Army Veterinary Corps centennial statue dedicated
Earlier this year, on June 3, the Army Veterinary Corps celebrated its centennial by unveiling a bronze statue at the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. Veterinary Corps members, including corps chief Brig. Gen. Erik Torring III, and several AVMA leaders attended an Aug. 6 ceremony at the museum, during which the statue was formally dedicated.
Created by local artist Donna Dobberfuhl and paid for by the AVMA, the statue depicts four Army veterinarians throughout the Veterinary Corps’ history, from its creation in 1916 to the present day. A veterinarian in a World War I Army uniform stands with a horse. To their left, a wounded military dog lying on a stretcher is treated by a modern-day veterinarian as the dog’s handler comforts the animal. At the back, a veterinarian from the Cold War era inspects crates of military rations. To that figure’s left, a female veterinarian from the time of the Vietnam War sits at a field desk, peering through a microscope at a slide.
“The Army Veterinary Corps has a long history we can all be proud of,” said Dr. Joe Kinnarney, the AVMA president at the time of the dedication. “You, and those who have preceded you in service, have played an extremely important role in protecting our country against bioterrorism and other threats.
“You have ensured the safety of the food that our armed forces personnel rely on. You have helped us make great strides in biomedical research and development. And of course, we can’t overlook the fact that you do a stellar job providing care to working animals and the pets owned by service members.”
AVMA, AVMF create scholarship
Dr. Kinnarney said the AVMA and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation are commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the Veterinary Corps by establishing a scholarship for U.S. military veterans pursuing a veterinary education. Although financial support for veterans pursuing undergraduate degrees is readily available, scholarships for veterans in postgraduate education are very limited, particularly for veterinary medicine.
Several recognition opportunities and benefits are available respective to the level of donation to the AVMA/AVMF Military Veteran Scholarship in Veterinary Medicine, including a hand-crafted bronze maquette, a miniature version of the statue. For more information, contact Jodie Taggett, AVMA director of partnerships and program development, at jtaggett
avma [dot] org (jtaggett[at]avma[dot]org).
Related JAVMA content:
Army Veterinary Corps marks 100 years of service (June 1, 2016)
Torring takes command of Army Veterinary Corps (Jan. 15, 2016)
