thedrifter
03-26-09, 07:56 AM
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. —The Marines of Security Battalion held a memorial service March 18 to honor one of their own, a two-time Iraq war veteran who carried out 32 missions in support of the Marine Corps.
“She found countless weapons caches and improvised explosive devices,” said Staff Sgt. Dana Brown. She no doubt saved untold lives.
The memorial service honored not just any Marine, but a military working dog named Keve.
“Our military working dogs help us accomplish the mission in Iraq,” said Col. Richard A. Anderson, the commanding officer of Security Battalion. “It’s important that we memorialize and honor these dogs because they are Marines, too.”
In support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Keve conducted more than 300 building searches, inspected more than 2,000 vehicles and located more than 22 weapons caches.
The actual cause of Keve’s death is unknown; she was born in 2003 and was 5 years old when she passed away.
“Keve’s death was unexpected; she died in routine surgery,” said Brown, the kennel master for Security Battalion. “It was really hard for us all.”
Military working dogs can detect narcotics or explosives, help during patrols and vehicle inspections, and support the United States secret service with presidential missions.
“Keve loved to work. She was just an extraordinary dog,” said Sgt. Cody Tallent, a military working dog handler with Security Battalion who worked with Keve for five months. “Having all of us here honoring Keve means so much.”
Military technology is always advancing, but even with the production of unmanned aerial vehicles and marcbots, Marines can always depend on the German shepherds, Czech shepherds and Belgian malinois that make up the Quantico K-9 unit.
“We are using dogs to help us fight,” said Tallent. “These animals help us counter our enemy’s attacks on us and we depend on them. If there is an improvised explosive device out there, they will find it.
“Most of the dogs are trained to locate explosives,” said Tallent. “Out of all of the dogs here, four of them are trained to locate narcotics.”The average length of service for a military working dog is 10 years.
“She did her job very proficiently and kept the moral of the Marines high,” said Cpl. Richard Bock, a military working dog handler with security battalion.
During the memorial both Tallent and Bock received gifts in memory of Keve.
Bock received Keve’s dog collar and Tallent was presented with a preserved canine tooth from Keve on a necklace.
“She made people happy, and right now she’s in a better place,” said Bock.
“She found countless weapons caches and improvised explosive devices,” said Staff Sgt. Dana Brown. She no doubt saved untold lives.
The memorial service honored not just any Marine, but a military working dog named Keve.
“Our military working dogs help us accomplish the mission in Iraq,” said Col. Richard A. Anderson, the commanding officer of Security Battalion. “It’s important that we memorialize and honor these dogs because they are Marines, too.”
In support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Keve conducted more than 300 building searches, inspected more than 2,000 vehicles and located more than 22 weapons caches.
The actual cause of Keve’s death is unknown; she was born in 2003 and was 5 years old when she passed away.
“Keve’s death was unexpected; she died in routine surgery,” said Brown, the kennel master for Security Battalion. “It was really hard for us all.”
Military working dogs can detect narcotics or explosives, help during patrols and vehicle inspections, and support the United States secret service with presidential missions.
“Keve loved to work. She was just an extraordinary dog,” said Sgt. Cody Tallent, a military working dog handler with Security Battalion who worked with Keve for five months. “Having all of us here honoring Keve means so much.”
Military technology is always advancing, but even with the production of unmanned aerial vehicles and marcbots, Marines can always depend on the German shepherds, Czech shepherds and Belgian malinois that make up the Quantico K-9 unit.
“We are using dogs to help us fight,” said Tallent. “These animals help us counter our enemy’s attacks on us and we depend on them. If there is an improvised explosive device out there, they will find it.
“Most of the dogs are trained to locate explosives,” said Tallent. “Out of all of the dogs here, four of them are trained to locate narcotics.”The average length of service for a military working dog is 10 years.
“She did her job very proficiently and kept the moral of the Marines high,” said Cpl. Richard Bock, a military working dog handler with security battalion.
During the memorial both Tallent and Bock received gifts in memory of Keve.
Bock received Keve’s dog collar and Tallent was presented with a preserved canine tooth from Keve on a necklace.
“She made people happy, and right now she’s in a better place,” said Bock.