A former military dog handler was the speaker at the most recent meeting of the John Bartram Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
William “Bill” Truax told members and guests about his days handling dogs during the Vietnam War. He was a member of the Vietnam Dog Handlers Association, which later became the U.S. War Dog Association. Truax also discussed the special relationship that is formed with the dogs, usually a German Shepard or a Belgian Malinois. These breeds are commonly used due to their specific traits and personalities.
After his retirement from the military, Truax continued working with various dogs and served on a security team for special visits from dignitaries. He and his dog worked for the Cleveland Browns, checking security around the stadium, and they assisted with the Department of Homeland Security after the 9-11 attacks.
Truax asked that we “paws” to remember the 21 members of K9 law enforcement lost in 2021. These dogs are considered members of “the force” and many have laid down their lives in the line of duty.
As a side note, the U.S. Postal Service recently issued a series of forever stamps that show the breeds of dogs chosen to be Military Dogs. They are the German Shepard, the Dutch Shepard, the Belgian Malinois and the Labrador Retriever. Consider them the next time you purchase stamps.
