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Aside from working on the National Monument project, I am employed fulltime as an information technology senior technical writer/editor for Bart & Associates, Inc., McLean, Virginia. I have made my living working in the information technology field since I graduated from college and retired from the U.S. Army as a Master Sergeant in 1983. The Washington DC metropolitan area has been my home since 1978.
My passion for a national monument to honor America’s military working dogs and handlers derived from having handled German Shepherd Scout Dogs (Timber & Clipper) and a Sentry Dog (Hans) during the Vietnam War (1966-1968). While serving in the U.S. Army infantry, I first realized the incredible life saving capabilities of a dog in war. Their sight, hearing, and sense of smell were far superior to that of any human I had observed on the battlefield. The key was learning to accurately interpret your dog’s body language in a timely manner. This was especially important when trying to avoid booby traps or unknowingly entering the kill zone of an ambush. The dogs were also very adept at finding hidden enemy caches of ammunition and supplies, hidden base camps, and camouflaged tunnel entrances only a sniffing dog could find.
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It was only after I published my own story in “Dog Tags of Courage” followed by “A Soldier’s Best Friend” that I had a driving interest in researching the history of America’s use of dogs in War. Over the years, I have studied hundreds of authentic photos and read lots of books and articles about how dogs and their handlers were trained and deployed to save lives on battlefields, dating back to World War II.
I have met hundreds of dog handlers and their dogs (veterans, active duty, police, government, search & rescue, and civilian). I maintain a keen interest and connection to the training provided by the military and contractors; the veterinary care; and the deployment of today’s military working dog teams to the war zones in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other parts of the world.
Kenneth Lichlider, President & Owner, Vohne Liche Kennels and John Burnam. Ken is a retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant and Veteran Dog Handler. Vohne Liche Kennels is a worldwide trainer of military and police working dog teams, foreign and domestic, and huge contributor to the National Monument effort. (Denver, Indiana – October 2010)
When I launched the idea for a National Monument project in 2001, I had limited knowledge as to what it would take, how long it would take, or how much money it would cost to get the job done. Even though the process has been long and arduous at times, we have made significant progress as evidenced by the information on this website.
The JBMF, Inc. Board of Directors from left to right:
Richard Deggans, Secretary and Web Master;
John Burnam, President; and Larry Chilcoat, Treasurer.
(Photo by Tom Lynch - 2010)
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to have been invited to speak at many events across the country; interviewed for newspaper and magazine articles; written many short stories for a variety of publications; and I’ve even been featured in a handful of TV documentaries.
Along the way, I was privileged to have met U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones of North Carolina in Washington DC. He volunteered to sponsor the national monument’s congressional legislation. Once the legislation was drafted, I was also honored to have been formally invited by several U.S. Congressional Subcommittees to give oral and written testimony as to why Congress should pass the legislation into law.
U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones, North Carolina & John Burnam
Washington DC - April 2007
The following are significant milestones we have achieved thus far:
April 2007: U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones, North Carolina, introduced congressional legislation for the establishment of a National Monument to honor the service and sacrifice of the United States Armed Forces working dog teams that have participated in military operations of the United States since WWII.
January 28, 2008: President George W. Bush signed congressional legislation into public law 110-181, Section 2877 authorizing the establishment of a National Monument for United States Armed Forces working dog teams.
October 28, 2009: President Barack H. Obama amended public law 110-181, Section 2877 to authorize the John Burnam Monument Foundation, Inc. to build and maintain the National Monument for the United States Armed Forces working dog teams.
May 12, 2011: I met with Joey Herrick, President, Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc. during an interview for the TV production of “Who Let the Dogs Out” filmed in Washington DC. Mr. Herrick’s corporation is now the official corporate sponsor of the national monument project with PETCO as the co-sponsor.
June 1, 2011: After a letter I wrote to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), followed by a conference call with their executive staff, the AVMA issued a Press Release to their membership and affiliates stating in part: “Military working dogs have served our country gallantly in many theaters, from World War II to their role in the war against terror in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. It is fitting and proper that the largest veterinary medical association in the world should help recognize these unheralded heroes and what they have done – and continue to do – for our nation both at home and abroad. – Dr. Larry M. Kornegay, AVMA president
July 1, 2011: We have now raised enough public donations to have our Artist, Paula Slater sculpt the first full-size silicone bronze dog (Doberman Pinscher of WWII) for the national monument’s granite pedestal. As we raise more public donations, we will have the next big bronze dog sculpted. We will continue this pay-as-we-go process until the entire monument design has been built, placed, and dedicated in October 2013.
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