Air Force Staff Sgt. Baily Hodgson feeds ice cream to Riko, a navy working canine, through the canine’s retirement ceremony contained in the Enlisted Club at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Doggie toys rained down on Riko, a navy working canine who retired from energetic service this week throughout a ceremony at this airlift hub in western Tokyo.
Early onset arthritis sidelined the 7-year-old German shepherd. Riki served with Air Force safety forces for 5 years, or 49 in canine years, in keeping with Senior Airman Justin Young of the 374th Security Forces Squadron and the grasp of ceremonies at Riko’s retirement. Military working dogs usually serve 10 to 12 years.
Riko will begin civilian life at Yokota together with his handler, safety forces Staff Sgt. Bailey Hodgson, of Seattle, who obtained particular dispensation to stay in a base housing tower together with his companion.
About 50 individuals confirmed up at Yokota’s Enlisted Club to see Riko obtain the retirement certificates itemizing his navy accomplishments.
His service started in 2018 at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, the place he was skilled and licensed in patrols and discovering explosives and narcotics.
At Yokota, Riko executed greater than 200 random anti-terrorism measures, 3,000 foot patrols, swept properly over 20,000 autos and 500 services and spent practically 44,000 hours on narcotic detection, in keeping with his certificates.
At his sendoff, he additionally obtained a particular serving of ice cream and a navy working canine patch customized by Hodgson.
As the ceremony concluded, service members gathered across the membership’s stage and tossed a plethora of toys to the shepherd.
“I don’t know what he would say,” Hodgson advised Stars and Stripes after the ceremony. “I just know what emotions he would have. I feel like he’d be like me out there trying to give a speech and getting super emotional. He finally gets to have the life that he never had before.”
Riko, a navy working canine, takes the stage throughout his retirement ceremony contained in the Enlisted Club at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
Canine navy historical past
Humans, together with the traditional Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, have taken canines into fight since 600 B.C., in keeping with the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii.
U.S. navy dogs have been formally organized on March 13, 1942, when Dogs for Defense, a personal organization, was established to recruit them for the U.S. navy’s War Dog Program, in keeping with the American Kennel Club.
Dogs have distinguished themselves all through U.S. navy historical past.
During the Civil War, a Staffordshire bull terrier named Sallie served as mascot of the eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry; she lifted their spirits and at Gettysburg licked the injuries of her human comrades. Two months earlier than the warfare ended, she died of a bullet wound on the entrance. A likeness of Sallie forged in bronze rests on the eleventh Pennsylvania’s monument at Gettysburg National Military Park.
During World War I, Stubby, a stray Boston terrier, served with the 102nd Infantry Regiment, and alerted troopers to gasoline assaults. The most embellished navy working canine of the warfare, Stubby served in 17 battles. She was the primary canine to succeed in the rank of sergeant, in keeping with the Smithsonian Institution.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Bailey Hodgson trains with Riko, a navy working canine, at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Sept. 22, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
Dog’s finest pal
Hodgson began working with Riko at Yokota in December. He quickly observed the canine let loose a yelp typically whereas coaching; the bottom veterinary clinic found Riko has arthritis and in June deemed him ineligible for continued service.
“He was originally going to have surgery so he can keep working,” Hodgson stated. “But it had spread too much for surgery to fix it.”
Hodgson volunteered to undertake Riko after the canine formally stopped working. During the appliance course of, he discovered that as a result of he lives in a base dormitory for single airmen, he’s not permitted a pet.
“Things weren’t always easy with the adoption process,” Hodgson stated through the ceremony. “They were a lot more complex. One month into the adoption process I found out that I would not be able to adopt Riko … I felt alone and hopeless, like I wasn’t going to be able to make this happen.”
Thankfully the 374th Airlift Wing permitted Hodgson’s transfer into household residential towers, the place pets are allowed. Riko since August has been residing with Hodgson on base, the place he enjoys mendacity on the sofa and listening to reggae music.
“I’ve worked with three different dogs and Riko is my favorite,” Hodgson stated. “Riko was the closest to a friend. So, I was really happy to be able to bring him home.”
Riko, a navy working canine, wears a particular patch throughout his retirement ceremony contained in the Enlisted Club at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
