Heroic Canine Memorial Moves to New Location
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July 2013 Military Working Dog Team Support Association, Inc. Award Winning Bi-Monthly Newsletter MWDTSA KENNEL TALK Volume 5, Issue 4 www.mwdtsa.org Support MWDTSA now and you won’t miss any of the photos, stories, news and highlights of 2013! Kennel Talk is now an a w a r d w i n n i n g MWD publication! Inside this issue: Heroic Canine Memorial 1 Moves Dog Handlers Home- 3 grown Values Mirror K-9 Kennels Dedicated to 5 Fallen Soldier Excellent Adventures of During an attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam, on Dec. 4, 1966 , Air Force 7 Brutus sentry dog, Nemo, helped hold off enemy forces, saving his handler, but losing an eye in the battle. A memorial constructed in 2005 was recently moved to the Se- 2nd Quarter Care Pack- curity Forces Museum at Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland to help tell the story of 9 ages military working dogs. BBQ Fundraiser 12 Hall of Heroes 12 Heroic Canine Memorial Moves To John Douangdara 13 Statue Dedication MWD Photo of the New Location 14 Month By Mike Joseph JBSA-Lackland Public Affairs What skills can you share to A Joint Base San Antonio- Femoyer Street on the basic rity and heritage of an iconic support our dog teams? We Lackland memorial to military training side of JBSA- memorial to military working are looking for volunteers in: working dogs has moved from Lackland. dogs past, present and fu- Fundraising its original location to the ture,” Cummings said. Grant writing United States Air Force Securi- “The move was facilitated by ty Forces Museum. the projected relocation of the Giving presentations The Nemo Memorial Commit- 802nd Security Forces Squad- tee partnered with several Soliciting in kind - Completed in late 2005 at the ron MWD kennels to the Medi- organizations on the reloca- donations then 37th Security Forces na Training Annex,” said Bill tion. They included the 802nd Squadron kennel compound, Cummings, a former Air Force Newsletter editing SFS, the 37th Training Wing, the Nemo War Dog Heroes sentry dog handler and Nemo Social networking the 37th TRW Office of History Memorial now resides outside Memorial committee member. and Research, and Tech. Sgt. the Security Forces Museum. Jason Adams, 802nd SFS ken- Contact us for more info: The museum is located at the “Moving to the Security Forces nel master. [email protected] corner of Carswell Avenue and Museum will protect the integ- Canine Memorial Moves continued page 2 Pa ge 2 MWDTSA KENNEL TALK Volume 5, Issue 4 www.mwdtsa.org Canine Memorial Moves continued from page 1 Others who played a role in in remembrance of the Dec. 4, the project were past kennel 1966 predawn attack on Tan masters Master Sgt. Jonathan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Matthews, Master Sgt. Brian Vietnam. Nemo saved his han- Hoglen, and retired Tech. Sgt. dler’s life in the assault and Uliani Bio. helped repel the Viet Cong while losing his right eye and “There were many members suffering a gunshot wound to of the 802nd SFS, the former the face. 37th SFS and the 37th TRW who were instrumental in pre- In June 1967, the Air Force serving the history of this me- directed Nemo be returned to morial,” Cummings said. the United States as the first sentry dog officially retired The 802nd Civil Engineer from active service. Nemo Squadron also worked with spent most of his retirement the Nemo Memorial committee years at the Department of by helping to incorporate a Defense Dog Center on Lack- section of the original concrete land assigned to a permanent kennel pad, built in 1967, at kennel before dying at An- the new location. drews Air Force Base in late 1972. “Moving a section of the origi- nal pad to the new site contin- ues the lineage of represent- ing a home for the Vietnam era canine heroes,” said Cum- mings, also a member of the Vietnam Security Police and Vietnam Dog Handlers Associ- ations. Along with the new kennel pad, the original kennel sign Above Top: Nemo, the first Air Force about the memorial has been Sentry dog officially retired from ac- reproduced and a Nemo sculp- tive service, was honored for his ac- ture was refurbished by Phil tions during an attack in Vietnam in Brink. Cummings said the 1966. committee also plans to erect an additional marker at the Above : The additional historical new site. marker erected at the new site. “The Security Forces museum already had an exhibit about military working dogs,” said Left: Handler, Sullivan, and Nemo at Tracy English, 37th TRW Of- Braniff. fice of History and Research director. “Moving the Nemo Memorial next to it made per- fect sense.” Photos courtesy of William Cum- The original Nemo Memorial was dedicated Nov. 15, 2005 Volume 5, Issue 4 MWDTSA KENNEL TALK Pa ge 3 www.mwdtsa.org Dog Handler’s Homegrown Values, Environment Mirror Her K-9 Career By Master Sgt. Leisa Grant Air Force Staff Sgt. Jessie With this much exposure to Johnson, a military working animals, it may have seemed dog handler currently assigned fitting for Johnson to become to the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry a dog handler when she Division Canine unit here, was joined the military. However, born into an "animal house" back then it was not a seam- and all the responsibilities of less process. Her love of dogs training the animals, playing would not be enough alone. with them, taking them to the If so, more people would be vet and feeding them. canine handlers. Another homegrown value from mom Some people have dogs for would come to light. protection, for comfort or for show. But for Johnson and her "When you start something, younger sister, they were you should always finish it," raised by a single parent. The Keller said, adding that she dogs and horses were an im- instilled this in her daughters portant part of their upbring- along with the notion that ing in rural Pennsylvania. there was nothing they couldn't accomplish so long "I always made sure my as they set their minds on daughters treated animals doing it, and doing it well, kindly and the importance of beginning to end. taking care of the animals," said Robin Keller, Johnson's The start of Johnson's canine mother who often worked two career didn't officially take full-time jobs so her daughters place until five years after could enjoy a comfortable life. joining the Air Force. Keller's parents taught her to Because of her long-time Afghanistan - It's 6 p.m. and Chrach (pronounced treat both people and animals yearning to work with a K-9 Crash), a military working dog, is anticipating his with kindness and respect, team, Johnson made it a evening meal. His handler has been feeding him and later Johnson would instill point to immerse herself in twice daily for more than a year, since the two the same values in her own their world as much as she became a team. She is used to this routine, but children. could while she worked as a not because she is his handler. security forces journeyman Photo by Staff Sgt. Marleah Miller. Fortunately, Johnson's grand- at the 820th Security Forces parents lived nearby and were Squadron, Moody Air Force with all aspects of caring for could truly become a dog able to help out. Still, the kids Base, Ga. the dogs. Being a part of the handler, one that simply not had a great deal of responsi- feeding, grooming and train- all can do. bility and independence. While there, she took the ing for about 20 dogs was initiative to visit the kennels nothing new for her, albeit a "The big part was going out "At a really young age, my and introduce herself as few more paws and wagging and catching the dogs, put- sister and I learned to take someone, not only interested tails then she was used to all ting on the bite-suit and let- care of the animals and each in joining the team, but will- at once. There was one task ting them bite me, and mak- other," Johnson said. ing to stay involved regularly she had to do to prove she ing sure I was comfortable Dog Handlers Values continued page 4 Pa ge 4 MWDTSA KENNEL TALK Volume 5, Issue 4 www.mwdtsa.org Dog Handlers Values continued from page 3 with that," she said. reflect in their dogs and ulti- "Being deployed with mostly one quickly. And when she is mately in the team. Army, I couldn't ask for a bet- not deployed, she applies her Furthermore, when her unit ter NCO to represent the Air same personality and profes- deployed she was selected to "There is always something Force." sionalism in preparing new go out on patrols with the K-9 you can train your dog on, handlers for combat environ- teams. For this, Johnson said always something you can Duran is not the only one who ments, just like the one here. she considered herself lucky getter better at," she said. draws this conclusion about and the experiences solidified "It's really up to the handler Johnson. Whether new or old, on a her interest and determination to make the team." combat mission or training even more so to become a At the 56 SFS, her home sta- stateside, the handlers aren't dog handler. Air Force Master Sgt. Jantzen tion at Luke AFB, Ariz., her the only ones doing the Duran, kennel master and leadership quickly noticed her schooling.