Military working dogs honored

The first national monument for military working dogs and their handlers will be unveiled at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California Jan. 1. The monument will then travel to its final destination at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where many working dog teams are trained. The monument was sculpted by Paula Slater, and depicts a military handler along with a Doberman, German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever and Belgian Malinois. John Burnam, a veteran dog handler who served with the Army's 44th Scout Dog Platoon in Vietnam, began pursuing funding and legislation for the monument in 2004 as a way to honor dogs of war. "I wanted to give something back to these animals that have done so much and asked for so little."  Learn more at JBMF.us.