U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today heralded the heroic service and sacrifice of the military K9 team that played an integral role in the take down of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and called for Conan and his handler to receive official Department of Defense (DoD) commendations.
Sen. Menendez authored the law creating the Guardians of America’s Freedom Medal to recognize the valor and meritorious achievement of these highly trained and skilled teams to be issued by each branch of the military to honor their extraordinary service and sacrifice in defense of this nation.
“Military Working Dogs and their handlers have become integral to the defense of our nation. If we, as a nation, can strap a Kevlar vest on a dog and send them into battle, then we should be able to honor these guardians of freedom and their handlers with the recognition they deserve,” said Sen. Menendez. “I can’t think of any K9 team more fitting for this honor that Conan and his handler. The President’s Twitter stunt only undermines their service and sacrifice. Instead of giving them a fake medal, let’s bestow these heroes with the official recognition they deserve.”
Earlier this week, President Trump tweeted a doctored photograph depicting him placing a fake medal around the neck of Conan, the Belgian Malinois who was injured in the raid on Baghdadi’s compound.
Sen. Menendez salutes the service and sacrifice of military working dogs and their handlers when he announced the Guardians of America’s Freedom Act in June 2016.
First introduced by Sen. Menendez in 2016, the Guardians of America’s Freedom Medal Act was passed in 2018 as part of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Today, Sen. Menendez sent a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper urging the law be fully implemented.
“Military Working Dogs and their handlers are highly trained and skilled teams who have proven their valor and meritorious achievements on many occasions. As a grateful nation, it is time for us to recognize their outstanding contributions in defense of our country,” the senator wrote. “Over the years, the roles and contributions of MWDs have expanded into each military service branch’s critical operations. I introduced the Guardians of America’s Freedom Medal Act to recognize our military K9 teams—both soldier and military working dog for their bravery, service and sacrifice in defense of our nation.”
Sen. Menendez speaks at the United States War Dogs Memorial rededication ceremony.
Military K9 teams serve on the frontlines detecting improvised explosive devices, leading search and rescue operations, locating casualties, guarding supplies, and patrolling secured perimeters. Most critical, they have put their lives on the line to save countless men and women in uniform serving at their side.
The Guardians of America’s Freedom Medal gets its name from the inscription etched into the Military Working Dog Teams National Monument located at the DoD’s Military Working Dog Program headquarters at the 341st Training Squadron stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lakeland in Texas.
The ranks and roles of MWDs have gradually expanded since, and have been integrated into each military branch’s critical operations. Aside from Conan, perhaps the most notable of late is Cairo, a highly intelligent and fearless Belgian Malinois and member of Navy SEAL Team 6, who participated in the May 2, 2011 raid of Osama Bin Laden’s Pakistani compound.
menendez is literally going to the dogs!
Hey Menedez, how about doing something for the taxpayers of the State of New Jersey instead of worrying about a dog and impeaching the President
Time to remember this next election. This is going to be his biggest accomplishment.
This entire thing is beyond comical! A dog doesn’t understand honor. All the dog wants is a nice piece of steak!
If they give the dog a medal, it can play with it like it plays with its toys, hence there is a purpose in giving these dogs medals. But you have a point when you say “all the dog wants is a piece of steak”: Why not toss some meat to these dogs as a reward – lo yechrats…., lakelev tashlichun….”
The democrats are trying to go back to timing of before mabil when people wouldn’t eat animals, that get them to think they are equal to animals, and they start to behave like them. They really trying it out again, that’s why we have these animals right meshgooim (history repeats itself).