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Military Working Dog Transport, Reclassification and Recognition Amendment to HR 5314

Ask our Congressman and Representatives to amend HR 5314 to make it mandatory for all adopted OCONUS (OVERSEAS) Military Working Dogs(MWD) to receive transport back to the U.S. via military air. MWDs are still considered equipment. Please take a mom

MWDs are highly trained to risk their lives to save the lives of our soldiers. Many do not survive. But for those that do, we owe it to them for their service to our country to bring them home rather than leave them behind to fend for themselves as "equipment". These dogs work hard and become friend and companion to their handlers. They are so much more than equipment, but rather heroes.



Please view the video at the following link.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSa5KZtb5To&feature=share



We are simply asking to amend HR 5314 as follows:



RETIRING MWD TRANSPORT

1. Provide for authorized DoD Transport of retiring MWDs stationed at permanent OCONUS (overseas) bases who are ADOPTION SUITABLE or ALREADY ADOPTED back to CONUS (continental United States) via military transport.



A. If the MWD is ALREADY adopted, the dog will be transported to whatever CONUS base the Military Air plane lands, whereupon the adopter is responsible for paying the MWD's domestic transport to a Forever Home. Support may be required from that base's MWD Facility to place the dog (still a military asset because he has not been relinquished to his adopter) on a commercial flight to the dog's end destination. An overnight stay at the MWD Facility should be an option.



B. If the MWD is ADOPTION SUITABLE but is NOT adopted, the dog should be integrated into the already existing MWD Adoption Program at the 341st MWD Training Squadron. The chance of finding a suitable adoption situation will be increased by having the MWD transported Stateside. The MWD's Owning OCONUS Unit SHOULD NOT be required to pay for Lackland transport of any as yet unadopted ADOPTION SUITABLE MWD.*



(*Current standard is that if a unit wishes to get a retiring MWD to Lackland AFB, the UNIT MUST PAY FOR THE TRANSPORT. This should not be the case with our RETIRING adoption-suitable MWDs returned to the 341st Training Squadron MWD Adoption Program.)



ACTIVE DUTY/RETIRING MWD RECLASSIFICATION



2. Grant an OFFICIAL reclassification of current active duty MWD from "Equipment" to "MWD Troop/Soldier". This change is necessary in order to undergird the reclassification of a RETIRING MWD from the current "Excess Equipment" to "MWD Veteran" or "Military K9 Veteran".