K9s Honored for their Service

The March Field Air Museum recently hosted the 14th Annual War Dog Remembrance Day. This particular event started back in 2000, as a day to honor K9s, past and present, who have contributed to military and police services for our country. The March Field Air Museum is also a location to commemorate and honor those soldiers and officers who have served the country and have passed on. “For 11 of the 14 years the event has taken place, it has been a cloudy day,” Jamil Dada, President of the March Field Air Museum stated. On this day this year, it brought clear skies, which was the perfect day to show the Sheriff Department K9 demonstration in the Courtyard of the March Field Air Museum. Patricia Korzec, Director of the March Field Air Museum started off the event by reciting what was called “A Working Dog’s Oath.” Korzec also gave a brief history of the Working Dog and how it came about. Along with Korzec, there were other guest speakers, one of which was Congressman Mark Takano, who states that “dogs play a permanent role in today’s military.” He told the story of the dog who responded to “Sergeant Stumpy.” “Sergeant Stumpy” was honored by President Woodrow Wilson with medals and shaking his paw, Takano explained. Riverside native and Army Veteran William “Rusty” Bailey thinks that dogs are “magnificent creatures that deserve our respect.” There are 2.3 million citizens that currently reside in Riverside County, which is about the same population as the state of New Jersey; 4,600 of those men and women are currently part of the Sheriff’s Department along with 800,000 full-time peace officers. Sheriff Stan Stiff talks about how a total of 58 counties make up the State of California and Riverside County is the 4th largest in California. In Stiff’s words, “handlers and service dogs represent selfless service.” Assemblymember Jose Medina believes that “dogs have an immense amount of loyalty to their handlers.” Senator Richard Roth shared that “teamwork is bonded and forged on a daily basis.” Roth also wants the citizens to realize that “we don’t spend time thinking about lives that have been saved by the handlers' K9s.” After the ceremony, there was a Sheriff Department K9 demonstration in the Courtyard. This demonstration displayed some obedience that the dogs learn such as the play drive and prey drive. Deputy Brooks, who was on hand to explain each of the techniques, shared “out of the 31 years that the Sheriff’s Department has been open, none of the dogs have ever been put down.” He also made a statement that all dogs that are brought to the police department are from other foreign countries including Holland and Croatia.