Lynchburg Marine, K-9 companion honored - WSLS 10 NBC in Roanoke/Lynchburg Va
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Marine LCpl. Josh Rowland shows his military dog Kate to their new quilts. The squares were stitched together by locals in Lynchburg as a token of appreciation for their service.
"For this story to get out, it's not just a thanks to me, it's a thanks to everybody that's went through the same shoes, or I should say boots that I went through," said Rowland.
Rowland spent more than half of 2012 deployed in Afghanistan and Kate was his assigned mine-sniffing dog. She retired and he recently adopted her.
Clyde Savage, also a war veteran, put together the Rowland's patchwork in just ten days.
"I just felt they needed something from home to make them feel better," said Savage.
"I came up in the Vietnam era and I know how we treated our men when they returned and I am guilty of that. I regret that and this is my way of making amends for that time. I want him to know he is loved and supported," said Jan Bennett-Collier, event organizer.
In the bottom right hand corner of the quilt, the quilter designed a yellow square, to symbolize supporting our troops like the yellow ribbon often seen on the backs of cars and that people where on their lapel.
While Rowland says he is grateful for the gesture, he is happy his friend in the field could share some of the spotlight.
"These dogs go through way more than humans do, like I said before, this dog has seen probably more than any American has."
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