Op-ed: Common Sense- War Dogs
What do you think — should Conan receive a medal for the great work he did under the command of his Special Forces handler? I think they both deserve some official recognition, although I do not think a Purple Heart is appropriate. I would continue to reserve that medal for military personnel wounded in combat.
In fact, it is time for the military to create a special medal strictly for war animals that play key roles, from taking down terrorists to sniffing out bombs, as well as many other tasks. The British since 1943 have awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal to honor the work of military animals.
There is an American award for valor exhibited by military animals. Created by the American Humane Society, it is given out in cooperation with the military. Four working military animals were presented with this award by leaders of the American military in 2018. But, these are actually Humane Society awards. This is the perfect time for the military to create their own.