Photo By Sheryl Sullivan | YOKOHAMA, Japan (December 19, 2025) — A military working dog and handler, alongside...... read more read more
Subscribe
Each year on March 13, National K-9 Veterans Day recognizes the service and sacrifice of military working dogs who have served alongside U.S. forces at home and abroad. At Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), the occasion is personal, as some of the most valuable members of the security team walk on four legs.
CFAY’s military working dogs and their handlers serve as a frontline capability within the installation’s security department, supporting missions that range from patrol operations to facility sweeps and force protection. Their presence is a daily fixture of life on base, even when most of the community never sees them work. In December, that work was on full display when military working dog handler,
Master-at-Arms Second Class Rivera and his canine companion joined Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) agents and other installation security personnel in conducting a joint inspection of a distribution facility as part of standard safety and security operations.
While just one of many security operations across the installation, the effort is representative of the steady, behind-the-scenes operations that keep CFAY’s population safe.
“National K-9 Veterans Day is a great opportunity to spotlight and honor the service and dedication of our K-9s,” said Lt j.g. Byron Hunt, assistant security officer, Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka. “They are more than just part of the team - they are our trusted partners who play a critical role in strengthening installation security.”
That partnership is built on hundreds of hours of training and a bond between handler and dog that goes well beyond the duty day. Military working dogs are trained to detect threats that technology alone cannot, and their instincts and discipline make them force multipliers in any operational environment.
For Master-at-Arms 1st Class William Robby, the day also carries a deeper meaning.
“It’s a chance to thank our four-legged partners for their loyalty, dedication, and service – while remembering those who are no longer with us,” said Robby.
This National K-9 Veterans Day, CFAY honors every military working dog – past and present – whose service strengthens the installation and people who call it home.
For more than 80 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet's forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.18.2026 22:21 |
| Story ID: | 560869 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, CFAY Recognizes Military Working Dogs on National K-9 Veterans Day, by Sheryl Sullivan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
