Five military dogs awarded K-9 Medal of Courage
Five dogs who served in the U.S. military were awarded the American Humane Lois Pope K-9 Medal of Courage at a Capitol Hill ceremony on October 13 to recognize the canines’ extraordinary valor during their time of service.
“By helping locate enemy positions, engage the enemy, and sniff out deadly [improvised explosive devices] and hidden weapons, military dogs have saved ｃountless lives in the fight for freedom and they deserve the recognition they are getting this evening,” Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., said on Wednesday, Oct. 13 on Capitol Hill during the awards ceremony.
“Nowhere is the power of the human-animal bond more apparent than it is between our men and women in service and their faithful military dogs,” he said.
Four of the dogs who received the awards were present, as one has died.
The recipients were:
- Capa, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan
- Alphie, who served in Afghanistan
- Coffee, who completed three tours in Afghanistan
- Ranger, who served alongside Marines in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and
- Gabe, who engaged in more than 200 combat missions in Iraq before passing away in 2013.
“Soldiers have been relying on these four-footed comrades-in-arms since the beginning of organized warfare and today military dogs are more important than ever in keeping our service men and women safe,” said American Humane President and CEO Dr. Robin Ganzert said. “Each dog allows so many services members to come home to be moms and dads, or sons and daughters. At American Humane…we feel it is time to recognize and honor the extraordinary feats and acts of devotion these heroic animals perform every day.” American Humane has worked to assist those in the U.S. military, veterans, and military service animals for more than 100 years.
The Lois Pope K-9 Medal of Courage was created by American Humane and veterans advocate Lois Pope in 2016. Four dogs received the award in its inaugural year.
“These remarkable dogs work side-by-side with the men and women of our Armed Forces, performing vitally important and life-saving work, while putting their own lives on the line for our ｃountry,” said Mrs. Pope, who conceived and spearheaded the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, which was dedicated in Washington D.C. in October 2014 as the nation’s first and only permanent public tribute to the four million living disabled American veterans and all those who have died.
“It is high time that [the dogs’] valiant sacrifices and contributions to our nation and our men and women in uniform are properly recognized at the highest levels,” Mrs. Pope noted.
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VOCABULARY WORDS
1.Award/verb: give or order the giv
2.Courage/noun: the ability to do something that frightens one.
3.Extraordinary/adjective: very unusual or remarkable.
4.Explosive/adjective: able or likely to shatter violently or burst apart, as when a bomb explodes.
5.Recognition/noun: the action or process of recognizing or being recognized, in particular.
6.Recipient/noun: a person or thing that receives or is awarded something.
7.Inaugural/adjective: marking the beginning of an institution, activity, or period of office.
8.Dedicated/adjective: (of a person) devoted to a task or purpose; having single-minded loyalty or integrity.
9.Permanent/adjective: lasting or intended to last or remain unchanged indefinitely.
10.Tribute/noun: an act, statement, or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect, or admiration.
11.Disabled/adjective: (of a person) having a physical or mental condition that limits movements, senses, or activities.
12.Contribution/noun: a gift or payment to a common fund or collection.
13.Devotion/noun: love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. The first paragraph of a news article should answer the questions who, what, where and when. List the who, what, where and when of this news item. (NOTE: The remainder of a news article provides details on the why and/or how.)
2. When was the American Humane Lois Pope K-9 Medal of Courage established?
3. Why was this K-9 medal established?
4. Today’s Daily News Article is a human interest news story. Human interest stories differ from the regular news – they are sometimes referred to as “the story behind the story.“ The major news articles of the day tell of important happenings. Human interest stories tell of how those happenings have impacted the people or places around the story.
Do you think this human interest story is newsworthy? Why or why not?
5. What inspires you most about this story?
