Memorial held March 27 for 'Rin Tin', a life-saving military dog
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service
A memorial service was held March 27 for Rin Tin, a military working dog who died of cancer March 9 at the Lackland Air Force Base, near San Antonio, Texas. The Rev. William G.L. Fisher, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and chaplain for the U.S. Air Force, Eielson Air Force Base, Fairbanks, Alaska, conducted the service in Fairbanks. Rin Tin, assigned to Eielson in 1998, served as an explosive detector dog deployed to the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. He was a nine-year-old German Sheppard.
"Rin Tin saved countless lives deterring the introduction of explosives onto the installation" and "conducted numerous explosive sweeps for the Fairbanks community. Rin Tin gave his entire life to the Air Force," said Staff Sgt. Jacqueline Sciascia, military dog trainer, Fairbanks. "Our dogs mean so much to us. They are our partners and friends, and we work with them each day and even deploy with them," she said. "They don't ask to be recruited into the military, but they adapt and overcome. The dogs sleep on a concrete floor in a fenced kennel. Getting out and riding in a vehicle with their handler is what they live for. They work hard for us and never complain," said Sciascia.
9 years is WAY too short a time to be blessed with such a beautiful dog! (Rin Tin)