with and Adopt Their Former Canine Partners After Pups Retire

American Humane helped reunite Army Veteran Michael Stepnovich and U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Wade Alfson with their canine partners for May's Military Appreciation Month.

May's Military Appreciation Month was extra sweet for two dog handlers from America's armed forces.

American Humane reunited both Army Veteran Michael Stepnovich and U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Wade Alfson with the military dogs they worked with overseas. Not only did each man get a hug from their canine partner again, Stepnovich and Ssgt. Alfson both adopted their former patrol pals since the dogs are retired from active duty.

To read more on this story, click here: Military Dog Handlers Reunite with and Adopt Their Former Canine Partners After Pups Retire

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DOG WHO CHARGED INTO GUNFIRE TO SAVE SOLDIERS RECEIVES HIGHEST HONOR

Not every hero wears a mask. Some have wagging tails and are coated in fur. Military K9 Kuno went beyond and beyond the call of duty, putting his own life on the line to save the lives of soldiers. With a brace and a prosthetic leg, the 4-year-old Belgian Malinois is now retired, but he has never felt more alive.

Kuno went beyond and beyond the call of duty, and his efforts were not ignored. Kuno has been awarded the Dickin Medal, the highest decoration in the British military, after surviving lengthy medical procedures. For his hard work and commitment, he deserves it more than anyone else.

To read more on this story, click here: DOG WHO CHARGED INTO GUNFIRE TO SAVE SOLDIERS RECEIVES HIGHEST HONOR

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Navy SEAL Remembers Dog Who Bravely Served And Died In Battle

There is no loyalty like that of military working dogs have with their handlers. These dogs have no fear and are so attached to their handlers, so dedicated to their mission and both have absolute confidence in each other.

Tyson, a Belgian Malinois, was one of the best of them. He was attached to a Navy SEAL Team and served his team with uncommon distinction, skill and utter faithfulness. Sadly, Tyson was killed in action recently and the loss to his handler and to the team is a heavy one indeed.

To read more on this story, click here: Navy SEAL Remembers Dog Who Bravely Served And Died In Battle

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Private John L. Drugan And "Pal", His Faithful War Dog – Thanking You Both For Your Service!

Sharing from Time To Go Home’s facebook page:   

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Gary Sinise Creates New “Veterinarians for Valor” Initiative For Police And Military Dogs

Lieutenant Dan for the win! Well-known actor and director Gary Sinise, has created a wonderful initiative that was meant to bring veteran canines to the forefront on Veteran’s Day, and honor them as well for their service.

Sinise already runs an organization called the Gary Sinise Foundation which seeks to honor veterans, defenders, first responders, and all their families. In order to accomplish this, Sinise creates events, as well as shares plenty of information meant to educate and inspire others.

To read more on this story, click here:  Gary Sinise Creates New “Veterinarians for Valor” Initiative For Police And Military Dogs



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An Army Dog Who Charged Through a Hail of Machine-Gun Fire and Tackled an Al-Qaeda Fighter is to Receive the Animal Equivalent of a Medal of Honor

• A dog who took on an Al-Qaeda insurgent amid a hail of machine-gun fire awarded the animal equivalent of a Medal of Honor.
• Kuno, a Belgian Shepherd Malinois, accompanied British and local forces on a raid on an Al-Qaeda compound when an insurgent pinned them down, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
• Kuno's attack saved lives and enabled the operation to continue, but he received injuries to his back legs and had a paw amputated.
• Now retired with prostheses, he is due to receive the PDSA Dickin Medal for Valour, considered the highest military honor for animals.

A dog who braved a barrage of Al-Qaeda machine-gun fire to save soldiers' lives is to be given the animal equivalent of a Medal of Honor.

To read more on this story, click here: An Army Dog Who Charged Through a Hail of Machine-Gun Fire and Tackled an Al-Qaeda Fighter is to Receive the Animal Equivalent of a Medal of Honor

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U.S. Air Force Installation Has Added a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response K-9 to Aid in the Fight Against On-Base Sexual Assaults

A U.S. Air Force installation has enlisted a first-of-her-kind recruit to aid in the fight against on-base sexual assault. Only her rank doesn’t exist among lieutenants and captains.

Eielson Air Force Base officials have credited Tessa – a 5-month old golden retriever – with helping seven service members who have come forward to report attacks. 

"It’s been phenomenal having a tiny member of our team accomplish so much positivity in the short amount of time she’s been here," Air Force Capt. Heather Novus, the 354th Fighter Wing’s sexual assault response coordinator, said in a release. “I hope we can smooth the transition for other bases to adopt a [sexual assault prevention and response] K-9, and we would love to assist supporting this idea across other installations and can ease the process for others to adopt what has been a successful program so far.”

Tessa serves as a comfort canine, helping victims of abuse to come forward.

“Tessa brings a stability to reconnect with victims who have emotionally disconnected because of the traumatic event they have gone through,” Shellie Severa, the 354th Fighter Wing’s SAPR head victim advocate, said. “Each individual is different on how they are going to handle their trauma, but one of the biggest things we see with almost all trauma victims is lack of trust, and trust can be re-established through the assistance of a dog.”

Tessa’s mission began in the winter of 2016.

“We are having victims come out of the shadows who were afraid for numerous reasons to report; having a dog in the program is important for them to realize this is a place where they are safe and can rebuild trust,” Severa said. “Tessa has brought many smiles to people engaging with her, and encouraged people to tell their story, which helps them to have a voice again and take back the power they lost.”

The canine’s involvement on base is a visible example of the U.S. military’s efforts to address on-base sexual assault since it was reported only about 3,000 of 26,000 bases were report. The number of unreported cases took a nosedive in 2015. You can read it here: Department of Defense
Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military

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Sunday, March 13 is National K9 Veterans Day

Sunday, March 13 marks the 74th anniversary of establishing the K9 Corps in the US Army or the National K9 Veterans day.

In 1942 the American Kennel Club helped create “Dogs for Defense,” a civilian group that trained dogs as sentries to help patrol US coastline. The US Army approved the experimental program and created the K9 Corps.

The K9 Corps initially trained 32 different breeds, by 1944 the number dropped to seven.

Military dogs are usually non-commissioned officers one rank higher than their handlers. According to CNN, some say this is meant to prevent handlers from mistreating their K9 partners.

The Army used about 1500 dogs during the Korean War and about 4000 in Vietnam.

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Troops Betrayed as Army Dumps Hundreds of Heroic War Dogs

By then, Daniel had been in Afghanistan two months. It was July 2012, his third tour of duty and his first with Oogie, his military working dog. They were leading their platoon on yet another patrol, clearing a no-name village with maybe 15 houses and one mosque, when they began taking fire.

“The first thing that went through my mind,” he says, “was, ‘S- -t. My dog’s gonna get shot.’ ”

It was a perfect L-shaped ambush, bullets coming from the front and the right, the platoon pinned down in a flat, open landscape. Along the road were shallow trenches, no more than 14 inches deep. Daniel grabbed ­Oogie, squeezed him in a hole, then threw himself over his dog.

It went against all his Army training. “They tell us it’s better for a dog to step on a bomb than a US soldier,” he says. The truth is Daniel, like just about every other dog handler in the armed forces, would rather take the hit himself.

Five weeks into their training, Daniel and Oogie were inseparable. They showered together. They went to the bathroom together. When Daniel ran on the treadmill, Oogie was on the one right next to him, running along.

That week, Daniel got Oogie’s paw print tattooed on his chest.

“The few times you safeguard your dog are slim compared to what he does every time you go outside the wire,” Daniel says. “That’s your dog. The dog saves you and saves your team. You’re walking behind this dog in known IED hot spots. In a firefight, the dog doesn’t understand.”

Bullets were coming closer now; the enemy had long ago picked up on how important the dogs were to the Americans, how successful they were at sniffing out bombs. “I know there were three separate incidents where they shot at ­Oogie,” Daniel says. And as he lay on top of his dog, he stroked him and whispered and kept him calm.

To read more on this story, click here: Troops Betrayed as Army Dumps Hundreds of Heroic War Dogs

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Veteran with PTSD Reunited with Military Bomb-Sniffing Dog Partner

Lance Cpl. David Pond and his military working dog, Pablo, were split up when Pond's service ended in 2011. The Marine went home to Colorado, and the dog moved on to stateside assignments.

This was tough on the military veteran who spent seven months in Afghanistan with his military bomb-sniffing dog partner searching for and finding bombs that could take out a platoon.

During that time together, Pond and Pablo survived a number of combat patrols and over 30 firefights.

But now, they were separated and the Marine didn't know if he would ever be reunited with his military dog.

"He was my rock, my foundation," Pond, 27, said of the Belgian Malinois who became his best friend and protector. "He saved my life more than once."

Veteran Faces New Battle at Home

After Lance Cpl. David Pond returned to the U.S., not only did he have to deal with being separated from his military dog, but he was also taking on a new battle.

The Marine veteran was diagnosed with PTSD and also dealing with a traumatic brain injury. It was at this time that Pond made up his mind. He was going to find and reunite with Pablo.

Unlike many veterans who return home and do not get a second chance to be with the military working dog they served with overseas, Pond's story does have a happy ending.

But it wasn't an easy journey. It took four years to reunite with his military dog. The Marine veteran wrote countless letters to politicians, started an online petition and had to cut through a lot of red tape.

In the end, it was well worth it as Lance Cpl. David Pond and Pablo now spend the days together in a much more peaceful manner than they did in Afghanistan.

To learn more about the Marine veteran with PTSD reuniting with his military dog, watch the NBC News video below:

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This Picture Has Gained a Lot of Attention on Social Media this Week: Military K9 Wearing a Purple Heart Lying on His Side Recovering Under a Patriotic Blanket

Fort Hood, Texas - A picture shared on Facebook by the 89th Military Police Brigade, which is based out of Fort Hood, Texas, has gained a lot of attention on social media this week.

The image shows a military K9, wearing a Purple Heart, lying on his side recovering under a patriotic blanket. According to the post, military working dog “Rocky” and his handler were injured this week during operations in Afghanistan.

“Rocky and his handler are staying in the same room right now as they are receiving treatment for their injuries,” the Facebook post said. “Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they recover during the holiday season.

The image, posted on Wednesday, has been shared more than 55,000 times and has more than 45,000 likes.

Facebook user Breanna Katsonis commented on the photo stating Rocky’s handler is her brother-in-law.

“He and his wife have 2 young children and this is a difficult time for them all,” Katsonis said. “I know they are so grateful for all of the prayers so please keep them coming!”

Friday, the Facebook page Malinois Nation shared another photo of Rocky and his handler. It said they are headed back to the United States for the remainder of their treatment and rehab.

The 89th Military Police Brigade is a combat ready, deployable Military police force assigned to the United States Army Third Armored Corps “Phantom Warriors.”

Please join us in thanking Rocky and his handler for their service. Here's to wishing both a speedy recovery!

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Thanks To New Law: Every U.S. Military Dog Will Be Brought Home

The heroic pups who courageously serve and paw-tect our country are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

President Barack Obama signed a bill into law last month that guarantees the safe return of all retired military dogs to the United States after serving abroad. In the past, some of these animals were left to retire overseas because they were no longer considered service dogs, and were therefore ineligible for military-funded transportation home, The Washington Times reported.

The American Humane Association estimates that a military dog saves between 150 to 200 service members during his tenure by detecting improvised explosive devices and hidden weapons caches. Upon return from combat, these animals, if given the chance, often continue to protect their humans and help them transition back into society.

“[The bill] will ensure that our four-legged veterans will finally have their chance to come home and live a comfortable, quiet life, hopefully with a handler they deployed with or a fellow veteran,” retired Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jeff DeYoung, who was reunited with his war dog, Cena, said in a press release. “These dogs have so much love to give…it’s time we show some in return.”

This pooch-protecting measure was part of the $607 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed by the Senate on Nov. 10.

There are an estimated 2,500 dogs currently serving overseas, according to the American Humane Association. To get retired dogs home in the past, humanitarian organizations, like the American Humane Association, or the handlers themselves, would front the transportation costs involved, according to The Times.

And the canines who were left behind faced uncertain futures.

“In some cases they’ve been kept in kennels for indeterminate lengths of time until someone wanted them,” Mark Stubis, spokesman for the American Humane Association, told The Washington Times. “In the best cases, some have been adopted by U.S. military personnel living abroad. In others, they were adopted by local people and, we have heard, in some cases, abused.”

Experts say that even after retirement, these dogs actually still have a lot to give, especially to veterans living with post-traumatic stress syndrome and other mental health issues.

“When they come back suffering from those invisible wounds of war, we’re hoping that their four legged battle buddy will help them heal from PTS,” Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of the American Humane Association, told The Washington Free Beacon. “We know it works. We’ve seen it work.”

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Army Sergeant Reunites With, And Adopts His Bomb-Sniffing Dog

April 30, 2014 (Chicago) -- An army sergeant and his military dog are back together Wednesday night after an emotional reunion at O'Hare.

Sergeant Jason Bos greeted Cila as the bomb-sniffing dog returned from active duty.

The two worked together for five years detecting roadside bombs in Iraq and later doing security screenings for presidential visits here in the U.S.

With Cila's military service ending, Sergeant Bos is adopting her.

"It's time for her to retire and live the couch life," said Bos.

Bos and Cila are headed to the sergeant's home in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

To see this heartwarming video, click here: Army Sergeant Reunites With, And Adopts His Bomb-Sniffing Dog FOLLOW US!

GIs Reward their Best Friends - The Dogs of War

Living thousands of miles from family and loved ones and facing the dangers of war often take a toll on U.S. troops. But inject some of that old-fashioned unconditional love and things become just a little more bearable.

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