Military Working Dog Tedy retires from service

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

The 354th Security Forces Squadron held a retirement ceremony for Military Working Dog Tedy in the Ernie Walker Theater at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Aug. 28, 2020. Tedy served for nine years, spending seven of those years as an explosive detection and patrol certified working dog guarding the families and missions of the 354th Fighter Wing. Tedy also deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in support of multiple operations, protecting service members serving far from home just as he did at his home base. Tedy was the first working dog assigned to 354th SFS handler Staff Sgt. Tom Schumacher after he arrived to Eielson, and Tedy made such an impression on Schumacher and his family that they applied to adopt Tedy when it came time for the working dog to retire from service. Although few could be present at Tedy's retirement due to Covid-19 precautions, those in attendance threw tennis balls for Tedy to catch at the end of the ceremony, a favorite pastime of the Eielson working dog.