Canines have been serving with distinction alongside their human best friends for thousands of years. In the United States, there have been military dogs since the Civil War.
Case in point: a dog named Stubby went overseas with the 102nd Infantry from Connecticut in 1918 during World War I. Not only was “Sergeant Stubby” a morale-boosting compatriot of the soldiers, but he also warned them of artillery, gas and infantry attacks and once captured a German spy. He was even wounded by a hand grenade during a raid. This famous military pup, though not the first, is considered the “grandfather of the war dog.”
For the past century, there have been countless dogs of numerous different breeds trained to serve alongside American soldiers. In 2017, Bloomberg reported that there were approximately 1,600 military dogs in service or one for every three U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
Now, these valiant dogs are receiving well-deserved recognition from the United States Postal Service with a collection of special postage stamps.
Military Working Dogs Stamps
The Forever stamps, known as the Military Working Dogs stamp set, was issued by the USPS in August. Each booklet of 20 stamps includes five blocks of stamps featuring images of the four most common breeds that serve in the U.S. armed forces.
Artwork depicting a German shepherd, a Labrador retriever, a Dutch shepherd and a Belgian Malinois are featured in stylized geometric illustrations with red or blue backgrounds and large white stars behind them.
A book of 20 Forever stamps, worth 55 cents each, costs $11.
Deserving of Recognition
The Postal Service believes it is important to recognize these admirable animals.
“As a military veteran and former law enforcement officer, I have the greatest appreciation for these animals and the service they provide,” said vice chairman of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors David C. Williams in a news release. “Today, these dogs are born and raised to serve alongside soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and women and members of the Coast Guard. They are heroes deserving of our respect and gratitude.”
The hashtag #MilitaryDogsStamps is being used across social media platforms to celebrate the release of this collection.
For instance, the Military Working Dog Team Support Association, Inc. posted this photo on Facebook, stating, “When you’re a handsome #MWD & the post office lady gives you a stamp poster.”
On Instagram, @k9_loki_ shared this pic, writing, “K9 Loki Salutes his military friends with the new military working dog stamps.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0qYLBflVtq/
You can buy the Military Working Dogs stamps at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) or at your local U.S. post office.
Will you be grabbing some of these to put on your letters? These stamps will add some four-legged fun to your bill-paying routine!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
