1992 from Liberty Island
In 1992, I was visiting New York City and took the Ferry in NY Harbor to Liberty Island. My ‘longest’ girlfriend (she said at our age I am not allowed to call her my ‘oldest’ girlfriend) and I, had a stranger take a casual picture (with a real camera no less) of the two of us. To the left of us, which is what I clipped here, were the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in the Financial District. Twenty years ago, it was just another part of the New York City skyline. Today, it is a symbol for the strength and resilience of the American people.
In America, we definitely have our own internal strife. We had the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1995, where 168 people were murdered. We have mass shootings for various strange reasons (last one was in a movie theater). But the worst on American soil in my lifetime was the “9/11” attacks. These were four coordinated terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda, an Islamist extremist group, that occurred on the morning of September 11, 2001 and killed 2,977 people.
Here in the United States, we don’t live in a state of war or even a state of preparedness; we are very lucky for that. I can not imagine living in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, or one of many African or Asian or Latin American nations, that are constantly under siege from each other, themselves, or even drug cartels. What I do know is that the 11th of September 2001 shook me to the core and that I will never be the same again.
Dog Duty in Iraq
Make sure to think about your own country and your own place in the world. If everyone works for a solution to hate, maybe we will have war no more.
I know that I am a dreamer. But remember the people and the dogs out there on the front lines everyday working to keep your borders safe from crazy people and your homeland secure.
If you are American than please join DogDaz in honoring our Military Working Dogs by writing your Congressperson and Representatives and ask them to AMEND HR 5314 to make it mandatory for all adopted OCONUS (overseas) Military Working Dogs (MWDs) to receive transport back to the U.S. via military air. Retired MWDs have no “return to home station” benefits even though for the time of their service we proclaim them as “military members.” As it stands now, retired OCONUS MWDs must be transported at adoptive owner’s expense as a “pet.” This policy is keeping people from giving these little heros lifetime homes. You can help MWD today!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
DogDaz Zoo 
jmgoyder
September 11, 2012 at 00:56
Wonderful words – made me cry.
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dogdaz
September 11, 2012 at 07:16
Thanks for reading
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bumpyroadtobubba
September 11, 2012 at 06:21
Oh that’s so sad and wrong that the dogs don’t get returned home – they put their paws on the line every day (and i bet no-one asked them if they’d rather be a loved up home pet or a military dog). I’m going to find out wht happens to Australian military dogs.
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dogdaz
September 11, 2012 at 07:16
Let me know what you find out.
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bumpyroadtobubba
September 15, 2012 at 23:35
From what I understand Australian military working dogs now serve a maximum of four months (per deployment) and are then returned home. This wasn’t always the case though – for example in the Vietnam war dogs couldn’t be returned to Australia, so they were rehomed with expat families.
In our Air Force – where possible, Military Working Dogs retire with their handler at the conclusion of their service. A number of checks are undertaken to ensure the dog can enjoy a happy and healthy retirement after their loyal service.
I found this lovely story too … a black Labrador, who was an Army Explosives Detection dog that was lost in a battle in Afghanistan. After going missing for 13 months Sarbi was found in a local village and has since been returned home to Australia. The battle in which Sarbi went Missing in Action, when a rocket-propelled grenade broke the lead that tethered Sarbi to her handler, was the same battle that Lance Corporal Mark Donaldson earned the Victoria Cross.
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dogdaz
September 23, 2012 at 20:39
Nice – thanks for the Australian view.
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mythreemoggies
September 11, 2012 at 09:37
Sad post 😦 xxx
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dogdaz
September 11, 2012 at 10:34
I know – but one must remember so that we can build a better tomorrow.
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mollieandalfie
September 11, 2012 at 09:48
That was a great post..really made you think and cry 😦 With our busy lives, we often take it for granted, the people and dogs that try to keep us all safe.
Mollie and Alfie
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dogdaz
September 11, 2012 at 10:35
Thanks Mollie and Alfie. I try to remember history, so that I do not repeat it.
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Misty Shores Chesapeakes
September 11, 2012 at 19:20
What a wonderful post!!
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dogdaz
September 11, 2012 at 19:32
Thanks Misty.
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Margarita
September 11, 2012 at 19:29
Thanks for shining a light on the plight of our canine service personnel!
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dogdaz
September 11, 2012 at 19:33
Every little bit that we can do to honor and serve, is our hope.
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zannyro
September 11, 2012 at 21:52
I have gone to the site and will be writing my congressman…Thank you for spreading the word…and Thank you for the lovely post…
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dogdaz
September 11, 2012 at 23:38
THANK YOU
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Jessica
September 26, 2012 at 20:10
Thank you so much for bringing HR 5314 to my attention! With my younger sister currently in the United States Army, this cause hits close to home, so I will be writing to my congressman TODAY!!
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dogdaz
September 27, 2012 at 08:55
Thanks Jessica. And congratulations to your sister for being one of our proud defenders!
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