Courtesy Photo | Chief Master-at-Arms (MAC) Steven Barnaby, an anti-terrorism and operations chief for...... read more read more
Every year on March 13, the Department of Defense (DOD) observes K9 Veterans Day to honor the service and sacrifice of military working dogs (MWDs). The observance started in 1942 when the U.S. Army’s War Dog “K9 Corps” was launched to contribute to the World War II war effort.
At the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) Kennel, MWDs are trained in a wide range of specialized tasks, including explosives and drug detection, tracking and apprehension, and patrol and protection. They also support missions for the President and Vice President of the United States.
Since then, MWDs have served in every major conflict, performing a variety of duties from scouting and messaging to detecting explosives and tracking enemy combatants.
Today, about 2,500 MWDs are in service, with 700 of them serving overseas. These dogs are highly trained, noncommissioned officers, traditionally holding a rank one step higher than their handlers to ensure they are treated with the utmost respect.
Once considered "surplus equipment,” today these four-legged patriots are given the retirement they deserve.Over 90% of retired MWDs are adopted by their former handlers, continuing a lifelong bond.
Chief Master-at-Arms (MAC) Steven Barnaby is an anti-terrorism and operations chief for the JPBHH Kennel with 23 years of service in the Navy. He adopted Dex, a seven-year-old Belgian Malinois trained in explosives detection in 2025. Dex completed six years of service for the Navy including one year at the JBPHH Kennel. Barnaby said that MWDs like Dex, “help keep the base community safe,” and they risk their lives to apprehend suspects or to detect drugs and explosives.
“When it comes time to go get suspects or search for explosives, they're the ones out there looking for it, and technically, putting their lives in danger like a human would,” Barnaby said.
The MWDs’ ability to apprehend suspects comes from their controlled aggression training, which instills the discipline to bite on command as well as chase and hold uncooperative suspects as a less lethal option for force protection.
When a MWD is ready for retirement, handlers are first in line for adoption, followed by members of the military community, and finally the broader community. Barnaby said retiring MWDs are adopted fairly quickly.
Master Sgt. Phillip Rogers, an Air Force intelligence analyst and First Sergeant for the 647 Security Forces Squadron who has almost 17 years of military service, explained that MWDs also offer an added layer of security that isn’t easily quantified such as noticing when people are acting afraid or stressed out, which is helpful for detecting threats.
“There's a lot of small things that can slip by the naked eye, and bringing the military working dog into the mix provides that extra sense that we might not be able to pick up,” he said.
In December 2024, Rogers adopted Bagzi, an explosive detective Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd mix, who served at the JBPHH Kennel for about five years and retired before he turned eight. While at JBPHH, Bagzi conducted 2,328 random antiterrorism measures including safeguarding 124,400 military and civilian joint base personnel. He also protected 452 distinguished visitors including the President of the United States.
The special bond between military work dogs and their veterinary care providers can sometimes provide an avenue for adoption, an option that became a “dream come true” for Maj. Peri Salazar, a veterinarian Soldier with almost seven years of military service who works at Veterinary Readiness Activity, Hawaii on JBPHH and at their veterinary clinic on Schofield Barracks.
Salazar provided veterinary care for Blackjack, a three-year-old Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd mix, trained in explosives detection and controlled aggression for patrols. During Blackjack’s approximately one year of service at the JBPHH Kennel, she suffered multiple heat injuries, which ultimately required a medical discharge from active duty as a result of her inability to acclimate to the warm climate of Hawaii.
Reflecting on the importance of K9 Veterans Day, Salazar said it’s important to remember that even though most military working dogs love their work, they don’t choose to serve. That’s why she was honored to adopt Blackjack and “give a really high quality of life to a dog that served our country and worked to provide security to the United States,” said Salazar. “I think that they deserve the best possible life during that time as well as after.”
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2026 02:32 |
| Story ID: | 560470 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Honoring the Service of Hawaii-based Military Working Dogs on K9 Veterans Day, by Kyler Hood, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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