Five canines that served the U.S. military in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan were awarded the American Humane Lois Pope K-9 Medal of Courage in recognition of their vital service saving American lives.
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) praised the dogs at a ceremony on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, the Washington Examiner reported.
“By helping locate enemy positions, engage the enemy, and sniff out deadly [improvised explosive devices] and hidden weapons, military dogs have saved countless lives in the fight for freedom and they deserve the recognition they are getting this evening,” Rep. Bilirakis said.
“Nowhere is the power of the human-animal bond more apparent than it is between our men and women in service and their faithful military dogs,” Bilirakis added
Only four of the dogs were present for the ceremony as Gabe the dog passed away in 2013 after engaging in over 200 combat missions.
On hand for the ceremony, though, were Iraq veterans Capa, and Ranger, as well as Afghanistan combat veterans Alphie and Coffee. All the dogs are now retired from service.
One of the many stories related during the ceremony was from the family of Army Sgt. James Bennett who credits service K-9 Coffee with saving the Sergeant’s life in Afghanistan, CBS reported.
Currently, over 1,600 canines serve in the U.S. military with many assisting our combat troops with the dangerous duty of sniffing out improvised explosive devices and other bombs.