JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- The U.S. Military Working Dog Teams National Monument 10th anniversary commemoration was held Oct. 27 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
The ceremony was held to highlight the contribution to our nation’s defense and to honor military working dog teams past and present, thanking them for their serve to their country.
The development of the Military Working Dog Teams National Monument was spearheaded by John Burnam, a U. S. Army combat infantryman and German Shepherd Scout Dog Handler during the Vietnam War.
The Department of Defense Military Working Dog program, the world's largest training center for military dogs and handlers, has been based at JBSA-Lackland since 1958. The DOD Military Working Dog Veterinary Service and the Holland Working Dog Hospital, the largest for military working dogs, are also located on JBSA-Lackland.
The monument was constructed and unveiled on Oct. 28, 2013, and is located on the southeast corner of Air Force Basic Military Training parade grounds on JBSA-Lackland.
The monument's main granite pedestal features the U.S. military's four prominent working dog breeds since World War II: Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever and Belgian Malinois.
A nine-foot tall bronze dog handler represents all U.S. military dog handlers who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the war on terrorism. Another design feature is the "Not Forgotten Fountain," a fully functional bronze dog and handler water fountain that epitomizes the bond between dog and handler.