[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 31 (Friday, March 5, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E319-E320]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING MILITARY WORKING DOG PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 2010

  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. 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

[[Page E320]]

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.

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