A bronze sculpture representing the various 100-year history of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps was unveiled at the U.S. Army Medical Division Museum located at Fort Sam Houston June 3.Brig. Gen. Erik H. Torring, chief of the U.S. Army Veterinary team, as well as Dr. Kinnarney Joseph, American Veterinary Medical Association president, and San Antonio artist Dobberfuhl Donna revealed the life-sized sculpture.
With the American Veterinary Medical Foundation and Uniformed Veterinary Medicine Association providing resources for the monument, Dobberfuhl was commissioned to design a special sculpture exhibiting the Corps’ past and present missions. The artist’s career spans more than 40 years and one of her pieces is on public show at the National Prisoner of War Museum located in Andersonville, Ga.
Dobberfuhl said that all through his career, it’s been about the passion for the art and he put all of his heart and soul into every one of his commissions; and that this one has it all, and a little bit more.
The monument has 4 different scenes representing the Army Veterinary team history and its basic missions.
A World War I Veterinary team officer with a horse stands for the team origins as medical experts entrusted with providing animal care. To the right is a Vietnam-era officer using a light microscope depicting the team’s relevant contributions to medical research and development. Next is a Cold War-era Veterinary team officer inspecting rations exhibits the Team’s crucial role in food protection. Definitely, a contemporary-era Veterinary Team officer treats a military working dog, representing the continuing progressive mission via animal health care.
In his remarks, Kinnarney Joseph said that identifying the Veterinary Team celebration anniversary with a statute was recommended last year. In a span of 8 months, the monument was designed and created with at least 2,500 hours of labor invested in the project.
After the ceremony, Team members exhibited a mobile veterinary and surgery tent utilized on placements.
While downrange, Army Veterinary Team members can diagnose and treat animals, using improved medical equipment.
Army food inspectors are responsible for making sure that the quality of food and fluids while deployed is in tact. Also on hand were members of the 509th Security Forces Battalion from Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, displaying the abilities of their military working dogs.