Posted on Sep 19, 2014
Military dogs are termed as mere “equipment” in laws and policies
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Not only do men and women go through great lengths to serve and protect our country, but dogs do too. However, military dogs are termed as mere “equipment” in laws and policies. Military dogs must be treated as soldiers, especially since their lives are put on the line to save others.
Military Working Dogs (MWD) are specifically trained to sniff bombs, protect their own bases and identify the locations of the enemy. This kind of work is dangerous and traumatic for a living, breathing being. During active service, a dog’s rank is considered higher than its handler’s. However, all of this is put aside once the dog becomes too old or irrelevant. The same dog is then declared unnecessary equipment, which can be left behind--often at foreign bases.
This is wrong. The bond between a dog and its handler is very strong. They are practically comrades. The dog protects its handler and other soldiers during crossfire. You can leave behind equipment, but you can never leave behind a comrade! Military dogs should be reclassified as manpower or K-9 service members. That way, they will return their country with the armed forces. In the Vietnam War, the U.S. military included 4900 dogs, and only 1600 made it back after the war ended.
Military dogs are not left behind in war zones anymore. Bill Clinton passed a law in 2000 that allows civilians, former handlers and law enforcement agencies to adopt retired MWDs. However, this bill didn’t reclassify war dogs. Representative Walter Jones (R-NC) submitted a bill back in 2012 that would reclassify MWDs as K-9 members of the military, called Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act. Unfortunately, in the process of incorporating the bill in the larger National Defense Authorization Act for 2013, a key part of reclassifying military dogs was left out.
The armed forces do respect all MWDs. Service members who are handlers cannot imagine their dogs as equipment and would never intentionally leave them behind. But the moment an MWD retires, it is considered equipment and is not transported back to headquarters. The dogs left behind at a foreign base can be adopted by a U.S. civilian, but the civilian would then have to pay for the monumental shipping costs. This discourages people from adopting war dogs.
The Air Force is making a policy change that would no longer classify MWDs as gear, but changes still need to be made across the services. We are making progress, but it's taking quite some time. MWDs do nothing less than serve our nation and military. They have every right to be reclassified as service members. If the military can transport MWDs overseas, then MWDs should be brought back as well.
What is your experience with dogs in the military? How should they be reflected in laws and military policies?
Military Working Dogs (MWD) are specifically trained to sniff bombs, protect their own bases and identify the locations of the enemy. This kind of work is dangerous and traumatic for a living, breathing being. During active service, a dog’s rank is considered higher than its handler’s. However, all of this is put aside once the dog becomes too old or irrelevant. The same dog is then declared unnecessary equipment, which can be left behind--often at foreign bases.
This is wrong. The bond between a dog and its handler is very strong. They are practically comrades. The dog protects its handler and other soldiers during crossfire. You can leave behind equipment, but you can never leave behind a comrade! Military dogs should be reclassified as manpower or K-9 service members. That way, they will return their country with the armed forces. In the Vietnam War, the U.S. military included 4900 dogs, and only 1600 made it back after the war ended.
Military dogs are not left behind in war zones anymore. Bill Clinton passed a law in 2000 that allows civilians, former handlers and law enforcement agencies to adopt retired MWDs. However, this bill didn’t reclassify war dogs. Representative Walter Jones (R-NC) submitted a bill back in 2012 that would reclassify MWDs as K-9 members of the military, called Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act. Unfortunately, in the process of incorporating the bill in the larger National Defense Authorization Act for 2013, a key part of reclassifying military dogs was left out.
The armed forces do respect all MWDs. Service members who are handlers cannot imagine their dogs as equipment and would never intentionally leave them behind. But the moment an MWD retires, it is considered equipment and is not transported back to headquarters. The dogs left behind at a foreign base can be adopted by a U.S. civilian, but the civilian would then have to pay for the monumental shipping costs. This discourages people from adopting war dogs.
The Air Force is making a policy change that would no longer classify MWDs as gear, but changes still need to be made across the services. We are making progress, but it's taking quite some time. MWDs do nothing less than serve our nation and military. They have every right to be reclassified as service members. If the military can transport MWDs overseas, then MWDs should be brought back as well.
What is your experience with dogs in the military? How should they be reflected in laws and military policies?
MWD: Military Working Dog
Dogs
Command Post
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 63
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I like the idea, and dogs can't draw "retirement" like humans do, but the least we can do is have a special classification for them to get things like... subsidize their veterinary care until they die. Either a tax write-off for the dog's new master, or a yearly ATM card usable only for veterinary services, or something like that.
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MWDs deserve benefits. At a minimum this should go beyond the ability to be adopted by it's former (or other) handlers and should include things like lifelong vet care, a service flag (medals, etc) and if the handler desires, a military burial (of sorts). These dogs are heroes. It is bad enough human veterans have to jump through hoops just to obtain their benefits, but could you imagine if they were denied said benefits because they were considered a piece of equipment? I understand a dog is still a dog and wouldn't necessarily comprehend the difference (of receiving care, medals, etc), but that doesn't change the fact that we honor and take care of our own (two leggers or four).
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PFC Pamala (Hall ) Foster
Here we go-a dog is NOT just a dog...when you train,raise and care for them, they are part of you and you are part of their 'pack', so YES-we need to do more for the dogs that help us defend and protect-they are NOT pieces of equipment, they are living, breathing and I would adopt ALL of them if I could, so if and when our government gets it right with the vets and I mean the 2 and 4 legged, thenI will be happy, but right now we need to band togethre and get Congress to recognize our 4 legged vets and care for us all...
PS. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats that I love dearly, so I know what the handlers feel and how much care goes into caring for their partners, so Congress, get it together and remember November 2016 is coming and all veterans are watching.
PS. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats that I love dearly, so I know what the handlers feel and how much care goes into caring for their partners, so Congress, get it together and remember November 2016 is coming and all veterans are watching.
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All animals are living breathing beings. I would love to have adopted a MWD. Some thing that has my mind set. I gave three dogs of my own and they are treated like members of the family and loved. The should be brought back and Local Law Enforcement should be able to work them
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If dogs are equipment, do we treat them like other equipment, i.e., transfer to friendly forces for their enhancement, demilitarize (how do you do that to a dog?) or make it useless to the enemy? If you have a dog as a pet what do you if you can't keep the dog (loss of interest, moving to no pet quarters, divorce, whatever)? If you abandon the dog or kill the dog, you are in trouble with the law. Law or no law, I can't do that. I have to find the dog a good home. I can't give the dog to a shelter where it stands a good chance of being put down. The only way I can put a dog down is because it is too ill or too injured to continue a quality life. Leave a dog in theater of operations? What next? You are wounded, good luck! Nice knowing ya. Bye? If I'm wounded and you walk away from me, you had better make sure that I am not armed. To me that is cowardice in the face of the enemy and I WILL SHOOT YOU! Our police treat their K-9s as police officers and take care of them. Let's do the same!
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My two cents, these working dogs should be brought back to the US before being "retired".
I find it reprehensible that they are treated as equipment and abandoned when they are deemed to be excess to needs.
If the military can put them into harms way, they can bring them back.
I find it reprehensible that they are treated as equipment and abandoned when they are deemed to be excess to needs.
If the military can put them into harms way, they can bring them back.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Bean counters doing their thing. ANY dog is just property under US laws, not just MWDs.
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There is no other answer to be had other than "YES". Whoever allowed them to be classified as "equipment" in the first place needs their a$$ kicked- then bit by a MWD! This made me sick to my stomach to read that they can be left behind like a broken truck. The ARE service members of the highest caliber. They obey without question, perform their duty to the best of their ability, work long hours, and have a greater sense of loyalty than most humans. Their only desire is to serve their team. I have never seen a MWD that was selfish- they are selfless to the end. This is how they are treated when they are no longer able to give? This really pissed me off!!
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