On August 14, the 60th anniversary of the Military Dog Center of the Armed Forces took place in Kaisersteinbruch in Burgenland. In the presence of the Minister of Defense, Klaudia Tanner, the anniversary was duly celebrated with an open day, a concert by the military band and an exhibition.
After the field mass, two service dogs, three people who have made special contributions to the service of the Military Dog Center, were awarded the Rochus Medal as part of the celebrations. They were assisted by the patroness, Sabine Schoeller-Lamberty. She herself is a proud dog owner and lover and a well-known supporter of the Military Dog Center.
The former military dog squadron was founded in 1964 and has developed over the past 60 years into an internationally recognized central training facility in the field of military dog training that is unique in the Austrian Armed Forces.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner: “The interaction between humans and animals, with their extraordinary abilities and loyalty, makes them a great team. Man’s best friend’ supports the soldiers in their daily work at home and abroad with its keen instinct. They are not only an irreplaceable support, but also a further protection for our soldiers. I would like to thank and congratulate the staff, because the Military Dog Center is regarded throughout Europe as a highly respected and forward-looking institution.”
In addition to breeding military dogs, the Military Dog Center provides training and further education for all military dog units of the Austrian Armed Forces. The tasks of the military dogs include guard and protection service, sniffer tasks in the area of explosives and narcotics, as well as counter-military defense. The Military Dog Center celebrated its anniversary with a ceremony followed by a performance show of the military dog units. In addition, a display of weapons and equipment was presented by various units of the Austrian Armed Forces. The well-attended marquee invited guests to linger to the accompaniment of the Burgenland military band. Furthermore, the former commander of the Military Dog Center, Colonel in Ruhe Otto Koppitsch, was honored by the Austrian Association of Service Dog Handlers for his life’s work. Major Benjamin Jäger has been in charge of the Military Dog Center since 1 July 2024. https://militaeraktuell.at/pik-as-austria-geschaeftsfuehrerin-polster/ With around 2,500 registered Rottweilers, the Military Dog Center is the world’s largest owner of this breed. In addition to the Rottweiler, the Austrian Armed Forces primarily use German shepherds and Labradors as military dogs. The Austrian Armed Forces have around 170 military dogs. Around 70 of these are stationed in Kaisersteinbruch in Burgenland for breeding for training and operations.
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