In Conversation With… Retired US Army Colonel, Christine Stark

After spending a 32-year career in the US Army, Colonel Christine Stark (ret) had her fair share of experience and a well-earned respect for K-9. But little did she know that a chance meeting with the daughter of a Korean War era veteran would ignite a passion project that had MWDs at its very heart: The dedication of a memorial to honor the MWDs who served out of Fort Drum, NY.

Although Christine never worked directly within K-9, her role as a unit commander meant that she often had K-9 teams within her sphere of responsibility. “It became a tradition to invite me to the kennels to don a bite suit and test my mettle against the dogs when I joined a new detachment. I never turned down the opportunity – and have the scars to prove it.”

Christine testing her nerve against an MWD while deployed in Bosnia

Christine’s career took her across the world, deploying to Bosnia and Afghanistan, where she often had overall responsibility for the MWD sections in her command. After 32 years, Christine retired in 2014 and settled in upstate New York – close to Fort Drum, where she began her journey with the Army. But little did Christine know that her relationship to Fort Drum was about to gain a new and very present significance: “A gardening project had me visiting local stone merchants for quotes and it was this errand that brought me to meet Patty Bach: Owner of Clayton Sand and Gravel Quarry. We hit it off and got to talking about our families and jobs.”

Patty heard about Christine’s military career and felt compelled to share her own family’s connection to the service. “Patty’s dad, William Eddy, spent four years with the US Army – both in active duty and as a reservist, serving and being based out of Fort Drum ”, explains Christine. “Much like me, although William never served with K-9, he had a healthy respect for their skills. After his service, he and his wife indulged their love of K-9, training dogs and welcoming numerous companions into their family over the years.”

Bill with his family

It was at this point that Christine took the financial offer to the commander of the 91^st MP Battalion, who responded with an intriguing idea: “The Kennel Master, Sergeant First Class Colleeta Smith, explained that they had been trying for almost ten years to dedicate a monument to the MWDs that served out of Fort Drum, on a patch of ground next to the kennels on base. This felt like the perfect way to honor Bill’s memory.”

Memorial Making

SFC Smith was able to share past iterations of plans they’d made for an MWD memorial with Christine and Patty. With initial donations from William (Bill) Eddy’s Family in place, the project had the necessary momentum to get started. Christine said: “The sketches of the memorial design had been annotated and scribed many times over a decade, as commands changed hands and new ideas were formed.

“We took the sketches and had them redrawn by a local architect, then Patty and I set about making a plan to fundraise the remaining money needed to make the memorial happen. I was also able to act as conduit between the Eddy family and the Army and its various layers of protocol and processes required to get us where we needed to be.”

The Memorial would consist of a paved walkway with the 25 original stone tablets bearing the names of fallen MWDs who served out of Fort Drum. These stones were taken from the original site behind the current kennel, having been laid in memorial to the dogs but, over the years, had almost disappeared into the ground. Their new location would line the entrance - incorporating their legacy with the new memorial. The entrance stone leading to the memorial reads: “I Will Always Be By Your Side.”

Christine and Patty spearheaded the fundraising efforts and as part of that work, reached out to US War Dogs to see if the organization might be able to support their efforts. “We knew that US War Dogs had a rich history with facilitating the dedication of memorials, so I was eager to pitch our project. We were delighted when the board approved a package of financial support that tipped us almost to our target, which made our final fundraising efforts that much easier. We were on the home straight.

“At this point, we were also very fortunate to have the support and backing of Brigadier General Matt Braman. Having a one star general and acting division commander to advocate for us enabled the approval to finally be obtained in December 2023.”

The Kindness of Strangers

As well as receiving significant donations from the Eddy family and US War Dogs, the effort to close the gap on the $30,000 needed to bring the monument to life continued in earnest after the Army gave the go-ahead.

“I’m no fundraiser”, explains Christine, “but what Patty and I both had was a strong local knowledge and ability to ask for the right things from the right quarters. The riverfront communities of the St Lawrence are largely farming communities, where many of the household incomes rest at – or just above – the poverty line. But what people couldn’t give in cold cash, they gave in kind. Services, expertise and materials were all donated to the project, which enabled us to make this monument a reality. The whole experience was extremely humbling and proved what I already knew: The service and sacrifice of MWDs and the community in which they work, is hugely loved and respected.”

Set in Stone

As the final dollars rolled in and offers of practical support filled the gaps needed to bring the memorial to life, ground was broken on site in June 2023. Construction of the site took just shy of 6 months and plans were made to officially dedicate the monument.

Christine reflects: “Seeing everything come together was surreal and wonderful. We had achieved something really special for the K-9 teams at Fort Drum that would be enjoyed and cherished for many years to come. We had also fulfilled the wishes of Bill Eddy’s family, as the monument was named after him: The William F. Eddy Working Dogs Memorial.”

It was also a personal full-circle moment for Christine, who began her military career at Fort Drum. “The kennels were just being built when I was based here and only housed a couple of dogs. Now, the team has 12 dogs and has developed its capabilities and skills that do the detachment proud. It’s incredible to be back here in 2024, as part of a legacy that honors their service.”

The William F. Eddy Working Dogs Memorial is dedicated to all the MWDs of the 8th MP Detachment, who served out of the 91^st MP Battalion, at Fort Drum, NY

The dedication ceremony on 8 May was both a celebration and a commemoration, striking a poignancy and a jubilance that comes with seeing a long-held dream, become reality.

US War Dogs president, Chris Willingham, attended the event. He said: “It was a day filled with emotion, reflection and pride in our K-9 community. The memorial is a fitting tribute to the K-9s who served with faithfulness and gave their best years to our country, and we are honored to have played a small part in this incredible story. Ms Christine, Mr Eddy’s family and the whole team at Fort Drum have created something very special.” 



The memorial dedication took place on 8 May 2024 and brought everyone from the 91^st MP Battalion and local Community sponsors together with the Eddy family, to commemorate the milestone moment

With time to reflect on the memorial’s successful dedication, how does Christine feel now? “I look back on the whole story and can’t help but feel that God brings people into your life for a reason. Patty and I were able to help create something really special together, along with the help of many key players from within the Army, with whom this would not have been possible.

“Our husbands joke that our hands and minds won’t be idle for long, so who knows what the future may hold for Patty and I. I should probably finish my gardening project first…”