[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7666]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

  SENATE RESOLUTION 160--HONORING THE SERVICE TO UNITED STATES ARMED 
  FORCES PROVIDED BY MILITARY WORKING DOGS AND CONTRACT WORKING DOGS, 
                       ALSO KNOWN AS ``WAR DOGS''

  Mr. NELSON (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 160

       Whereas March 13, 2017, marks the 75th anniversary of the 
     establishment of the United States Army military working dog 
     program, which officially began on March 13, 1942;
       Whereas each military working dog (referred to in this 
     preamble as a ``war dog'') and its handler is currently 
     trained at the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force 
     Base, which is also home to the Military Working Dog Teams 
     National Monument;
       Whereas war dogs have provided service to each branch of 
     the United States Armed Forces and in each conflict involving 
     the United States since and including the Revolutionary War;
       Whereas war dogs are credited with saving countless lives, 
     while alerting service members to danger on patrol, detecting 
     improvised explosive devices, identifying weapons caches, 
     performing search and rescue, and providing other specialized 
     mission functions;
       Whereas in conflicts before and including the Vietnam 
     conflict, some war dogs were left behind in conflict areas, 
     but war dogs are no longer considered merely equipment and 
     are now required to be retired in the United States;
       Whereas, in recognition of the unique bond between a war 
     dog and its handler team, handlers are given preference in 
     adopting their war dog teammate after the war dog's 
     retirement;
       Whereas the service of war dogs has been recognized by 
     senior military leaders, who have stated that the capability 
     of war dogs in combat cannot be replicated by humans or 
     machines and by any measure of performance, war dogs 
     outperform any other asset in the inventory of the United 
     States Armed Forces; and
       Whereas numerous war dogs have given their lives in service 
     to the United States Armed Forces, both in active conflict 
     and in retirement, while providing companionship and comfort 
     to veterans and wounded warriors: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of 
     the establishment of the United States Army military working 
     dog program, the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the service that military working dogs and 
     contract working dogs (referred to in this resolution as 
     ``war dogs'') have provided to the United States Armed 
     Forces;
       (2) acknowledges that not all war dogs were given due 
     recognition by being allowed to honorably retire from their 
     service in the United States;
       (3) assures the members of the United States Armed Forces 
     that war dogs will continue to be treated with the deference 
     commensurate with their service and rank; and
       (4) honors the sacrifices made by war dogs in combat and 
     the services war dogs provide in retirement to members of the 
     United States Armed Forces.

                          ____________________