Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 812--to honor and recognize the significant contributions of the Military Working Dog, MWD, Program to the United States Armed Services in support of…
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 812--to honor and recognize the significant contributions of the Military Working Dog, MWD, Program to the United States Armed Services in support of national security.
Throughout the histories of warfare, from the days of the Egyptians, the Greeks and the Persians and the conquests of the Roman Empire to the United Nation's Police Action in
Korea, the war in Vietnam, the Gulf Wars, and more recently during the Overseas Contingency Operations, dogs have undergone active service at the sides of their masters, they have played the role of hero, by showing bravery under fire, saving lives (often by sacrificing their own), and bringing comfort to the injured and infirmed.
The call of modern warfare, as the Gulf Wars and later conflicts have demonstrated, exemplifies our use of the most sophisticated, technologically advanced equipment that the United States could procure to bring swift and decisive victory for a just cause. To this end, the U.S. had in the past expended every available resource to meet the ultimate goal while protecting the lives and resources of those fighting for it. Although the face of war has changed, some fundamental tools and weapons used in combat have not.
Canines or War Dogs were used in warfare throughout history supporting combat operations. Long before the invention of gunpowder, dogs were gathered in columns; many of them clad in armor and spiked collars by the military forces of the Roman Empire. One of the first uses of canines in the United States Armed Services was during the bleakest time in this country's history, the Civil War, where dogs were used as messengers, guards and as mascots.
Noting the overall contribution to the military forces' effectiveness the United States Armed Service made the canine force a formal part of the its military structure with the inception of the first War Dog Reception and Training Center established at Front Royal, Virginia in August of 1942. The completion of this center allowed for the training of 200 men and 500 dogs. But the enormous influx of dogs pushed these numbers up to 400 men and 900 dogs by June of 1943.
Within a year the Armed Forces had procured up 11,000 War Dogs to serve in a variety of capacities--Sentry Dogs, trained to assist in guard duty at arsenals, ammunition dumps, ration depots, and water works; Attack Dogs, early in the canine program these dogs were limited in production but were invaluable in beach patrols or in any situation where trespassers might be at a distance from the sentry; Tactical Dogs, used in combat situations; and Silent Scout Dogs, trained as tactical dogs to give silent warning to their handlers of the presence of enemy troops.
Additionally, there were also Messenger Dogs, trained to deliver messages on the battlefield as they were swift, sure of foot and could find their way in any type of weather. Casualty Dogs were trained to aid the medical corps in finding wounded soldiers on the battlefield and finding injured individuals in debris caused by bombings. The Sledge Dogs were particularly skilled in finding downed Airmen, Soldiers and marines in snowbound regions inaccessible by normal means. Then there were the Pack Dogs, trained to transport loads of up to 40 pounds. They would be able to work with field units in carrying small machine guns, ammunition and food.
During the Gulf War, at least 150 highly trained German Shepherds were used by the United States Armed Services to guard and protect their troops, supplies and aircraft.
Military Working Dog, MWD, teams--dogs and handlers--perform a function vital for force protection. An estimated 2,300 working dogs were serving within the U.S. Department of Defense as late as 2004. These teams, from every military service, are deployed worldwide to support the war on terror, helping to safeguard military bases and activities and to detect bombs and other explosives before they inflict harm.
The MWD teams are an integral part of the U.S. mission in Iraq and Afghanistan, devoting many hours to carrying out all the traditional roles of military dogs. Guard duty is a basic MWD function, but their additional responsibilities include base security, individual and crowd control, tracking, and explosive and narcotic detection. Most dogs are dual-purpose trained: police dogs first, then with a specialty skill such as bomb detection.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, several hundred Military Working Dogs perform their duties in the same hazardous environment as their handlers and other soldiers. They take on small arms fire, are bombed, suffer through the heat and sandstorms and a list of other dangers. However, they serve next to their handlers and soldiers without wavering.
These warrior canines are truly an American treasure and after their patriotic service has expired and they are eventually retired we should all support their immediate adoption into a caring home.
Again, I am an avid supporter of our military in all capacities including the Military Working Dog Program. These highly trained canines and their handlers are on the front lines of our national security and should be commended for years of dedicated and courageous service.
