3 Dogs and a Chick

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a very special ceremony. 5 Military Working Dogs were officially relieved of their duties and sent into retirement, all being adopted into loving families.  The ceremony was beautiful and touching, complete with support from active duty military dog handlers and local law enforcement dog teams. The dogs chimed in to sing along to the national anthem, reminding us that this day was all about them.

MWD’s Jacco, Max, Blesk, Marco and Deny are all beautiful heroes, dogs who have served their country well and saved countless lives. They have traveled around the world, deploying to Iraq and other places of unrest. They have protected international dignitaries and the President of the United States. They have discovered weapons caches and car bombs. And they have been best friends to their handlers. All of these tasks were completed with honor, loyalty and courage. 

After the retirement portion of the ceremony, the Working Dog Monument was unveiled. This beautiful sculpture and tribute is placed outside the entrance to the Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin Air Force Base. Kelly Hooker and Michele Stringert are the forces behind this lovely memorial which honors all working dogs, their handlers and the staff who have cared for them.

Bricks with custom messages are scattered around the base of the monument, paying tribute to fallen comrades, honoring past working dogs, sending notes of love and support and many other special messages. Custom bricks may be purchased and placed around the monument, by visiting the Military Working Dog Memorial website. We at 3 Dogs & a Chick showed our support for the monument, for deployed family members and for future working dog teams by purchasing a brick of our own.

Thank you to Kelly and Michele for including us in your special day. Our best wishes go out to Jacco, Marco, Blesk, Max, Deny and their families. You are all true heroes and we thank you for your service.