Operation: No Buddy Left Behind

Remember Ratchet?

Our signatures saved him. But there are others out there. It is time for military reform - please read:

General Order 1-A (GO-1A) is a set of regulations formulated by the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) in late 2000, prohibiting the keeping of animals stating the conduct is "prejudicial to the maintenance of good order and discipline of all forces."

The other provisions of GO-1A forbids alcohol in nations where its use is frowned upon; bars soldiers from entering sites of religious significance except under special order; bans drug use, pornography, and gambling; bars religious proselytizing; and criminalizes the theft or destruction of archaeological artifacts or national treasures and the taking of souvenirs. These are understandable provisions.

However, caring for an animal or pet should not be among these offenses. The military refuses to help or formally recognize the lifeline these animals give to our mentally wounded. Veterans returned from Iraq are committing suicide at twice the rate of average Americans.

Hundreds of U.S. soldiers in the Middle East have befriended animals in the war zone to help themselves cope with the hardship and terror they face every day. These dogs and cats become their lifeline - saving them from deep depression and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The DOD's rationale behind this provision is also one of "public health concern" for which the DOD actually hired contractors to kills dogs and cats in Iraq. Perhaps a more humane approach should have been investing in the shipment and distribution of rabies vaccines rather than hiring contractors to kill animals. And, if a soldier decides to befriend a dog or cat, he or she should immediately apply for a vaccine to cement that friendship and make it a safer one.

We could minimize the risk created by shipping pets to the United States by requiring that no animals be sent from Iraq or Afghanistan unless vaccinated at least 30 days prior to entry and placed in an extended stateside quarantine for further observation.

FYI: During the Vietnam War the U.S. Military had 4,000 dogs working side by side with our troops every day - search and destroy missions, locating dead and wounded, locating mines and traps, for example. When the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam, it deemed these dogs that had given faithful service to our troops as now "expendable equipment."

Of the 4,000 dogs that were a part of our Armed Forces in Vietnam - only 200 made it back home. The rest were released into the wild to either roam in packs, be eaten by the Vietnamese people, and many (if not most) were killed. We have heard from many Veterans, asking that we never allow this disregard for the importance of animals to our soldiers to ever happen again.

Vietnam veterans are still haunted to this day by the memories of the dogs they were forced to leave behind. We all OWE it to the troops, our Veterans and those animals to make sure that ANY negative policy towards animals changes.

Click here to sign the petition and make your voice heard!