(1) Each of the Armed Forces and other Gov-
ernment agencies, including the Secret Service, the 
Central Intelligence Agency, and the Transportation 
Security Administration, use military working dogs 
(MWDs) in service to the country. 
(2) Since September 11, 2011, military working 
dogs have served in Iraq and Afghanistan and have 
been trained in explosive detection, narcotic detec-
tion, sentry, patrol, tracking, and other specific du-
ties. 
(3) Military working dogs, through their train-
ing, have prevented injuries and saved the lives of 
thousands of United States citizens. 
(4) Military working dogs perform critical and 
varied roles that go far beyond their current des-
ignation as ‘‘equipment.’’ 
SEC. 3. RETIREMENT AND ADOPTION OF MILITARY WORK-
ING DOGS. 
(a) RETIREMENT AND RECLASSIFICATION OF MILI-
TARY WORKING DOGS.—Section 2583 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as 
subsections (h) and (i), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
lowing new subsections: 
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‘‘(f) 
CLASSIFICATION
OF
MILITARY
WORKING 
DOGS.—The Secretary of Defense shall classify military 
working dogs as canine members of the armed forces. 
Such dogs shall not be classified as equipment. 
‘‘(g) TRANSFER OF RETIRED MILITARY WORKING 
DOGS.—If the Secretary of the military department con-
cerned determines that a military working dog should be 
retired, and no suitable adoption is available at the mili-
tary facility where the dog is located, the Secretary may 
transfer the dog— 
‘‘(1) to the 341st Training Squadron; or 
‘‘(2) to another location for adoption under this 
section.’’. 
(b) 
ACCEPTANCE
OF
FREQUENT
TRAVELER 
MILES.—Section 2613(d) of such title is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ‘‘; or’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) facilitating the adoption of a military 
working dog under section 2583 of this title.’’. 
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SEC. 4. VETERINARY CARE FOR RETIRED MILITARY WORK-
ING DOGS. 
(a) VETERINARY CARE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 50 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 993. Military working dogs: veterinary care for re-
tired military working dogs 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
establish and maintain a system to provide for the veteri-
nary care of retired military working dogs. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE DOGS.—(1) A retired military work-
ing dog eligible for veterinary care under this section is 
any military working dog adopted under section 2583 of 
this title. 
‘‘(2) The veterinary care provided a military working 
dog under this section shall be provided during the life 
of the dog beginning on the date on which the dog is 
adopted under such section 2583. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.—(1) The Secretary shall ad-
minister the system required by this section under a con-
tract awarded by the Secretary for that purpose. 
‘‘(2)(A) The contract under this subsection shall be 
awarded to a private non-profit entity selected by the Sec-
retary from among such entities submitting an application 
therefor that have such experience and expertise as the 
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Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of this sub-
section. 
‘‘(B) An entity seeking the award of a contract under 
this subsection shall submit to the Secretary an applica-
tion therefor in such form, and containing such informa-
tion, as the Secretary shall require. 
‘‘(3) The term of any contract under this subsection 
shall be such duration as the Secretary shall specify. 
‘‘(d) STANDARDS OF CARE.—(1) The veterinary care 
provided under the system required by this section shall 
meet such standards as the Secretary shall establish and 
from time to time update. 
‘‘(2) The standards required by this subsection shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(A) Provisions regarding the types of care to 
be provided to retired military working dogs. 
‘‘(B) Provisions regarding the entities (includ-
ing private veterinarians and entities) qualified to 
provide the care. 
‘‘(C) Provisions regarding the facilities, includ-
ing military installations, government facilities, and 
private facilities, in which the care may be provided. 
‘‘(D) A requirement that complete histories be 
maintained on the health and use in research of re-
tired military working dogs. 
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‘‘(E) Such other matters as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall consult with the board of 
directors of the non-profit private entity awarded the con-
tract under subsection (c) in establishing and updating 
standards of care under this subsection. 
‘‘(e) COVERAGE OF COSTS.—(1) Except as provided 
in paragraph (2), any costs of operation and administra-
tion of the system required by this section, and of any 
veterinary care provided under the system, shall be cov-
ered by such combination of the following as the Secretary 
and the non-profit entity awarded the contract under sub-
section (c) jointly consider appropriate: 
‘‘(A) Contributions from the non-profit entity. 
‘‘(B) Payments for such care by owners or 
guardians of the retired military working dogs re-
ceiving such care. 
‘‘(C) Other appropriate non-Federal sources of 
funds. 
‘‘(2) Funds provided by the Federal Government— 
‘‘(A) may not be used— 
‘‘(i) to provide veterinary care under the 
system required by this section; or 
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‘‘(ii) to pay for the normal operation of the 
non-profit entity awarded the contract under 
subsection (c); and 
‘‘(B) may be used to carry out the duties of the 
Secretary under subsections (a), (c), (d), and (f). 
‘‘(f) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe 
regulations for the discharge of the requirements and au-
thorities in this section, including regulations on the 
standards of care required by subsection (d).’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 50 of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following new 
item: 
‘‘993. Military working dogs: veterinary care for retired military working dogs.’’. 
(b) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
prescribe the regulations required by subsection (f) of sec-
tion 993 of title 10, United States Code (as added by sub-
section (a) of this section), not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5. RECOGNITION OF SERVICE OF MILITARY WORKING 
DOGS. 
Section 1125 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.— 
’’ before ‘‘The Secretary of Defense’’; and 
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