Search-and-rescue dog ends military career with a record of service and saving lives

The military’s only search and rescue dog has retired

The Air Force’s search and rescue field is losing a veteran service member. A decorated member of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, Callie retired after six years of service. Yes, Callie is a dog. A dog with years of experiennoce and several deployments. Callie quietly retired earlier this year, but the Air National Guard released more details on the dog’s service and farewell ceremony this weekend. Callie, a Dutc…

Search-and-rescue dog ends military career with a record of service and saving lives

Callie — the only search-and-rescue dog in the Department of Defense — spent six years with the Kentucky National Guard’s 123rd Special Tactics Squadron where she deployed six times in support of rescue missions across the U.S., logged 750 flight hours in military aircraft and located people in natural disasters.

Canine Callie, DOD’s only search-and-rescue dog, retires from service

Callie, the only search-and-rescue dog in the Department of Defense, officially retired from military service during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Kentucky, Jan. 24, 2025.