War Dogs

          America's Forgotten Heroes November 11will forever be known as a day of tribute to our Veterans. Those who fought to protect and serve our country are remembered and praised for their hard work and dedication. The problem is, what about the others who helped man fight the war? What about man's best friend?

          During the Vietnam War, soldiers were not the only ones to be deployed, but dogs as well were deployed. Dogs had to leave their families in order to learn a completely different lifestyle. These dogs were trained to complete tasks that soldiers were not capable of carrying out. Along with the soldiers, the dogs were trained to go through an intensive training regimen of running, jumping high heights, and obedience orders. Dogs deployed were tattooed with a brand serial number on their ear.  Most of the dogs recruited according to The War Dogs Association were German Shepherds, Dobermans, and Labradors.

          Throughout the war, dogs were assigned to different combat stations and help soldiers spot potential enemies, discover booby traps and drag injured soldiers to safety. Dogs' capabilities ranged from revealing underwater enemies to pointing out enemy scent and booby traps.

          Unfortunately, the dogs were treated as machines rather than heroes. Many dogs were lucky to return home but the majority were abandoned and not recognized for their hard work. Soldiers who tried to adopt their dog went through a long process to ultimately get a negative response.

          The Vietnam Dog Handler Association is fighting for dogs' efforts to be recognized and show the respect and honor to the dogs that served in the war. Today, dogs that serve in the military can be adopted. Although they are trained for war, they are very friendly and serve as companions.

          For more information on War Dogs, please visit the website http://vdha.us/

(Judith Rayo may be reached at Judith@dusty.tamiu.edu)