Operation Military Care, (K-9)

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Dogs of war get helping hand

Published in the Home News Tribune 1/13/05

By ARIELLE LEVIN BECKER
STAFF WRITER

They sniff out explosives and drugs, live on military rations and spend months or even years in the desert of Iraq or the tundra of Afghanistan.

Like their human counterparts, the dogs in the United States military are fighting the war on terror across the globe. And, New Jersey residents Ron Aiello, Joanne Niestempski and Jean Marie Pelkowski suspect the canine units could use some moral support from back home.

With hundreds of dogs engaged in military action overseas, Aiello, Niestempski and Pelkowski are trying to ease the canines' lives by collecting goodies for care packages for the dogs and their handlers.

For them, supporting the troops means collecting jerky treats, rawhides and Kong toys.

"It just gives them a little bit of home, and it builds up their morale," said Aiello, a Burlington resident who served as a Marine scout dog handler in Vietnam. "That's the most important thing out of anything."

Aiello, president of the United States War Dogs Association, has mailed about 250 packages to dogs and their human partners in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait in the last 17 months.

He's getting help from South Amboy resident Niestempski, who works at the Sayreville Pet Adoption Center, and Pelkowski, who owns the South Amboy dog-grooming shop Poochie Doo. They're among the volunteers collecting supplies for the packages that are tailored to handlers' requests.

In the winter, packages often include lip balm and hand cream for the handlers, while in the summer, they include sunblock. For the dogs, packages include special mats that are warm when turned one way and cool when flipped over.

Less timely items include treats, Frisbees and tennis balls for dogs, and candy, work socks and flashlights for humans.

Aiello stays in touch with the units and handlers by e-mail to stay updated on what they need. Sometimes, the requests are unexpected.

One dog handler wrote him to ask for low-carbohydrate, Atkins diet-like foods -- cookies, candy and crackers.

"That's not easy to find," Aiello said. But after visiting several stores, he found enough to fill a package for the woman.

When Aiello began sending packages, the project progressed slowly -- he was funding it out of pocket, and did not have a lot of extra money to spend. But as publicity increased, Aiello has received more donations, of both supplies and money for postage.

Aiello's two-car garage, which he uses for his porcelain- and china-restoring business, is now so full of supplies to send overseas that his customers can't get inside, he said.

Much of the additional goods have come from people like Niestempski, who read about Aiello's project in "The Animal Companion," a New Jersey newspaper for animal lovers, and decided it would be a good activity for the Naval Sea Cadet Corps group she leads in Leonardo. Each of the 35 youngsters in her cadet squad brought a bag of supplies for the drive, providing a large haul to donate.

Niestempski, who has two children in the Coast Guard, also collects items at the Pet Adoption Center in Sayreville, while Pelkowski keeps a bin for donations and a sign announcing the drive at Poochie Doo.

Customers who see the sign often say they never thought about animal units in the military, Pelkowski said. And many quickly begin donating.

For Pelkowski, the importance of caring for dog units was reinforced by a dog she groomed that was trained to sniff out bodies at disaster sites. The dog's owner would often recount their exploits, which included searching for bodies after an earthquake in Mexico.

"Every time she'd be in she'd tell me something they did," Pelkowski said. "I'd get a tear in my eyes that an animal could do such good."

For Aiello, collecting goods for dogs on active duty serves as a reminder of Stormy, the German shepherd he teamed with to lead patrols and search for land mines and ambushes nearly 40 years ago in Vietnam.

"I had such confidence in Stormy, because we were such a great team, I didn't think anything of it," he said

For dog handlers, serving with a companion means more than just the dogs' sniffing expertise.

"When you're away, you've got somebody to talk to, your dog, and they always listen," Aiello said. "You always have somebody to bounce your problems off."

For more information or to donate items, visit www.uswardogs.org, or contact Ron Aiello at (609) 747-9340or ronaiello@uswardogs.org, 1313 Mount Holly Road, Burlington, NJ 08016.

Arielle Levin Becker: (732) 565-7205; abecker@thnt.com

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Military Canines

Send Holiday Cheer to the Forgotten Heroes

by Jennifer LB Leese

"Canines with courage and loyalty are serving over seas."

The high-quality work of the Animal Health Clinic of Funkstown has recently
gone to the dogs as they begin a project of collecting and sending food and
toy care packages to soldier dogs and their handlers of the United States
Armed Forces. What an excellent time of year! I hope you find it in your
hearts to think of military soldiers and the dogs of war during this holiday
season.

Because of their keen sense of smell and acute hearing, military dogs rush
into potentially dangerous situations well ahead of their human counterpart
searching for hazards so the troops can enter safely. These brave canines
help fight against terrorism everyday. Whether working as a "Scout Dog,"
serving as the infantry unit's eyes and ears, or tracking down the enemy as
a "Combat Tracker," military dogs give everything they can. Their jobs are
hard, long, and tiring. "Sentry Dogs" locate, distain, and destroy mines,
booby-traps, trip wires, tunnel compiles, and any other casualty producing
devices.

"These dogs are over there protecting our men and our country. They need to
be given the rewards that they deserve and to be made as comfortable as
possible while they are over there and for the rest of their lives, says
Debbie Brown at the Health Clinic.

According to United States War Dogs Association, military dogs have been
used by the United States since World War I. They estimated that more than
4,000 dogs served in Vietnam, and that these heroic pups saved more than
10,000 American human lives.

After Dr. Virginia Scrivener, 1993 founder of the Animal Health Clinic of
Funkstown, read an article in a magazine about helping out dogs of war, she
and her staff researched the topic further and decided to start this
wonderful project. "We know that being away from home and their families can
be a scary and sad time for both the soldiers and the canines. We want to
make that time a little more bearable for them," says Brown. "We plan on
continuing this as long as our soldiers and canines are away from home," and
"for as long as the community is willing to support it." The Clinic helps
raise money for the Kate Koogler Canine Cancer Fund, Community Free Clinic,
and the Humane Society of Washington County, as well as for Guiding Eyes for
the Blind by sponsoring Mudd Volleyball tournaments and participating in the
annual MS walk. Not only that, but did you know that your dog can donate
blood? The Health Clinic is now a blood donation site for the Eastern
Veterinary Blood Bank in Annapolis. If you would like to learn more about
this valuable service or would like information on the donor program, please
call 410-224-BANK.

In 1999, several Vietnam-era dog handlers got together to display a War Dog
Exhibit at AKC sponsored dog shows. By the end of 1999, they had decided to
start the United States War Dogs Association. This group is a nonprofit
organization of former US military dog handlers and supporting members. The
organization enlightens the public about the priceless service military dogs
have provided troops. Many organizations such as Cub Scouts and the Animal
Health Clinic of Funkstown as well as many individuals help raise money by
putting on events and by collecting donated items for military soldiers and
their furry lookouts.
Not only does the US War Dogs Association look to send care packages; they
also are working on establishing a US War Dog Memorial and having a
commemorative War Dog Stamp issued by the postal service.

When asked about the importance of helping military dogs and their handlers,
Ron Aiello, a Marines scout-dog handler in the Vietnam War and president of
the United States War Dogs Association had this to say, "This is very
important to me. I remember when I was in Vietnam with my K-9, Stormy, which
was for 13 months back in 1966-67. During that time period, I never received
a care package. I know that care package were being sent to Vietnam,
unfortunately I never saw one. Well, when our troops started to be deployed
to the Middle East, I just new what I had to do. Support our handlers and
their K-9’s." He went further to say, "I wish more people would get involved
in supporting our military K-9 teams serving in the Middle East. They can
use all the support that they can get," says Aiello.

Do you want to send holiday cheer to dogs of war? Here's a list of "new"
items you can send to these brave canines and their two-legged friends:
Dogs:
• Jerky treats
• American Flag bandannas
• Dog shampoo & conditioner
• Combs & brushes
• Squeaky toys
• Chew ropes
• Bones
• Tennis balls
• Dog Boots for large dogs

Soldiers:
• Toothbrushes, toothpaste, & dental floss
• Deodorant & baby powder
• Lip Balm & sun Screen
• Baby wipes
• Moisturizing Eye Drops
• Nail files, clippers, hand cream
• Powdered drinks
• Candy
• Gum
• Cookies
• Stationary

If you'd like to donate money, checks or cash can be mailed
to Ronald Aiello, c/o The United States War Dogs
Association, 1313 Mt. Holly Road, Burlington, NJ, 08016. The

Funkstown
clinic offers free educational seminars several times throughout the year
for the community. Learn more about this group of caring individuals by
visiting their website at www.funkstownvet.com.

If you're interested in learning more about war dogs, their handlers, and
the US War Dogs Association, visit their website at http://uswardogs.org/.

"These [military] K-9 teams who are serving in the Middle East and elsewhere
around the world are highly trained professionals serving their country with
honor and I salute each and everyone." As do I. Please help.

Jennifer LB Leese
Children's Book Review Columnist, Author, and Copyeditor

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