Memorial Day thoughts for you and your dog

[bigdoglover]

Desoto Sun Herald

By Jeff Munshar

Hey, it's another day off work for some of us. School is winding down or over. The sun's getting hotter and beaches are crowding. Memorial Day is the start of summer.

But the reasons for this holiday should not be forgotten. It shouldn't be taken for granted. The importance or impact of Memorial Day is different for each person. The bottom line, however, is that Memorial Day is about remembering -- remembering fallen veterans, fallen civil servants, lost family members and our history. OK, enough preaching. This is a dog column.

How about we add some memories of dogs to the list. Yes, I know it may sound silly to some, but think about how much dogs have affected many of our lives, whether professionally or personally. Dogs provide companionship for young and old with equal enthusiasm. I honestly believe that time well-spent with a good dog will give you a better outlook on the world. We all know that dogs don't lie; honesty and devotion is what they give us. These are the same things we like to remember about the humans we honor on this day. Now let's look at some of the dogs.

The military canines come to mind immediately. They have served in combat since time immemorial. American forces used them in our country's infancy and are using them today in the distant sands. The countless lives they've saved as messengers, aid dogs, sentries and detection dogs have often gone unnoticed. After all, they were just dogs doing their jobs.

Some of that has changed, though. On Guam, the U.S. Marine Corp erected a statue of a Doberman to pay tribute to the "war dogs" that fought throughout the pacific campaign of World War II. It was dedicated in 1994, which marked the 50th anniversary of the Guam beachhead.

Sentry dogs of the Vietnam era are rapidly gaining the respect they earned. Several documentaries and movies have been released highlighting their achievements. Numerous veteran handler organizations are going to great lengths to ensure their dogs their rightful place in military history.

Last month, a bill was introduced that would establish a National War Dog Monument in the nation's capital. If, and when, the monument will be built and maintained with private funds. A fitting tribute to the canines that served.

The Oklahoma City bomb blast and Sept. 11 tragedies brought light to service dogs here at home. I've talked with several of the people involved and I was even surprised at the amount of difference the dogs made. And some of those dogs "gave their all." Certainly they made a difference to those directly involved but they showed a country what they had to offer.

I have received several e-mails requesting information about sending "goodies" to the service dogs in Iraq. I don't know how to accomplish this, so I pointed them toward the appropriate authorities and told them to write to the troops. The moral, though, was that some people were worried enough to want to help the dogs in combat. It impressed me that in the day of so-called "high tech" warfare, some people still remembered that there were fighting men and dogs in harm's way. Refreshing.

I'm almost at the six-month mark in Iraq. I've seen the dogs in action and they are impressive. As always, they do what they're trained to do, and it can be costly.

Certainly, I take nothing from the men and women who should be honored on this day. I only add that dogs have often been part of an honorable team and deserve a kind thought as well.