The Postal Service Is Honoring Military Working Dogs With Brand-New Forever Stamp Set

Dec 01, 2019 by apost team

Dogs have served valiantly alongside soldiers for thousands of years, and the United States Armed Forces are no exception. Dogs have served alongside their military handlers in the U.S. since the Civil War.

In 1918, a heroic canine named Stubby went overseas in World War I with a platoon of infantry from Connecticut. They called the dog "Sergeant Stubby," and he helped boost the morale of the infantrymen.

He was also an important asset to the company because he could alert them about enemy attacks, artillery shells, and he could aid in capturing enemy spies. The heroic canine was wounded by a grenade but survived. Sergeant Stubby is a famous war hero who went down in history as the "grandfather of the war dog."

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Ever since then, many different breeds of dogs have served in the U.S. military. According to a Bloomberg report, there were 1,600 dogs serving in Afghanistan, which amounts to one dog for every three human soldiers.

The Postal Service has finally decided to recognize these dogs as the heroes that they are. They are creating a special run of stamps for collectors to honor the canines.

They are being called the Military Working Dogs stamp set, a set of forever stamps that was released in August. A booklet of stamps includes 5 stamps for each of four of the most common dog breeds that serve in the military for a total of 20 stamps.

The four breeds featured with artwork are German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retrievers and Dutch Shepherds. The artwork was done in a stylized manner with geometric patterns, and the background features a white star on a blue or red background.

The postal service has stated that they believe these animals should be recognized for their contribution to their country. The vice-chairman of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, David C. Williams, is a military veteran and a former police officer.

He stated that he appreciated the working dogs and their service. He explained that the dogs are currently raised and trained to work alongside several different branches of the military, and he called them heroes who deserve gratitude and respect.

The news of the new stamps is being circulated on social media with the hashtag #MilitaryDogsStamps.

The Military Working Dog Team Support Association posted a photo of a German Shepherd when he received a poster that features the new stamp set. The stamps can be purchased in person at your local post office, via the USPS website or their toll-free number.

Are you a stamp collector who is eager to get a hold of these new military working dog stamps? Let us know in the comments, and send links to this story for your friends.