2024 ANIMALS IN WAR & PEACE CEREMONY

Distinguished Members of Congress participated in the recent Fourth Annual Animals in War & Peace Ceremony to celebrate seven extraordinary canine heroes in recognition of their courage and sacrifice to the United States and their significant contributions in both times of war and peace.

The Animals in War & Peace Medal of Bravery recognizes animals that have served in past conflicts and current working or retired military canines representing various branches of U.S. military services, service animals, and First Responders. The 2024 Animals in War & Peace Medal of Bravery recipients:

K9 Yoda (MOB #18) – U.S. Border Patrol Tactical Unit BORTAC, Detroit Sector
Presented by Congressman Jamie Raskin

K9 Endo and K9 Ax (MOB#19) – Volusia, FL Sheriff's Office
Presented by Congresswoman Julia Brownley and Congressman Gus Bilirakis

K9 Kitt 823K (MOB #17) – Braintree, MA Police Department (Posthumously)
Presented by Congressman Jamie Raskin

 

The Animals in War & Peace Distinguished Service Medal recognizes animals for their exceptionally meritorious service to the United States in roles of great responsibility. The 2024 Animals in War & Peace Distinguished Service Medal recipients:

K9 Cody (DSM #5) – U.S. Embassy-Baghdad / American K9 Interdiction, VA
Presented by Congressman Michael Quigley

K9 Bane (DSM #6) – St. Francis Police Department/FBI Milwaukee SWAT, WI
Presented by Congressman Bryan Steil

K9 Sonya V558 (DSM #7) – U.S. Coast Guard MSST (Seattle) MSRT-W, San Diego, CA
Presented by Congressman Marc Veasey

A second House Resolution 1054 was introduced on March 5, 2024, to continue the tireless efforts of creating the annual process of ‘Congressionally mandated' awards. The 2024 resolution sponsored by Representative Julia Brownley (CA) and Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL) acknowledges the importance of recognizing and honoring Canine Heroes and their valiant human handlers for bravery in war and peace. The Animals in War & Peace Ceremony has become a time-honored tradition on Capitol Hill over the last several years, and throughout our history, highly-trained animals have been on numerous frontlines risking their lives to save the lives of others, said Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA). Along with their handlers, these animals are nothing short of extraordinary. Congresswoman Brownley is one of the lead sponsors, along with Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL), of the newly introduced House Resolution 1054, which recognizes and honors canine heroes and their human handlers for bravery and distinguished service in war and peace.

Mission: The mission of Animals in War & Peace is to honor and recognize extraordinary U.S. animals for bravery in times of war and peace where their valiant human handlers will be appreciated and recognized for generations to come.

To watch a video of the ceremony, see:
Full Animals in War & Peace Medal Ceremony 2024 at U.S. Capitol (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V2Rdo_Dkro&t=27s)

To read the complete House Resolution, see:
H.Res.1054 - Recognizing the roles and contributions of military animals and their valiant human handlers for bravery in both war and peace, and acknowledging the importance of creating a process for honoring their valor and meritorious achievements. (https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/1054/text)

For more information on Animals in War & Peace, see:
https://animalsinwarandpeace.org.

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