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

 

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From the VDHA Vice President

 

by Ernie Ayala

 VDHA Vice President

March 1, 2026

    We are quickly approaching our next reunion

in New Bern, North Carolina this May 28-30. It

is a great venue. Perhaps you are not sure of

where it is or why New Bern was picked? I’m sure

some have never heard of it. I can assure you

New Bern is a beautiful location and totally worth

the trip.

     Let’s go back several years to the founding of

the VDHA, actually 1994 when John Langley, our

founder, served as our first president. The

locations selected then were secondary to the

business that had to be discussed. We had

officers meetings, unit directors meetings,

wives’ tea parties and general meetings to

discuss the future of this grandfather of all

military dog handlers organizations. Also,

there were discussions of positions to be

filled and who will eventually become our

next president.

     The year now is 2026, thirty-two years after its

founding. A year John Langley thought he would

never see. We have been brought here by a man

who never thought he would be president, who

was brought in to fill the vice president seat

which was left vacant and he wanted to help

the group that had brought him many years

of memories with other guys who walked the

real brains in Vietnam.

     John Harvey filled that seat as a favor to his

good friend president Perry Money. Then in

2017, the unthinkable happened. Perry Money

suddenly passed away in North Carolina. An

emergency meeting was held in Houston,

Texas by the Board of Directors to mourn the

loss of our leader and swear in our new

president, John Harvey as the ninth president.

He has led us and now is going into his ninth

year at the helm, almost double the time any

of the previous presidents held. He has earned

the respect of all the membership and plans to

stick around as long as he can. He’s not

going anywhere.

     So, when you think you can wait another year

to go to a reunion, think of this. Our group is

thinning down. We are to the point that we can’t

wait for a reunion two years away. The object of

starting the VDHA was to get Vietnam Dog

Handlers together to share common experiences.

We are brothers, not just because we didn’t run

when our country needed us, not just because

we served in Vietnam but because we chose to

walk the dog into the unknown and became the

elite forces of the war.

     Now our forces are fewer. This is the time to

say hello or goodbye to a guy that mirrored

what you did. It doesn’t matter whether he was

Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine. Get a phone

number, learn his family’s name. Remember

that once we stop meeting at reunions, it may

be the end of this great organization forever. So

let’s all have fun in New Bern and hold our

glasses up high in a big celebration to us and

our brothers.

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.

 

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