Annual Blessing of the WRB Facility and Red Cross Dogs at WRNMMC, October 18, 2022

Photo By Harvey Duze | The Walter Reed Facility Dogs along with the Red Cross Volunteer and patient service dogs (and their handlers and owners) assembled at the flagpole in front of Building 1 (The Tower) for the annual Blessing of the Dogs Ceremony on Tuesday, 18 October 2022. This marks the 16th year that this ceremony has taken place at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC). Officiating at this year’s ceremony were Chaplains Br. David W. Schlatter, and MAJ Robert W. Fry, USA, MEDCOM, both from the Department of Pastoral Care at WRNMMC. The ceremony is associated with Saint Francis of Assisi, whose patronage of animals and the natural environment made it customary for churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on or near his feast day of 4 October. (DoD Photographs by Harvey A. Duze – Office of Command Communications, WRNMMC)  

BETHESDA, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES

10.18.2022

Story by Harvey Duze 

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s facility dogs along with the Red Cross volunteer and patient service dogs (and their handlers and owners), assembled at the flagpole in front of Building 1 (The Tower) for the annual Blessing of the Dogs Ceremony on Oct. 18. This marks the 16th year that this ceremony has taken place at WRNMMC. Officiating at this year’s ceremony were Chaplains Brother David W. Schlatter, and Army Maj. Robert W. Fry, both from the Department of Pastoral Care at WRNMMC.
The ceremony is associated with Saint Francis of Assisi, whose patronage of animals and the natural environment made it customary for churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on or near his feast day of Oct. 4.

(DoD Photographs by Harvey A. Duze, Office of Command Communications – WRNMMC)

• Date Taken: 10.18.2022
• Date Posted: 10.25.2022 13:50
• Story ID: 431969
• Location: BETHESDA, MARYLAND, US