Each Memorial Day, the Special Operations Forces (SOF) K9 Memorial Committee and the Airborne & Special Operations Museum holds a Memorial Ceremony to honor K9s who died the previous year. New plaques are established around the “Constant Vigilance” statue, each dedicated to a single K9, marking both the dogs’ birth and death dates. This year, the ceremony will be held on May 25th at 1200 on the grounds of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville.
“Constant Vigilance” is the world’s first memorial to Special Operations K9s killed in the line of duty. It was dedicated in July of 2013 and honors K9s at home and abroad. In front of the statue is a dedication plaque which reads:
The Bond Between a SOF handler and his K9 is eternal. Trusting each other is a nameless language.
Here we honor the SOF K9s that have paid the ultimate price.
These well trained K9s have saved numerous lives, often times losing their own lives in the process. Fittingly, Constant Vigilance overlooks “Iron Mike” – the icon of the Airborne Trooper. Both memorials are on the grounds of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville.
Field of Honor
Each year, the Fayetteville and Fort Bragg Community host a “Field of Honor” on the grounds of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. Each flag honors a current or past service member; the same courtesy is extended to the K9s. The “K9 Field of Honor” surrounds the statue during Field of honor. Large flags are placed next to the dogs’ flags, representing the handlers who were killed alongside the dog.
