I am honored to have a piece by Chris Willingham, current president of the US War Dogs Association, to explain the importance of K-9 Veterans Day and to share some of his personal experiences as a combat veteran.
Chris served 20 years in the United States Marine Corps, from January 1999 to January 2019, where a majority of his career was dedicated to the Military Working Dog (MWD) Program—as a K-9 dog handler, trainer, kennel master and program manager.
Thank you, Chris, for an enlightening and deeply moving tribute to our K-9 military heroes.
Honoring Our Military Working Dogs
March 13 is the observation of K9 Veterans Day
Serving as a dog handler and devoting my career to K-9 continues to be an absolute privilege, and the partnership I shared with my specialized search dog (SSD), Lucca, showed me the transformative power that dogs have—not just in practice, on the battlefield, saving lives—but at home, in those quiet moments where the dark memories steal your peace of mind.
Dogs have been an invaluable asset to our nation’s military since the inception of the K-9 Corps on March 13, 1942. It’s fitting that we remember this pivotal date because it marked the beginning of military working dogs (MWD) assuming a vital role in combat. Its genesis was thanks to petitions from a civilian organization called Dogs For Defense (DFD), that had recruited and trained pet dogs to make them ready for potential deployment.
Since retiring in 2019, Chris now trains dogs for the Government, as well as serving as president for US War Dogs—a non-profit that supports military working dogs through their service and in retirement.
More than 40,000 dogs were donated to the war effort following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1942, with 10,000 of them making the grade to join the K-9 Corps to serve their nation as sentry and messenger dogs.
Since WWII, dogs have been utilized in a range of roles, including scout dogs and mine detection dogs, to name only two, and across major conflicts: From the frozen tundra of Korea to the jungles of Vietnam; from the vast deserts of Iraq to the unforgiving mountainous regions of Afghanistan. You can read more about the history of MWDs and their role in the US Military on our website, USWarDogs.org.
Lucca K458
Lucca and I served two tours together in Iraq and her detection capabilities saved lives almost daily. A German Shepherd/Malinois mix, Lucca was part of a program to train dogs to meet the threats that coalition troops were facing in the heat of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, specifically, improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Lucca and other SSDs like her were trained to search off-leash at distances of over 500 meters to find hidden explosives in roadways, open areas and vehicles. Lucca wore a radio harness that I and her second handler, Juan Rodriguez, could use to communicate with her and give her commands from a distance. Her poise, skill and abilities were incredible: In two tours to Iraq and one tour to Afghanistan, she conducted more than 400 patrols. Nobody was ever injured while Lucca walked point.
She saved my life on more than one occasion, and I firmly believe that she is the reason I made it home to my family.
Supporting the K-9 Family
Since retiring from the Marine Corps, it’s been my honor to stay connected with the MWD community in my role as president of US War Dogs Association. Supporting K-9s, their handlers and families, throughout their lives—but particularly in retirement—is our reason for being. My team of volunteers and I work hard to make sure we can support as many MWDs as possible, with care packages while they’re on active duty and with veterinary care and medications during their retirement. Retired MWDs receive no VA or financial assistance, so we are often the last line of defense when families are faced with expensive medical costs to take care of these dogs, who gave their best years in service to our nation.
We owe our K-9 heroes a debt of gratitude that can’t be paid, but through US War Dogs Association, we will try our hardest to show them the respect and care they deserve. So, wherever you find yourself this March 13, spare a thought for the thousands of dogs that have served with faithfulness and skill to secure and protect America’s freedom.
K-9 leads the way!
To support US War Dogs this K-9 Veterans days, click here.
About Chris Willingham:
After serving 20 years in the United States Marine Corps, Chris retired as a Master Sergeant. Today, Chris trains dogs for the Government, as well as serving as president for US War Dogs—a non-profit that supports military working dogs during their service and in retirement.
You can connect with Chris on LinkedIn.
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Readers: I encourage you to support US War Dogs for the important work they do every day.
The military dogs were partners in combat, and we are grateful for their service as well as their handlers. Thank you for posting these great stories, Martha! Best, Paul Pender MD