MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — With tears in her eyes, Brandee Moyer, a dog handler with Cherry Point’s Provost Marshal’s Office, bid her friend and partner, Rambo, farewell at a retirement ceremony for the military working dog here, Aug. 17.
Rambo was forced to retire after he injured his left shoulder during bite training, an exercise conducted to teach the dog how to take down a fleeing enemy by biting their arm.
“Even after he hurt himself during the training, he still didn’t let go of my arm until I told him,” said Moyer. “He never quit on me, not even once.”
During the ceremony, Moyer handed Rambo’s leash to his new owner, Lisa P. Phillips, the chief executive officer of the Retired Military Working Dog Assistance Organization.
The organization, based out of Texas, adopts retired military working dogs to help provide medical assistance and permanent homes.
“The organization is great for these dogs,” said Moyer. “They treat the dogs as military members and not just like a piece of equipment.”
The military working dogs at Cherry Point help provide security for the station by conducting anti-terrorism searches, patrolling the air station, and working closely with local law enforcement.
During Rambo’s tenure, he conducted 169 random anti-terrorism vehicle searches, 160 walking patrols, 35 searches of buildings and property, and five public demonstrations exhibiting the capabilities of military working dogs.