Vietnam Dog Handler Association

2026 VDHA Reunion
Doubletree By Hilton Riverfront
New Bern, NC
May 28th - May 30, 2026

REUNION INFO CLICK ON LINK Link #mce_temp_url#

REUNION FORM CLINK ON LINK Link #mce_temp_url#

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From the VDHA President

by John R. Harvey

September, 2025

Summer is now ending. Days are getting shorter. The grandkids are gone and headed back to school. Our excuses for not getting out and walking because of the heat have left us. So, we have a few weeks to get out and move before the fall rains come along with the winter snow. I am looking forward to this year’s 250 yr. anniversary of the Marine Corps, and the rededication of our memorial in Columbia, South Carolina, organized by the Military Working Dog Heritage Museum and VDHA member Johnny Mayo. The dates are November 10-11. You can find links to registration materials in the left column. Your VDHA officers and directors have organized our next biennial reunion for May 2026. Over the years we have made several attempts to have it in the East. Well we finally made it happen. It will take place in New Bern, North Carolina. You can find registration forms in this issue of Dogman and links on our web site.

I encourage everyone to register early.

I hope everyone is as well as can be. God Bless

America, and our VDHA family.

AFTER THE TEARS.

What do you do after losing a close friend or loved one

one? Some cultures perform a wailing ritual as they do

carry the individual to their final resting place.

Much to my wife's dismay, I don't cry a lot. During

our seven years together, she has probably only

witnessed me cry three, maybe four times. The first time

was when she showed me a letter that she had written

to God asking him to bring to her someone who would

love and honor here. I quickly volunteered AFTER THE TEARS.

The Deadline to submit Articles

for the December 2025 DogMan

issue is November 23, 2025.
Please send to dogman@vdha.us

       The VDHA was organized in 1993 by a group of six veteran war dog handlers who served during the Vietnam Conflict. One of their original goals was to search for and re-unite veteran war dog handlers and honor the memory of their war dog partners.
       As a result, the VDHA has grown from six members to approximately 2000 members. Our membership consists of veteran war dog handlers and dog loving supporters of all ages and gender.
       Many members have been featured in the print and film media, and during many of our nation's annually scheduled patriotic events. A significant achievement is the highly acclaimed TV documentary, "War Dogs, America's Forgotten Heroes." We welcome the informational contributions of all dog handlers from all eras.
       The VDHA was founded with three core objectives in mind:
• Educate the public of the accomplishments of dog handlers in the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam Conflict and the dogs that served with them.
• Provide opportunities for the research and preparation of a detailed history of the use of dogs in the Vietnam Conflict.
• Locate and provide fellowship among dog handlers of all US Armed Services.
       The VDHA continues to be a part of war dog memorial projects throughout the country. Some have since been dedicated and more are on the horizon.
       Getting the US Postal Service to issue a War Dog Stamp that honors the service and sacrifice of the nation's war dogs is one of our goals.
       Educating the public on what these incredible four-footed animals have done to save American lives on the battlefields of foreign wars is always at the forefront of every effort we support or sponsor. During every modern War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, men have volunteered to serve as "Dog Handlers." The military duty of having served with a dog in War is a bonding relationship and memorable experience like no other, that lasts a lifetime.

Welcome Home
Vietnam Dog Handlers!

The VDHA Banner has proudly been displayed since the 2008 San Antonio VDHA Reunion.
This Banner is available for you to use for any parade or event, and gives us a chance to proudly display our presence. All you need to do is place your request and pay the return postage when you are through with it.

Contact Bob Palochik at bobpalochik@vdha.us

To submit a photo for "Photo of the Day", contact photos@vdha.us

Dogman - Volume 32/Number 3 - 09 /01/2025

2026 VDHA Reunion Set

in New Bern, NC

Steve Lemish, Dogman Editor

For as long as I can remember, going back to our

St. Louis Reunion, Dave Broeker was the webmaster of

our website and a fixture at every reunion along with

his wife Pat. They worked the front check-in desk and

managed the BX after unloading tons of inventory to

the hotels. He missed out on so many fun outings with

the rest of the guys because he worked right through so

the other officers and directors could enjoy the

reunion. Never a complaint or an excuse, he soldiered

on even working the evening events like dinners and

entertainment, making seating arrangements and

escorting people to their tables.

Dave joined the VDHA in 2001 and for 24 years did

not stop working. He was our webmaster from 2002

through 2023 when he trained Jim Stiles to take over.

Jim took over and became a great webmaster thanks to

a greater master. In 2010 he became our BX manager

and in 2023 he trained Mike Hurder to take his place

and Mike did a great job with it.For as long as I canFor as long as I can remember, going

VDHA dog handlers generally

get together every two years for

a reunion. We are excited to

announce our next reunion will be

held in beautiful New Bern, North

Carolina, from May 28th to May

30th, 2026.

As many of you know, our

reunions rotate across the country,

moving between East, West, and

Middle regions to make it easier

for more dog handlers to attend.

The upcoming gathering will

bring us to the East Coast,

offering a chance for members

from that area and beyond to

come together once again.

With each passing year, we

are keenly aware that our

numbers are dwindling. While we

cherish the memories of those

who are no longer with us, we

also recognize the importance of

the time we have left to connect.

These reunions offer a unique

opportunity to rekindle the

powerful bonds we forged during

our service in Vietnam, alongside

each other and our loyal canine

partners who stood by our side

and saved the lives of so many.

The reunion will be held at the

New Bern Doubletree by Hilton

(Waterfront) located right where

the Neuse and Trent rivers meet.

For those who are driving, the

Doubletree has free parking and

you can make arrangements with

the hotel to bring your dog. They

also have an outdoor pool.

Christophs on the Water has lunch,

brunch and dinner and room service

is available during limited hours.

Drinks are available at the

bar/lounge or at the pool bar. There

is a fitness center and smoking

areas.

Many of the rooms have

excellent views of the rivers and the

marina is steps away. It is close to

the city center, Tyron Palace and

Union Point Park. Marine Corps

Air Station, Cherry Point is down

the road about 30 minutes by car.

The nearest airport is Coastal

Carolina Regional Airport (EWN),

about three miles away by car. You

can also fly into airports at

Greenville, NC (48 mi),

Wilmington, NC (96 mi), Raleigh,

NC (131 mi), Myrtle Beach, SC

(176 mi), Richmond, VA (216 mi),

or Charlotte, NC (287 mi).

The Neuse River is the longest

river in North Carolina, stretching

248 miles. At its mouth, it is the

widest river in America at six miles

across. New Bern was the first

capital of North Carolina and has

historic charm. You can take a tour

of nearby Tyron’s Palace.

It was the Royal Governor’s Mansion

before the revolution and later

housed the state capital and beautiful

gardens. Pepsi-Cola was invented

there in 1898 by a local pharmacist

and you can visit the site, have a

Pepsi and get souvenirs.

Join us in New Bern to share stories,

photos, laughter, and camaraderie

with your fellow dog handlers who truly

understand the unique experiences

we shared. Let us honor the past and

create new memories together.

You can find details regarding

registration, accommodations, activities,

banquet, and meeting schedules are

displayed on pages 4-6 and you can

use the form on page 7 to register

for the reunion. More information

regarding the reunion, including

the reunion pin design contest,

voting for officers, awards and other

details will follow in future issues of

Dogman and on our website.

We hope to see you there.

Dogman - Volume 31/Number 4 - 12 /01/2024

Wall That Heals Schedule

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

(VVMF) has announced The Wall That Heals

national tour schedule for 2025. The exhibit

includes a three-quarter scale replica of the

Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a

mobile Education Center.

The 30th season of The Wall That Heals

will visit 31 communities during the year.

The traveling exhibit honors the more than

three million Americans who served in the

U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War. It

bears the names of the 58,281 men and

women who made the ultimate sacrifice in

Vietnam.

Host City Opening Closing

Sebring, FL 3/6/25 3/9/25

Kissimmee, FL 3/13/25 3/16/25

Baton Rouge, LA 3/20/25 3/23/25

Corpus Christi, TX 3/27/25 3/30/25

Laredo, TX 4/3/25 4/6/25

D’Iberville, MS 4/10/25 4/13/25

Whiteville, NC 4/24/25 4/27/25

Roxboro, NC 5/1/25 5/4/25

Johnson City, TN 5/8/25 5/11/25

Liberty, SC 5/15/25 5/18/25

Shaler Township, PA 5/23/25 5/26/25

Warren, OH 5/29/25 6/1/25

Troy, NY 6/5/25 6/8/25

Claremont, NH 6/26/25 6/29/25

Farmington, ME 7/3/25 7/6/25

Antioch, IL 7/17/25 7/20/25

St. Louis County, MO 7/24/25 7/27/25

Buckner, MO 7/31/25 8/3/25

Nevada, IA 8/7/25 8/10/25

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) has announced The Wall That Heals national tour schedule for 2025.

The exhibit includes a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a Mobile Education Center.

The 30th season of The Wall That Heals will visit 31 communities during the year. The traveling exhibit honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War. It bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

For a list of cities and dates,

check out this month's issue

of the Dogman (click the