by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service
A memorial service was held March 27 for Rin Tin, a military
working dog who died of cancer March 9 at the Lackland Air Force
Base, near San Antonio, Texas. The Rev. William G.L. Fisher, a
pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and chaplain
for the U.S. Air Force, Eielson Air Force Base, Fairbanks,
Alaska, conducted the service in Fairbanks. Rin Tin, assigned to
Eielson in 1998, served as an explosive detector dog deployed to
the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. He was a nine-year-old German
Sheppard.
"Rin Tin saved countless lives deterring the introduction of
explosives onto the installation" and "conducted numerous
explosive sweeps for the Fairbanks community. Rin Tin gave his
entire life to the Air Force," said Staff Sgt. Jacqueline
Sciascia, military dog trainer, Fairbanks. "Our dogs mean so
much to us. They are our partners and friends, and we work with
them each day and even deploy with them," she said. "They don't
ask to be recruited into the military, but they adapt and
overcome. The dogs sleep on a concrete floor in a fenced kennel.
Getting out and riding in a vehicle with their handler is what
they live for. They work hard for us and never complain," said
Sciascia.
LINKS:
Lackland Air Force Base
http://www.lackland.af.mil
Eielson Air Force Base
http://www.eielson.af.mil
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
