Sergeant First Class "Gabe" passed away Wednesday afternoon in the arms of his trainer SFC Chuck Shuck.
Gabe, the yellow lab mix pound puppy who was a day away from being euthanized, became an improvised explosive device sniffing dog. He won the American Humane Association 2012 Hero Dog of the Year. He was ten years old.
Tuesday evening, Gabe was having difficulty breathing on his own and was taken to the animal emergency hospital by his trainer and owner Shuck.
A trained US Army specialized search dog, Gabe retired from military service in 2009 after conducting 210 combat missions in Iraq and survived a roadside bomb and a shootout with insurgents.
When not hobnobbing with stars like Betty White, Gabe spent his retirement years spreading the word of the contributions made by military war dogs, visiting schools and churches teaching children about respect and honor.
According to his
facebook page, boasting over 36,000 likes, Gabe's owner Shuck will be making a book for Gabe and if you'd like to write or draw something, you can send it to: Gabe at 9574 Windsor Lake Blvd Columbia, SC 29223.
Shuck also mentions that Gabe had all of his favorite toys, his tennis balls, his medals and junk food in his last moments.
Gabe is survived by his sister Lena and brother Duke.
∼From WWW.ARMY.Mil website:
ArticleGabe named 2012 Hero Dog
October 11, 2012
By Wallace McBride, Fort Jackson Leader
Dog, veteran, heroGabe, a retired military dog who completed morethan 200 combat missions in Iraq, was named American Hero Dog of 2012 last weekend at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards in Los Angeles. Gabe poses for photographs following last weekend's win...
Dog, veteran, heroRetired Sgt. 1st Class Gabe and his handler-cum-owner now-Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck pose between explosives detection missions in Iraq. Gabe was recently named the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog of the Year.
Dog, veteran, heroThe American Human Association's Hero Dog of the year Gabe poses with his medals. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, receiving more than 40 awards including three Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement metal.
Dog, veteran, heroSgt. 1st Class Gabe may have been the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, but here he proves he'€'s a typical Labrador retriever at heart as he runs after a ball in a training session with his then-handler, now-owner Sgt. 1st Class...
Dog, veteran, heroSgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck coaxes his military working dog, Sgt. 1st Class Gabe, up a ladder during an explosives search in Iraq in 2007. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq that year, and was recently named the American Humane...
Dog, veteran, heroFormer military working dog Sgt. 1st Class Gabe and his handler (now owner) Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck shake on it between explosives detection missions. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, and was recently named the...
Dog, veteran, heroGabe, a retired Army dog and pet of Fort Jackson's Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, meets American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards judge Betty White following last weekend's ceremony. The event, hosted by Kristen Chenoweth, will be broadcast Nov. 8...
Related Links
Army.mil: Human Interest News
American Humane Association
United States War Dog Association
Gabe wins military hero dog award
FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Oct. 11, 2012) -- Gabe, a retired military dog who completed morethan 200 combat missions in Iraq, was named American Hero Dog of 2012 last weekend at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards in Los Angeles.
The retired military dog spent several years sniffing out insurgent bombs, guns and ammunition in Iraq with his handler, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, a drill sergeant leader at Fort Jackson's Drill Sergeant School.
"Winning the award was an amazing feeling because I knew that many Soldiers were going to benefit from the $15,000 we just won," Shuck said. "Looking out at the crowd, who gave Gabe a standing ovation, was also amazing. Seeing Betty White and many other celebrities honor Gabe was a moment I will never forget. Having the support of Fort Jackson and Gabe fans in all 50 states and 22 countries was the key to victory. Every vote counted and we surely appreciate it."
Gabe won $5,000 for his charity in the previous round of competition, and another $10,000 from last weekend's win. When the contest began earlier in the year, there were 359 dogs competing in eight categories, including therapy dogs, law enforcement dogs, emerging hero dogs, service dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, military dogs and search and rescue dogs.
The pool of contestants was eventually whittled down to eight finalists, who appeared at last weekend's awards ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
Gabe's charity is the United States War Dogs Association, which provides care packages for deployed Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and their K-9 partners. These packages include ear muffs and dog booties for the paws of the dogs. They also help with the expenses of military working dog adoptions.
The winner was selected by a panel that included Whoopi Goldberg, Kristen Chenoweth and the handlers and owners of last year's eight finalists. The seven runners-up each won $5,000 for a designated charity.
The ceremony, hosted by Chenoweth, will be broadcast Nov. 8, on Hallmark Channel.
"We will be visiting all the Fort Jackson schools in November and December with Gabe's medals and trophy so the kids can get some pictures with him," Shuck said.
Friday, Jan. 18, 2013
Article in The Palm Beach Post:
A hero on four legs: Gabe the military dog
Lannis Waters
Specialized Search Dog Gabe, with Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck, at the Chesterfield Hotel for a luncheon on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.Related
View Larger
Lannis Waters
Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck and Specialized Search Dog Gabe at the Chesterfield Hotel for a luncheon on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.View Larger
Gabe, a retired military dog, is the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog. He completed more than 210 combat missions with 26 explosive and weapons finds in Iraq while serving in the U.S. Army with Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck.By Staci Sturrock
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
There's no way to know just how many lives Gabe saved that day along the Tigris River.
With his handler, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles "Chuck" Shuck, issuing commands from more than 100 yards away, the yellow Labrador retriever scoured a steep embankment for explosives. For 15 minutes, he surveyed an area that would've taken soldiers on foot more than an hour to search.
Finally, he stopped, signaling that he'd found a potentially deadly cache. Shuck called him back, and the unit's explosives experts moved in. Gabe hadn't led them astray. He'd pinpointed 36 mortar rounds that could've been fashioned into 36 deadly explosive devices by the enemy.
And by the end of his 13-month deployment in Iraq, Gabe had completed 210 combat missions resulting in 26 finds — more than any other Military Working Dog in that theater of war.
The American Humane Association (AHA) crowned Gabe its 2012 Hero Dog a few months ago after he beat out seven other admirable canines — including therapy dogs, service dogs, guide dogs and search-and-rescue dogs — in a contest that attracted 3.5 million votes. He won $15,000 for his charity partner, the United States War Dog Association, a nonprofit that provides care packages for deployed service members and their canine partners.
"Gabe is no more special than any other military working dog out there," Shuck said. "They find the bad stuff before the bad stuff finds the soldiers."
Since their win, which was broadcast on the Hallmark Channel, the partners have embarked on a year of public appearances, crisscrossing the nation to spread the word about the AHA and soldier dogs. They threw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game and rode on a Rose Parade float. They met Betty White, Donald Trump and Jay Leno.
And last Wednesday at Palm Beach's Chesterfield Hotel, they served as guests of honor at the first of the AHA's new "Be Humane" luncheons, a series co-sponsored by philanthropist Lois Pope's multipronged foundation, Leaders in Furthering Education (LIFE).
"Gabe is fantastic. He's remarkable," said Pope, who shares her Delray Beach home with 16 dogs, most of them rescued from shelters.
Helga McAneney of West Palm Beach took Wednesday off from her job at Cemex to attend the luncheon, gush over Gabe and get her picture taken with him. She's a fan of his on Facebook — he has more than 30,000 followers who help him find homes for pets on death row at shelters nationwide — and voted daily for him to win the Hero Dog prize.
Said McAneney, "I'm a big animal lover, and I wanted to meet him for the work that he's done for our freedom."
In 2006, Gabe won his freedom when he was plucked from a kill shelter in Houston by a Labrador retriever rescue organization. The couple who saved him noticed there was something special about the former stray with the businesslike bark and melt-into-the-carpet demeanor. The U.S. Army agreed and drafted Gabe, then 3 years old.
Since 9/11, the Department of Defense has tripled the number of dogs who serve the country, and in so doing has created the largest canine force in the world: 2,800 pooches strong, with roughly 600 currently deployed in Afghanistan.
The German shepherds, Belgian Malinoises and Jack Russell terriers (the Navy employs the little guys to ferret out explosives on submarines) have enjoyed increased praise since Cairo, the four-footed member of SEAL Team Six, assisted in the raid that led to the killing of Osama Bin Laden in 2011.
Earlier this month, President Obama signed into law the Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act, reclassifying the dogs from equipment to service members. Now, discharged dogs are not only available for adoption, but they will also be returned to the States at no charge to their adopters.
"They served their country," Shuck said. "What's one last plane ride from Germany to their forever home?"
Once he became a soldier, Gabe was assigned a service number, K153, that was tattooed in his left ear (no dog tags for these dogs), and matched with the 33-year-old Shuck, who joined the army a few months after his graduation from high school in a Pennsylvania coal-mining town.
"I fell in love with Gabe right from the start," said Shuck. "He's never been a very hyper dog. He's very personable."
For five months they trained together at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and although Gabe was hardly the star of his Specialized Search Dog class, he aced his final exams and joined Shuck on the long journey to Iraq in 2007.
They were called to the front lines frequently, accompanied by a two- to three-man security detail. During their searches of roadsides and villages, and raids of homes, Gabe wore only his harness (he sometimes donned a camouflage vest around the base). He didn't like the feel of protective booties, and Kevlar vests are too heavy and hot for the desert climate.
His sole piece of equipment, of course, was his incredible nose. "Something can be a quarter mile away, and if the wind is right, the dog will pick up on it," Shuck said.
(Olfactory facts: A dog with a long snout, like a German shepherd, has 225 million odor receptors in his nose. Humans, by comparison, have roughly 5 million, explains Maria Goodavage in her 2012 bestseller "Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes.")
When not on his critical, lifesaving missions, Gabe provided creature comfort to the deployed men and women. He became a regular at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation tent, but Shuck said his most important visits were to combat hospitals and to units mourning the loss of one of their own.
"Gabe was a piece of home to them. They'd left their families behind, they'd left their dogs behind. For them to just put their face in Gabe's fur for a few seconds would take them back home — and get them back to where they needed to be."
Gabe earned more than 40 awards and coins of excellence for his work, including a Good Conduct Medal, and Shuck was awarded the Bronze Star. "We're really not heroes," Shuck said. "We love what we do."
When Shuck was reassigned in 2009 to oversee instructors at drill sergeant school at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., Gabe was matched with another handler. But, Gabe essentially refused to work with the man.
A stroke of good luck for Shuck. He adopted Gabe, who enjoys a tennis ball- and treat-filled life on the home front with fellow rescue dogs Lena, a husky mix, and Duke, a 130-pound yellow Lab.
And Gabe? He now tips the scales at 96 pounds. Said Shuck, "Like every retired army guy, he's gained some weight."
~~
Fort Jackson's Hero Dog dies
Fort Jackson's Hero Dog diesUpdated: Thursday, February 14 2013 8:32 AM EST2013-02-14 13:32:24 GMTFeb 14, 2013 7:32 AM CSTFeb 14, 2013 7:32 AM CST
Sgt. 1st Class Gabe will never have to worry about being in a war zone again. He's getting belly rubs and chasing endless tennis balls in doggie heaven.Officials at Fort Jackson announced retired K-9 officerMore
Sgt. 1st Class Gabe will never have to worry about being in a war zone again. He's getting belly rubs and chasing endless tennis balls in doggie heaven.
Additional LinksRetired Army dog up for "hero" award
Retired Army dog up for "hero" awardUpdated: Wednesday, February 13 2013 3:28 PM EST2013-02-13 20:28:58 GMTFeb 13, 2013 2:28 PM CSTFeb 13, 2013 2:28 PM CST
A retired Sergeant 1st Class stationed at Fort Jackson is up for an award after a successful 170 combat patrols and many years in the service.Who is this mountain of a man with steel in his heart and iceMore
A retired Sergeant 1st Class stationed at Fort Jackson is up for an award after a successful 170 combat patrols and many years in the service.More Retired Fort Jackson K-9 wins Hero Dog award
Of all the heroic service K-9 officers, retired Sergeant 1st Class Gabe is top dog. American Humane Association announced Gabe won the Hero Dog contest Saturday night at a gala event in Beverly Hills.More
Of all the heroic service K-9 officers, retired Sergeant 1st Class Gabe is top dog.More Officials at Fort Jackson announced retired K-9 officer Gabe died Wednesday.
In October, The American Humane Association announced Gabe won the Hero Dog contest.
Gabe served a successful 170 combat patrols and was stationed at Fort Jackson.
Gabe spent several years in Iraq where he helped to make 26 finds during his combat patrols. In those years, he was also a highly-decorated dog that received three Army Commendation medals, an Army Achievement medal, and almost 40 coins of excellence.
"Everyday we'd go out for 18 hour searches and he was a trooper," SSgt. Chuck Shuck, Gabe's handler, said. "We'd be stuffed into a humvee and the gunner would be stepping all over him, but he'd just find a place to sleep and when it was time to work he went out there and did his thing."
The American Kennel Club also recognized Gabe with the 2008 Heroic Military Working Dog Award medal.
Gabe began life as a pound puppy in Houston, Texas, and was adopted and trained by the Army to sniff out weapons
HomeAmerican Humane Association2013 Humane Scholars ApplicationOur Humane Future: Compassion 2012-2013 13th Feb, 2013Categories Uncategorized
Farewell to a True American Heroby Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D., President and CEO
It is with great sadness that I write you today to say that American Hero Dog Gabe passed away yesterday. On this Valentine's Day, people around the world were heartbroken to learn Gabe made the journey across the Rainbow Bridge. Our thoughts remain with Gabe's father, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck as he deals with the loss of his best friend, and a true American Hero in every sense of the word.
Gabe and Sgt. Shuck demonstrate the true power of the human-animal bond, the inextricable link between people, pets, and the world we share. This dog was languishing in a Houston shelter before he was adopted and trained by the military to perform the duties of sniffing out dangerous weapons. We've always known that adopting dogs saves lives, but in this case the dog turned that around to save countless human lives! The pair was deployed to Iraq and together went on 210 missions, with 26 finds of explosives and weapons, earning 40 medals and coins of excellence for their work.
But Gabe's duties went far beyond the battlefield. While in Iraq, he also served as a therapy dog, bringing comfort and hope to his fellow soldiers. Following retirement from active duty, Gabe kept very busy visiting wounded warriors in hospitals to provide comfort and by visiting schools with his dad to teach and inspire children.
Both he and Sgt. Shuck are shining examples of courage and valor in the face of adversity. And due to his incredible accomplishments, millions of Americans voted Gabe as the Military Dog of the Year and the American Hero Dog of the Year at the 2012 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™.
We know the loss of a beloved pet can have a lasting, emotional effect on people, and Gabe will continue to live on in the hearts of everyone here at American Humane Association and anyone who was touched by the heroic acts of this beautiful lab.
Please remember to hug your pet today, because nothing is stronger than the human-animal bond, and on Valentine's Day, it is the least we can do to show love and compassion for our best friends. Let us know in the comments below this post how a pet has touched your life.
***All photos courtesy of WWW.Army.Mil website
Gabe, the yellow lab mix pound puppy who was a day away from being euthanized, became an improvised explosive device sniffing dog. He won the American Humane Association 2012 Hero Dog of the Year. He was ten years old.
Tuesday evening, Gabe was having difficulty breathing on his own and was taken to the animal emergency hospital by his trainer and owner Shuck.
A trained US Army specialized search dog, Gabe retired from military service in 2009 after conducting 210 combat missions in Iraq and survived a roadside bomb and a shootout with insurgents.
When not hobnobbing with stars like Betty White, Gabe spent his retirement years spreading the word of the contributions made by military war dogs, visiting schools and churches teaching children about respect and honor.
According to his
facebook page, boasting over 36,000 likes, Gabe's owner Shuck will be making a book for Gabe and if you'd like to write or draw something, you can send it to: Gabe at 9574 Windsor Lake Blvd Columbia, SC 29223.
Shuck also mentions that Gabe had all of his favorite toys, his tennis balls, his medals and junk food in his last moments.
Gabe is survived by his sister Lena and brother Duke.
∼From WWW.ARMY.Mil website:
ArticleGabe named 2012 Hero Dog
October 11, 2012
By Wallace McBride, Fort Jackson Leader
Dog, veteran, heroGabe, a retired military dog who completed morethan 200 combat missions in Iraq, was named American Hero Dog of 2012 last weekend at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards in Los Angeles. Gabe poses for photographs following last weekend's win...
Dog, veteran, heroRetired Sgt. 1st Class Gabe and his handler-cum-owner now-Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck pose between explosives detection missions in Iraq. Gabe was recently named the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog of the Year.
Dog, veteran, heroThe American Human Association's Hero Dog of the year Gabe poses with his medals. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, receiving more than 40 awards including three Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement metal.
Dog, veteran, heroSgt. 1st Class Gabe may have been the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, but here he proves he'€'s a typical Labrador retriever at heart as he runs after a ball in a training session with his then-handler, now-owner Sgt. 1st Class...
Dog, veteran, heroSgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck coaxes his military working dog, Sgt. 1st Class Gabe, up a ladder during an explosives search in Iraq in 2007. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq that year, and was recently named the American Humane...
Dog, veteran, heroFormer military working dog Sgt. 1st Class Gabe and his handler (now owner) Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck shake on it between explosives detection missions. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, and was recently named the...
Dog, veteran, heroGabe, a retired Army dog and pet of Fort Jackson's Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, meets American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards judge Betty White following last weekend's ceremony. The event, hosted by Kristen Chenoweth, will be broadcast Nov. 8...
Related Links
Army.mil: Human Interest News
American Humane Association
United States War Dog Association
Gabe wins military hero dog award
FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Oct. 11, 2012) -- Gabe, a retired military dog who completed morethan 200 combat missions in Iraq, was named American Hero Dog of 2012 last weekend at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards in Los Angeles.
The retired military dog spent several years sniffing out insurgent bombs, guns and ammunition in Iraq with his handler, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, a drill sergeant leader at Fort Jackson's Drill Sergeant School.
"Winning the award was an amazing feeling because I knew that many Soldiers were going to benefit from the $15,000 we just won," Shuck said. "Looking out at the crowd, who gave Gabe a standing ovation, was also amazing. Seeing Betty White and many other celebrities honor Gabe was a moment I will never forget. Having the support of Fort Jackson and Gabe fans in all 50 states and 22 countries was the key to victory. Every vote counted and we surely appreciate it."
Gabe won $5,000 for his charity in the previous round of competition, and another $10,000 from last weekend's win. When the contest began earlier in the year, there were 359 dogs competing in eight categories, including therapy dogs, law enforcement dogs, emerging hero dogs, service dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, military dogs and search and rescue dogs.
The pool of contestants was eventually whittled down to eight finalists, who appeared at last weekend's awards ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
Gabe's charity is the United States War Dogs Association, which provides care packages for deployed Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and their K-9 partners. These packages include ear muffs and dog booties for the paws of the dogs. They also help with the expenses of military working dog adoptions.
The winner was selected by a panel that included Whoopi Goldberg, Kristen Chenoweth and the handlers and owners of last year's eight finalists. The seven runners-up each won $5,000 for a designated charity.
The ceremony, hosted by Chenoweth, will be broadcast Nov. 8, on Hallmark Channel.
"We will be visiting all the Fort Jackson schools in November and December with Gabe's medals and trophy so the kids can get some pictures with him," Shuck said.
Friday, Jan. 18, 2013
Article in The Palm Beach Post:
A hero on four legs: Gabe the military dog
Lannis Waters
Specialized Search Dog Gabe, with Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck, at the Chesterfield Hotel for a luncheon on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.Related
View Larger
Lannis Waters
Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck and Specialized Search Dog Gabe at the Chesterfield Hotel for a luncheon on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.View Larger
Gabe, a retired military dog, is the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog. He completed more than 210 combat missions with 26 explosive and weapons finds in Iraq while serving in the U.S. Army with Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck.By Staci Sturrock
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
There's no way to know just how many lives Gabe saved that day along the Tigris River.
With his handler, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles "Chuck" Shuck, issuing commands from more than 100 yards away, the yellow Labrador retriever scoured a steep embankment for explosives. For 15 minutes, he surveyed an area that would've taken soldiers on foot more than an hour to search.
Finally, he stopped, signaling that he'd found a potentially deadly cache. Shuck called him back, and the unit's explosives experts moved in. Gabe hadn't led them astray. He'd pinpointed 36 mortar rounds that could've been fashioned into 36 deadly explosive devices by the enemy.
And by the end of his 13-month deployment in Iraq, Gabe had completed 210 combat missions resulting in 26 finds — more than any other Military Working Dog in that theater of war.
The American Humane Association (AHA) crowned Gabe its 2012 Hero Dog a few months ago after he beat out seven other admirable canines — including therapy dogs, service dogs, guide dogs and search-and-rescue dogs — in a contest that attracted 3.5 million votes. He won $15,000 for his charity partner, the United States War Dog Association, a nonprofit that provides care packages for deployed service members and their canine partners.
"Gabe is no more special than any other military working dog out there," Shuck said. "They find the bad stuff before the bad stuff finds the soldiers."
Since their win, which was broadcast on the Hallmark Channel, the partners have embarked on a year of public appearances, crisscrossing the nation to spread the word about the AHA and soldier dogs. They threw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game and rode on a Rose Parade float. They met Betty White, Donald Trump and Jay Leno.
And last Wednesday at Palm Beach's Chesterfield Hotel, they served as guests of honor at the first of the AHA's new "Be Humane" luncheons, a series co-sponsored by philanthropist Lois Pope's multipronged foundation, Leaders in Furthering Education (LIFE).
"Gabe is fantastic. He's remarkable," said Pope, who shares her Delray Beach home with 16 dogs, most of them rescued from shelters.
Helga McAneney of West Palm Beach took Wednesday off from her job at Cemex to attend the luncheon, gush over Gabe and get her picture taken with him. She's a fan of his on Facebook — he has more than 30,000 followers who help him find homes for pets on death row at shelters nationwide — and voted daily for him to win the Hero Dog prize.
Said McAneney, "I'm a big animal lover, and I wanted to meet him for the work that he's done for our freedom."
In 2006, Gabe won his freedom when he was plucked from a kill shelter in Houston by a Labrador retriever rescue organization. The couple who saved him noticed there was something special about the former stray with the businesslike bark and melt-into-the-carpet demeanor. The U.S. Army agreed and drafted Gabe, then 3 years old.
Since 9/11, the Department of Defense has tripled the number of dogs who serve the country, and in so doing has created the largest canine force in the world: 2,800 pooches strong, with roughly 600 currently deployed in Afghanistan.
The German shepherds, Belgian Malinoises and Jack Russell terriers (the Navy employs the little guys to ferret out explosives on submarines) have enjoyed increased praise since Cairo, the four-footed member of SEAL Team Six, assisted in the raid that led to the killing of Osama Bin Laden in 2011.
Earlier this month, President Obama signed into law the Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act, reclassifying the dogs from equipment to service members. Now, discharged dogs are not only available for adoption, but they will also be returned to the States at no charge to their adopters.
"They served their country," Shuck said. "What's one last plane ride from Germany to their forever home?"
Once he became a soldier, Gabe was assigned a service number, K153, that was tattooed in his left ear (no dog tags for these dogs), and matched with the 33-year-old Shuck, who joined the army a few months after his graduation from high school in a Pennsylvania coal-mining town.
"I fell in love with Gabe right from the start," said Shuck. "He's never been a very hyper dog. He's very personable."
For five months they trained together at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and although Gabe was hardly the star of his Specialized Search Dog class, he aced his final exams and joined Shuck on the long journey to Iraq in 2007.
They were called to the front lines frequently, accompanied by a two- to three-man security detail. During their searches of roadsides and villages, and raids of homes, Gabe wore only his harness (he sometimes donned a camouflage vest around the base). He didn't like the feel of protective booties, and Kevlar vests are too heavy and hot for the desert climate.
His sole piece of equipment, of course, was his incredible nose. "Something can be a quarter mile away, and if the wind is right, the dog will pick up on it," Shuck said.
(Olfactory facts: A dog with a long snout, like a German shepherd, has 225 million odor receptors in his nose. Humans, by comparison, have roughly 5 million, explains Maria Goodavage in her 2012 bestseller "Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes.")
When not on his critical, lifesaving missions, Gabe provided creature comfort to the deployed men and women. He became a regular at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation tent, but Shuck said his most important visits were to combat hospitals and to units mourning the loss of one of their own.
"Gabe was a piece of home to them. They'd left their families behind, they'd left their dogs behind. For them to just put their face in Gabe's fur for a few seconds would take them back home — and get them back to where they needed to be."
Gabe earned more than 40 awards and coins of excellence for his work, including a Good Conduct Medal, and Shuck was awarded the Bronze Star. "We're really not heroes," Shuck said. "We love what we do."
When Shuck was reassigned in 2009 to oversee instructors at drill sergeant school at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., Gabe was matched with another handler. But, Gabe essentially refused to work with the man.
A stroke of good luck for Shuck. He adopted Gabe, who enjoys a tennis ball- and treat-filled life on the home front with fellow rescue dogs Lena, a husky mix, and Duke, a 130-pound yellow Lab.
And Gabe? He now tips the scales at 96 pounds. Said Shuck, "Like every retired army guy, he's gained some weight."
~~
Fort Jackson's Hero Dog dies
Fort Jackson's Hero Dog diesUpdated: Thursday, February 14 2013 8:32 AM EST2013-02-14 13:32:24 GMTFeb 14, 2013 7:32 AM CSTFeb 14, 2013 7:32 AM CST
Sgt. 1st Class Gabe will never have to worry about being in a war zone again. He's getting belly rubs and chasing endless tennis balls in doggie heaven.Officials at Fort Jackson announced retired K-9 officerMore
Sgt. 1st Class Gabe will never have to worry about being in a war zone again. He's getting belly rubs and chasing endless tennis balls in doggie heaven.
Additional LinksRetired Army dog up for "hero" award
Retired Army dog up for "hero" awardUpdated: Wednesday, February 13 2013 3:28 PM EST2013-02-13 20:28:58 GMTFeb 13, 2013 2:28 PM CSTFeb 13, 2013 2:28 PM CST
A retired Sergeant 1st Class stationed at Fort Jackson is up for an award after a successful 170 combat patrols and many years in the service.Who is this mountain of a man with steel in his heart and iceMore
A retired Sergeant 1st Class stationed at Fort Jackson is up for an award after a successful 170 combat patrols and many years in the service.More Retired Fort Jackson K-9 wins Hero Dog award
Of all the heroic service K-9 officers, retired Sergeant 1st Class Gabe is top dog. American Humane Association announced Gabe won the Hero Dog contest Saturday night at a gala event in Beverly Hills.More
Of all the heroic service K-9 officers, retired Sergeant 1st Class Gabe is top dog.More Officials at Fort Jackson announced retired K-9 officer Gabe died Wednesday.
In October, The American Humane Association announced Gabe won the Hero Dog contest.
Gabe served a successful 170 combat patrols and was stationed at Fort Jackson.
Gabe spent several years in Iraq where he helped to make 26 finds during his combat patrols. In those years, he was also a highly-decorated dog that received three Army Commendation medals, an Army Achievement medal, and almost 40 coins of excellence.
"Everyday we'd go out for 18 hour searches and he was a trooper," SSgt. Chuck Shuck, Gabe's handler, said. "We'd be stuffed into a humvee and the gunner would be stepping all over him, but he'd just find a place to sleep and when it was time to work he went out there and did his thing."
The American Kennel Club also recognized Gabe with the 2008 Heroic Military Working Dog Award medal.
Gabe began life as a pound puppy in Houston, Texas, and was adopted and trained by the Army to sniff out weapons
HomeAmerican Humane Association2013 Humane Scholars ApplicationOur Humane Future: Compassion 2012-2013 13th Feb, 2013Categories Uncategorized
Farewell to a True American Heroby Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D., President and CEO
It is with great sadness that I write you today to say that American Hero Dog Gabe passed away yesterday. On this Valentine's Day, people around the world were heartbroken to learn Gabe made the journey across the Rainbow Bridge. Our thoughts remain with Gabe's father, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck as he deals with the loss of his best friend, and a true American Hero in every sense of the word.
Gabe and Sgt. Shuck demonstrate the true power of the human-animal bond, the inextricable link between people, pets, and the world we share. This dog was languishing in a Houston shelter before he was adopted and trained by the military to perform the duties of sniffing out dangerous weapons. We've always known that adopting dogs saves lives, but in this case the dog turned that around to save countless human lives! The pair was deployed to Iraq and together went on 210 missions, with 26 finds of explosives and weapons, earning 40 medals and coins of excellence for their work.
But Gabe's duties went far beyond the battlefield. While in Iraq, he also served as a therapy dog, bringing comfort and hope to his fellow soldiers. Following retirement from active duty, Gabe kept very busy visiting wounded warriors in hospitals to provide comfort and by visiting schools with his dad to teach and inspire children.
Both he and Sgt. Shuck are shining examples of courage and valor in the face of adversity. And due to his incredible accomplishments, millions of Americans voted Gabe as the Military Dog of the Year and the American Hero Dog of the Year at the 2012 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™.
We know the loss of a beloved pet can have a lasting, emotional effect on people, and Gabe will continue to live on in the hearts of everyone here at American Humane Association and anyone who was touched by the heroic acts of this beautiful lab.
Please remember to hug your pet today, because nothing is stronger than the human-animal bond, and on Valentine's Day, it is the least we can do to show love and compassion for our best friends. Let us know in the comments below this post how a pet has touched your life.
***All photos courtesy of WWW.Army.Mil website
Sergeant First Class "Gabe" passed away Wednesday afternoon in the arms of his trainer SFC Chuck Shuck.
Gabe, the yellow lab mix pound puppy who was a day away from being euthanized, became an improvised explosive device sniffing dog. He won the American Humane Association 2012 Hero Dog of the Year. He was ten years old.
Tuesday evening, Gabe was having difficulty breathing on his own and was taken to the animal emergency hospital by his trainer and owner Shuck.
A trained US Army specialized search dog, Gabe retired from military service in 2009 after conducting 210 combat missions in Iraq and survived a roadside bomb and a shootout with insurgents.
When not hobnobbing with stars like Betty White, Gabe spent his retirement years spreading the word of the contributions made by military war dogs, visiting schools and churches teaching children about respect and honor.
According to his
facebook page, boasting over 36,000 likes, Gabe's owner Shuck will be making a book for Gabe and if you'd like to write or draw something, you can send it to: Gabe at 9574 Windsor Lake Blvd Columbia, SC 29223.
Shuck also mentions that Gabe had all of his favorite toys, his tennis balls, his medals and junk food in his last moments.
Gabe is survived by his sister Lena and brother Duke.
∼From WWW.ARMY.Mil website:
ArticleGabe named 2012 Hero Dog
October 11, 2012
By Wallace McBride, Fort Jackson Leader
Dog, veteran, heroGabe, a retired military dog who completed morethan 200 combat missions in Iraq, was named American Hero Dog of 2012 last weekend at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards in Los Angeles. Gabe poses for photographs following last weekend's win...
Dog, veteran, heroRetired Sgt. 1st Class Gabe and his handler-cum-owner now-Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck pose between explosives detection missions in Iraq. Gabe was recently named the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog of the Year.
Dog, veteran, heroThe American Human Association's Hero Dog of the year Gabe poses with his medals. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, receiving more than 40 awards including three Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement metal.
Dog, veteran, heroSgt. 1st Class Gabe may have been the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, but here he proves he'€'s a typical Labrador retriever at heart as he runs after a ball in a training session with his then-handler, now-owner Sgt. 1st Class...
Dog, veteran, heroSgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck coaxes his military working dog, Sgt. 1st Class Gabe, up a ladder during an explosives search in Iraq in 2007. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq that year, and was recently named the American Humane...
Dog, veteran, heroFormer military working dog Sgt. 1st Class Gabe and his handler (now owner) Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck shake on it between explosives detection missions. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, and was recently named the...
Dog, veteran, heroGabe, a retired Army dog and pet of Fort Jackson's Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, meets American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards judge Betty White following last weekend's ceremony. The event, hosted by Kristen Chenoweth, will be broadcast Nov. 8...
Related Links
Army.mil: Human Interest News
American Humane Association
United States War Dog Association
Gabe wins military hero dog award
FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Oct. 11, 2012) -- Gabe, a retired military dog who completed morethan 200 combat missions in Iraq, was named American Hero Dog of 2012 last weekend at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards in Los Angeles.
The retired military dog spent several years sniffing out insurgent bombs, guns and ammunition in Iraq with his handler, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, a drill sergeant leader at Fort Jackson's Drill Sergeant School.
"Winning the award was an amazing feeling because I knew that many Soldiers were going to benefit from the $15,000 we just won," Shuck said. "Looking out at the crowd, who gave Gabe a standing ovation, was also amazing. Seeing Betty White and many other celebrities honor Gabe was a moment I will never forget. Having the support of Fort Jackson and Gabe fans in all 50 states and 22 countries was the key to victory. Every vote counted and we surely appreciate it."
Gabe won $5,000 for his charity in the previous round of competition, and another $10,000 from last weekend's win. When the contest began earlier in the year, there were 359 dogs competing in eight categories, including therapy dogs, law enforcement dogs, emerging hero dogs, service dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, military dogs and search and rescue dogs.
The pool of contestants was eventually whittled down to eight finalists, who appeared at last weekend's awards ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
Gabe's charity is the United States War Dogs Association, which provides care packages for deployed Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and their K-9 partners. These packages include ear muffs and dog booties for the paws of the dogs. They also help with the expenses of military working dog adoptions.
The winner was selected by a panel that included Whoopi Goldberg, Kristen Chenoweth and the handlers and owners of last year's eight finalists. The seven runners-up each won $5,000 for a designated charity.
The ceremony, hosted by Chenoweth, will be broadcast Nov. 8, on Hallmark Channel.
"We will be visiting all the Fort Jackson schools in November and December with Gabe's medals and trophy so the kids can get some pictures with him," Shuck said.
Friday, Jan. 18, 2013
Article in The Palm Beach Post:
A hero on four legs: Gabe the military dog
Lannis Waters
Specialized Search Dog Gabe, with Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck, at the Chesterfield Hotel for a luncheon on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.Related
View Larger
Lannis Waters
Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck and Specialized Search Dog Gabe at the Chesterfield Hotel for a luncheon on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.View Larger
Gabe, a retired military dog, is the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog. He completed more than 210 combat missions with 26 explosive and weapons finds in Iraq while serving in the U.S. Army with Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck.By Staci Sturrock
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
There's no way to know just how many lives Gabe saved that day along the Tigris River.
With his handler, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles "Chuck" Shuck, issuing commands from more than 100 yards away, the yellow Labrador retriever scoured a steep embankment for explosives. For 15 minutes, he surveyed an area that would've taken soldiers on foot more than an hour to search.
Finally, he stopped, signaling that he'd found a potentially deadly cache. Shuck called him back, and the unit's explosives experts moved in. Gabe hadn't led them astray. He'd pinpointed 36 mortar rounds that could've been fashioned into 36 deadly explosive devices by the enemy.
And by the end of his 13-month deployment in Iraq, Gabe had completed 210 combat missions resulting in 26 finds — more than any other Military Working Dog in that theater of war.
The American Humane Association (AHA) crowned Gabe its 2012 Hero Dog a few months ago after he beat out seven other admirable canines — including therapy dogs, service dogs, guide dogs and search-and-rescue dogs — in a contest that attracted 3.5 million votes. He won $15,000 for his charity partner, the United States War Dog Association, a nonprofit that provides care packages for deployed service members and their canine partners.
"Gabe is no more special than any other military working dog out there," Shuck said. "They find the bad stuff before the bad stuff finds the soldiers."
Since their win, which was broadcast on the Hallmark Channel, the partners have embarked on a year of public appearances, crisscrossing the nation to spread the word about the AHA and soldier dogs. They threw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game and rode on a Rose Parade float. They met Betty White, Donald Trump and Jay Leno.
And last Wednesday at Palm Beach's Chesterfield Hotel, they served as guests of honor at the first of the AHA's new "Be Humane" luncheons, a series co-sponsored by philanthropist Lois Pope's multipronged foundation, Leaders in Furthering Education (LIFE).
"Gabe is fantastic. He's remarkable," said Pope, who shares her Delray Beach home with 16 dogs, most of them rescued from shelters.
Helga McAneney of West Palm Beach took Wednesday off from her job at Cemex to attend the luncheon, gush over Gabe and get her picture taken with him. She's a fan of his on Facebook — he has more than 30,000 followers who help him find homes for pets on death row at shelters nationwide — and voted daily for him to win the Hero Dog prize.
Said McAneney, "I'm a big animal lover, and I wanted to meet him for the work that he's done for our freedom."
In 2006, Gabe won his freedom when he was plucked from a kill shelter in Houston by a Labrador retriever rescue organization. The couple who saved him noticed there was something special about the former stray with the businesslike bark and melt-into-the-carpet demeanor. The U.S. Army agreed and drafted Gabe, then 3 years old.
Since 9/11, the Department of Defense has tripled the number of dogs who serve the country, and in so doing has created the largest canine force in the world: 2,800 pooches strong, with roughly 600 currently deployed in Afghanistan.
The German shepherds, Belgian Malinoises and Jack Russell terriers (the Navy employs the little guys to ferret out explosives on submarines) have enjoyed increased praise since Cairo, the four-footed member of SEAL Team Six, assisted in the raid that led to the killing of Osama Bin Laden in 2011.
Earlier this month, President Obama signed into law the Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act, reclassifying the dogs from equipment to service members. Now, discharged dogs are not only available for adoption, but they will also be returned to the States at no charge to their adopters.
"They served their country," Shuck said. "What's one last plane ride from Germany to their forever home?"
Once he became a soldier, Gabe was assigned a service number, K153, that was tattooed in his left ear (no dog tags for these dogs), and matched with the 33-year-old Shuck, who joined the army a few months after his graduation from high school in a Pennsylvania coal-mining town.
"I fell in love with Gabe right from the start," said Shuck. "He's never been a very hyper dog. He's very personable."
For five months they trained together at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and although Gabe was hardly the star of his Specialized Search Dog class, he aced his final exams and joined Shuck on the long journey to Iraq in 2007.
They were called to the front lines frequently, accompanied by a two- to three-man security detail. During their searches of roadsides and villages, and raids of homes, Gabe wore only his harness (he sometimes donned a camouflage vest around the base). He didn't like the feel of protective booties, and Kevlar vests are too heavy and hot for the desert climate.
His sole piece of equipment, of course, was his incredible nose. "Something can be a quarter mile away, and if the wind is right, the dog will pick up on it," Shuck said.
(Olfactory facts: A dog with a long snout, like a German shepherd, has 225 million odor receptors in his nose. Humans, by comparison, have roughly 5 million, explains Maria Goodavage in her 2012 bestseller "Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes.")
When not on his critical, lifesaving missions, Gabe provided creature comfort to the deployed men and women. He became a regular at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation tent, but Shuck said his most important visits were to combat hospitals and to units mourning the loss of one of their own.
"Gabe was a piece of home to them. They'd left their families behind, they'd left their dogs behind. For them to just put their face in Gabe's fur for a few seconds would take them back home — and get them back to where they needed to be."
Gabe earned more than 40 awards and coins of excellence for his work, including a Good Conduct Medal, and Shuck was awarded the Bronze Star. "We're really not heroes," Shuck said. "We love what we do."
When Shuck was reassigned in 2009 to oversee instructors at drill sergeant school at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., Gabe was matched with another handler. But, Gabe essentially refused to work with the man.
A stroke of good luck for Shuck. He adopted Gabe, who enjoys a tennis ball- and treat-filled life on the home front with fellow rescue dogs Lena, a husky mix, and Duke, a 130-pound yellow Lab.
And Gabe? He now tips the scales at 96 pounds. Said Shuck, "Like every retired army guy, he's gained some weight."
~~
Fort Jackson's Hero Dog dies
Fort Jackson's Hero Dog diesUpdated: Thursday, February 14 2013 8:32 AM EST2013-02-14 13:32:24 GMTFeb 14, 2013 7:32 AM CSTFeb 14, 2013 7:32 AM CST
Sgt. 1st Class Gabe will never have to worry about being in a war zone again. He's getting belly rubs and chasing endless tennis balls in doggie heaven.Officials at Fort Jackson announced retired K-9 officerMore
Sgt. 1st Class Gabe will never have to worry about being in a war zone again. He's getting belly rubs and chasing endless tennis balls in doggie heaven.
Additional LinksRetired Army dog up for "hero" award
Retired Army dog up for "hero" awardUpdated: Wednesday, February 13 2013 3:28 PM EST2013-02-13 20:28:58 GMTFeb 13, 2013 2:28 PM CSTFeb 13, 2013 2:28 PM CST
A retired Sergeant 1st Class stationed at Fort Jackson is up for an award after a successful 170 combat patrols and many years in the service.Who is this mountain of a man with steel in his heart and iceMore
A retired Sergeant 1st Class stationed at Fort Jackson is up for an award after a successful 170 combat patrols and many years in the service.More Retired Fort Jackson K-9 wins Hero Dog award
Of all the heroic service K-9 officers, retired Sergeant 1st Class Gabe is top dog. American Humane Association announced Gabe won the Hero Dog contest Saturday night at a gala event in Beverly Hills.More
Of all the heroic service K-9 officers, retired Sergeant 1st Class Gabe is top dog.More Officials at Fort Jackson announced retired K-9 officer Gabe died Wednesday.
In October, The American Humane Association announced Gabe won the Hero Dog contest.
Gabe served a successful 170 combat patrols and was stationed at Fort Jackson.
Gabe spent several years in Iraq where he helped to make 26 finds during his combat patrols. In those years, he was also a highly-decorated dog that received three Army Commendation medals, an Army Achievement medal, and almost 40 coins of excellence.
"Everyday we'd go out for 18 hour searches and he was a trooper," SSgt. Chuck Shuck, Gabe's handler, said. "We'd be stuffed into a humvee and the gunner would be stepping all over him, but he'd just find a place to sleep and when it was time to work he went out there and did his thing."
The American Kennel Club also recognized Gabe with the 2008 Heroic Military Working Dog Award medal.
Gabe began life as a pound puppy in Houston, Texas, and was adopted and trained by the Army to sniff out weapons
HomeAmerican Humane Association2013 Humane Scholars ApplicationOur Humane Future: Compassion 2012-2013 13th Feb, 2013Categories Uncategorized
Farewell to a True American Heroby Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D., President and CEO
It is with great sadness that I write you today to say that American Hero Dog Gabe passed away yesterday. On this Valentine's Day, people around the world were heartbroken to learn Gabe made the journey across the Rainbow Bridge. Our thoughts remain with Gabe's father, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck as he deals with the loss of his best friend, and a true American Hero in every sense of the word.
Gabe and Sgt. Shuck demonstrate the true power of the human-animal bond, the inextricable link between people, pets, and the world we share. This dog was languishing in a Houston shelter before he was adopted and trained by the military to perform the duties of sniffing out dangerous weapons. We've always known that adopting dogs saves lives, but in this case the dog turned that around to save countless human lives! The pair was deployed to Iraq and together went on 210 missions, with 26 finds of explosives and weapons, earning 40 medals and coins of excellence for their work.
But Gabe's duties went far beyond the battlefield. While in Iraq, he also served as a therapy dog, bringing comfort and hope to his fellow soldiers. Following retirement from active duty, Gabe kept very busy visiting wounded warriors in hospitals to provide comfort and by visiting schools with his dad to teach and inspire children.
Both he and Sgt. Shuck are shining examples of courage and valor in the face of adversity. And due to his incredible accomplishments, millions of Americans voted Gabe as the Military Dog of the Year and the American Hero Dog of the Year at the 2012 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™.
We know the loss of a beloved pet can have a lasting, emotional effect on people, and Gabe will continue to live on in the hearts of everyone here at American Humane Association and anyone who was touched by the heroic acts of this beautiful lab.
Please remember to hug your pet today, because nothing is stronger than the human-animal bond, and on Valentine's Day, it is the least we can do to show love and compassion for our best friends. Let us know in the comments below this post how a pet has touched your life.
***All photos courtesy of WWW.Army.Mil website
Gabe, the yellow lab mix pound puppy who was a day away from being euthanized, became an improvised explosive device sniffing dog. He won the American Humane Association 2012 Hero Dog of the Year. He was ten years old.
Tuesday evening, Gabe was having difficulty breathing on his own and was taken to the animal emergency hospital by his trainer and owner Shuck.
A trained US Army specialized search dog, Gabe retired from military service in 2009 after conducting 210 combat missions in Iraq and survived a roadside bomb and a shootout with insurgents.
When not hobnobbing with stars like Betty White, Gabe spent his retirement years spreading the word of the contributions made by military war dogs, visiting schools and churches teaching children about respect and honor.
According to his
facebook page, boasting over 36,000 likes, Gabe's owner Shuck will be making a book for Gabe and if you'd like to write or draw something, you can send it to: Gabe at 9574 Windsor Lake Blvd Columbia, SC 29223.
Shuck also mentions that Gabe had all of his favorite toys, his tennis balls, his medals and junk food in his last moments.
Gabe is survived by his sister Lena and brother Duke.
∼From WWW.ARMY.Mil website:
ArticleGabe named 2012 Hero Dog
October 11, 2012
By Wallace McBride, Fort Jackson Leader
Dog, veteran, heroGabe, a retired military dog who completed morethan 200 combat missions in Iraq, was named American Hero Dog of 2012 last weekend at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards in Los Angeles. Gabe poses for photographs following last weekend's win...
Dog, veteran, heroRetired Sgt. 1st Class Gabe and his handler-cum-owner now-Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck pose between explosives detection missions in Iraq. Gabe was recently named the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog of the Year.
Dog, veteran, heroThe American Human Association's Hero Dog of the year Gabe poses with his medals. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, receiving more than 40 awards including three Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement metal.
Dog, veteran, heroSgt. 1st Class Gabe may have been the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, but here he proves he'€'s a typical Labrador retriever at heart as he runs after a ball in a training session with his then-handler, now-owner Sgt. 1st Class...
Dog, veteran, heroSgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck coaxes his military working dog, Sgt. 1st Class Gabe, up a ladder during an explosives search in Iraq in 2007. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq that year, and was recently named the American Humane...
Dog, veteran, heroFormer military working dog Sgt. 1st Class Gabe and his handler (now owner) Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck shake on it between explosives detection missions. Gabe was the most successful detection dog in Iraq in 2006-2007, and was recently named the...
Dog, veteran, heroGabe, a retired Army dog and pet of Fort Jackson's Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, meets American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards judge Betty White following last weekend's ceremony. The event, hosted by Kristen Chenoweth, will be broadcast Nov. 8...
Related Links
Army.mil: Human Interest News
American Humane Association
United States War Dog Association
Gabe wins military hero dog award
FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Oct. 11, 2012) -- Gabe, a retired military dog who completed morethan 200 combat missions in Iraq, was named American Hero Dog of 2012 last weekend at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards in Los Angeles.
The retired military dog spent several years sniffing out insurgent bombs, guns and ammunition in Iraq with his handler, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, a drill sergeant leader at Fort Jackson's Drill Sergeant School.
"Winning the award was an amazing feeling because I knew that many Soldiers were going to benefit from the $15,000 we just won," Shuck said. "Looking out at the crowd, who gave Gabe a standing ovation, was also amazing. Seeing Betty White and many other celebrities honor Gabe was a moment I will never forget. Having the support of Fort Jackson and Gabe fans in all 50 states and 22 countries was the key to victory. Every vote counted and we surely appreciate it."
Gabe won $5,000 for his charity in the previous round of competition, and another $10,000 from last weekend's win. When the contest began earlier in the year, there were 359 dogs competing in eight categories, including therapy dogs, law enforcement dogs, emerging hero dogs, service dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, military dogs and search and rescue dogs.
The pool of contestants was eventually whittled down to eight finalists, who appeared at last weekend's awards ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
Gabe's charity is the United States War Dogs Association, which provides care packages for deployed Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and their K-9 partners. These packages include ear muffs and dog booties for the paws of the dogs. They also help with the expenses of military working dog adoptions.
The winner was selected by a panel that included Whoopi Goldberg, Kristen Chenoweth and the handlers and owners of last year's eight finalists. The seven runners-up each won $5,000 for a designated charity.
The ceremony, hosted by Chenoweth, will be broadcast Nov. 8, on Hallmark Channel.
"We will be visiting all the Fort Jackson schools in November and December with Gabe's medals and trophy so the kids can get some pictures with him," Shuck said.
Friday, Jan. 18, 2013
Article in The Palm Beach Post:
A hero on four legs: Gabe the military dog
Lannis Waters
Specialized Search Dog Gabe, with Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck, at the Chesterfield Hotel for a luncheon on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.Related
View Larger
Lannis Waters
Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck and Specialized Search Dog Gabe at the Chesterfield Hotel for a luncheon on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.View Larger
Gabe, a retired military dog, is the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog. He completed more than 210 combat missions with 26 explosive and weapons finds in Iraq while serving in the U.S. Army with Sgt. 1st Class Charles Shuck.By Staci Sturrock
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
There's no way to know just how many lives Gabe saved that day along the Tigris River.
With his handler, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles "Chuck" Shuck, issuing commands from more than 100 yards away, the yellow Labrador retriever scoured a steep embankment for explosives. For 15 minutes, he surveyed an area that would've taken soldiers on foot more than an hour to search.
Finally, he stopped, signaling that he'd found a potentially deadly cache. Shuck called him back, and the unit's explosives experts moved in. Gabe hadn't led them astray. He'd pinpointed 36 mortar rounds that could've been fashioned into 36 deadly explosive devices by the enemy.
And by the end of his 13-month deployment in Iraq, Gabe had completed 210 combat missions resulting in 26 finds — more than any other Military Working Dog in that theater of war.
The American Humane Association (AHA) crowned Gabe its 2012 Hero Dog a few months ago after he beat out seven other admirable canines — including therapy dogs, service dogs, guide dogs and search-and-rescue dogs — in a contest that attracted 3.5 million votes. He won $15,000 for his charity partner, the United States War Dog Association, a nonprofit that provides care packages for deployed service members and their canine partners.
"Gabe is no more special than any other military working dog out there," Shuck said. "They find the bad stuff before the bad stuff finds the soldiers."
Since their win, which was broadcast on the Hallmark Channel, the partners have embarked on a year of public appearances, crisscrossing the nation to spread the word about the AHA and soldier dogs. They threw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game and rode on a Rose Parade float. They met Betty White, Donald Trump and Jay Leno.
And last Wednesday at Palm Beach's Chesterfield Hotel, they served as guests of honor at the first of the AHA's new "Be Humane" luncheons, a series co-sponsored by philanthropist Lois Pope's multipronged foundation, Leaders in Furthering Education (LIFE).
"Gabe is fantastic. He's remarkable," said Pope, who shares her Delray Beach home with 16 dogs, most of them rescued from shelters.
Helga McAneney of West Palm Beach took Wednesday off from her job at Cemex to attend the luncheon, gush over Gabe and get her picture taken with him. She's a fan of his on Facebook — he has more than 30,000 followers who help him find homes for pets on death row at shelters nationwide — and voted daily for him to win the Hero Dog prize.
Said McAneney, "I'm a big animal lover, and I wanted to meet him for the work that he's done for our freedom."
In 2006, Gabe won his freedom when he was plucked from a kill shelter in Houston by a Labrador retriever rescue organization. The couple who saved him noticed there was something special about the former stray with the businesslike bark and melt-into-the-carpet demeanor. The U.S. Army agreed and drafted Gabe, then 3 years old.
Since 9/11, the Department of Defense has tripled the number of dogs who serve the country, and in so doing has created the largest canine force in the world: 2,800 pooches strong, with roughly 600 currently deployed in Afghanistan.
The German shepherds, Belgian Malinoises and Jack Russell terriers (the Navy employs the little guys to ferret out explosives on submarines) have enjoyed increased praise since Cairo, the four-footed member of SEAL Team Six, assisted in the raid that led to the killing of Osama Bin Laden in 2011.
Earlier this month, President Obama signed into law the Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act, reclassifying the dogs from equipment to service members. Now, discharged dogs are not only available for adoption, but they will also be returned to the States at no charge to their adopters.
"They served their country," Shuck said. "What's one last plane ride from Germany to their forever home?"
Once he became a soldier, Gabe was assigned a service number, K153, that was tattooed in his left ear (no dog tags for these dogs), and matched with the 33-year-old Shuck, who joined the army a few months after his graduation from high school in a Pennsylvania coal-mining town.
"I fell in love with Gabe right from the start," said Shuck. "He's never been a very hyper dog. He's very personable."
For five months they trained together at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and although Gabe was hardly the star of his Specialized Search Dog class, he aced his final exams and joined Shuck on the long journey to Iraq in 2007.
They were called to the front lines frequently, accompanied by a two- to three-man security detail. During their searches of roadsides and villages, and raids of homes, Gabe wore only his harness (he sometimes donned a camouflage vest around the base). He didn't like the feel of protective booties, and Kevlar vests are too heavy and hot for the desert climate.
His sole piece of equipment, of course, was his incredible nose. "Something can be a quarter mile away, and if the wind is right, the dog will pick up on it," Shuck said.
(Olfactory facts: A dog with a long snout, like a German shepherd, has 225 million odor receptors in his nose. Humans, by comparison, have roughly 5 million, explains Maria Goodavage in her 2012 bestseller "Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes.")
When not on his critical, lifesaving missions, Gabe provided creature comfort to the deployed men and women. He became a regular at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation tent, but Shuck said his most important visits were to combat hospitals and to units mourning the loss of one of their own.
"Gabe was a piece of home to them. They'd left their families behind, they'd left their dogs behind. For them to just put their face in Gabe's fur for a few seconds would take them back home — and get them back to where they needed to be."
Gabe earned more than 40 awards and coins of excellence for his work, including a Good Conduct Medal, and Shuck was awarded the Bronze Star. "We're really not heroes," Shuck said. "We love what we do."
When Shuck was reassigned in 2009 to oversee instructors at drill sergeant school at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., Gabe was matched with another handler. But, Gabe essentially refused to work with the man.
A stroke of good luck for Shuck. He adopted Gabe, who enjoys a tennis ball- and treat-filled life on the home front with fellow rescue dogs Lena, a husky mix, and Duke, a 130-pound yellow Lab.
And Gabe? He now tips the scales at 96 pounds. Said Shuck, "Like every retired army guy, he's gained some weight."
~~
Fort Jackson's Hero Dog dies
Fort Jackson's Hero Dog diesUpdated: Thursday, February 14 2013 8:32 AM EST2013-02-14 13:32:24 GMTFeb 14, 2013 7:32 AM CSTFeb 14, 2013 7:32 AM CST
Sgt. 1st Class Gabe will never have to worry about being in a war zone again. He's getting belly rubs and chasing endless tennis balls in doggie heaven.Officials at Fort Jackson announced retired K-9 officerMore
Sgt. 1st Class Gabe will never have to worry about being in a war zone again. He's getting belly rubs and chasing endless tennis balls in doggie heaven.
Additional LinksRetired Army dog up for "hero" award
Retired Army dog up for "hero" awardUpdated: Wednesday, February 13 2013 3:28 PM EST2013-02-13 20:28:58 GMTFeb 13, 2013 2:28 PM CSTFeb 13, 2013 2:28 PM CST
A retired Sergeant 1st Class stationed at Fort Jackson is up for an award after a successful 170 combat patrols and many years in the service.Who is this mountain of a man with steel in his heart and iceMore
A retired Sergeant 1st Class stationed at Fort Jackson is up for an award after a successful 170 combat patrols and many years in the service.More Retired Fort Jackson K-9 wins Hero Dog award
Of all the heroic service K-9 officers, retired Sergeant 1st Class Gabe is top dog. American Humane Association announced Gabe won the Hero Dog contest Saturday night at a gala event in Beverly Hills.More
Of all the heroic service K-9 officers, retired Sergeant 1st Class Gabe is top dog.More Officials at Fort Jackson announced retired K-9 officer Gabe died Wednesday.
In October, The American Humane Association announced Gabe won the Hero Dog contest.
Gabe served a successful 170 combat patrols and was stationed at Fort Jackson.
Gabe spent several years in Iraq where he helped to make 26 finds during his combat patrols. In those years, he was also a highly-decorated dog that received three Army Commendation medals, an Army Achievement medal, and almost 40 coins of excellence.
"Everyday we'd go out for 18 hour searches and he was a trooper," SSgt. Chuck Shuck, Gabe's handler, said. "We'd be stuffed into a humvee and the gunner would be stepping all over him, but he'd just find a place to sleep and when it was time to work he went out there and did his thing."
The American Kennel Club also recognized Gabe with the 2008 Heroic Military Working Dog Award medal.
Gabe began life as a pound puppy in Houston, Texas, and was adopted and trained by the Army to sniff out weapons
HomeAmerican Humane Association2013 Humane Scholars ApplicationOur Humane Future: Compassion 2012-2013 13th Feb, 2013Categories Uncategorized
Farewell to a True American Heroby Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D., President and CEO
It is with great sadness that I write you today to say that American Hero Dog Gabe passed away yesterday. On this Valentine's Day, people around the world were heartbroken to learn Gabe made the journey across the Rainbow Bridge. Our thoughts remain with Gabe's father, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck as he deals with the loss of his best friend, and a true American Hero in every sense of the word.
Gabe and Sgt. Shuck demonstrate the true power of the human-animal bond, the inextricable link between people, pets, and the world we share. This dog was languishing in a Houston shelter before he was adopted and trained by the military to perform the duties of sniffing out dangerous weapons. We've always known that adopting dogs saves lives, but in this case the dog turned that around to save countless human lives! The pair was deployed to Iraq and together went on 210 missions, with 26 finds of explosives and weapons, earning 40 medals and coins of excellence for their work.
But Gabe's duties went far beyond the battlefield. While in Iraq, he also served as a therapy dog, bringing comfort and hope to his fellow soldiers. Following retirement from active duty, Gabe kept very busy visiting wounded warriors in hospitals to provide comfort and by visiting schools with his dad to teach and inspire children.
Both he and Sgt. Shuck are shining examples of courage and valor in the face of adversity. And due to his incredible accomplishments, millions of Americans voted Gabe as the Military Dog of the Year and the American Hero Dog of the Year at the 2012 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™.
We know the loss of a beloved pet can have a lasting, emotional effect on people, and Gabe will continue to live on in the hearts of everyone here at American Humane Association and anyone who was touched by the heroic acts of this beautiful lab.
Please remember to hug your pet today, because nothing is stronger than the human-animal bond, and on Valentine's Day, it is the least we can do to show love and compassion for our best friends. Let us know in the comments below this post how a pet has touched your life.
***All photos courtesy of WWW.Army.Mil website
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