Lexington Kennel Club
is a proud sponsor of the
Space Coast War Dog Association
www.scwda.org

Preserving the memory of Past, Present, and Future Military Working Dogs
“There is no stronger bond than that of a dog and his handler”

Military Working Dogs have played a vital role in our nation's military history. They have battled alongside our brave two-footed soldiers in W.W.II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Military Working Dogs continue work here at home and in peacekeeping missions around the globe helping to secure our safety and freedom.

During the Vietnam War, canine soldiers and their handlers are estimated to have prevented as many as 10,000 US and allied forces casualties. The Scout, Mine and Booby, and Tracker Dog Teams completed 90,000 missions. Tens of thousands of hours of duty were performed by the Sentry Dog Teams.

As we continue to honor the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces protecting our liberties, we, as the Space Coast War Dog Association, are committed to also honoring the memory of the courageous military working dogs that have accompanied their handlers into battle.   We Will Not Forget Their Sacrifice - WE will be the voice for those who are unable to speak for themselves.

Approximately 4,000 Military Working Dogs and 9,000 handlers served the United States during the Vietnam War. These dogs were not pets, instead they were highly trained, four-footed soldiers with duties such as Sentry, Scout, Booby Trap, Tunnel, Mine, and Tracker.

Sadly, our government classified these brave souls as Expendable Equipment. At the end of the Vietnam War, roughly 200 Dogs were reassigned to other military installations, some of the several thousand remaining were distributed to the South Vietnamese Army, but most were euthanized.

Almost three decades later, legislation was passed in 2000 (Public Law 106-446), due to the untiring efforts of many Vietnam dog handlers, which allowed for the adoption of DoD canines who do not meet the stringent requirements of the DoD Military Working Dog Program. Additionally, in 1999 the DoD established a Military Working Dog Puppy Program at Lackland AFB, Texas, in order to breed Belgian Malinois’ to support the growing demand for Military Working Dog teams.

The SCWDA has:

Shipped over 15,000 lbs of morale and supply items to deployed dog teams
Supported efforts in providing items to the children of Iraq and Afghanistan
Donated educational war dog books and videos to public libraries
Helped children gather educational war dog information for school projects
Increased dog handler participation at Florida’s Vietnam Veterans Reunion
Designed a War Dog Memorial for the Veterans memorial center in Cocoa, Florida

Space Coast War Dog Association
PO Box 254315
Patrick AFB, FL 32925
admin@scwda.org
www.scwda.org

*The SCWDA is a member of the Vietnam Veterans of Florida State Coalition*

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