Veteran’s Day cartoon for War Dogs.

Last updated on January 3, 2023

The slayings at Fort Hood came very close to Veteran’s Day, so I think some cartoonists broke out their sad pens early.  Meanwhile, tomorrow is Veteran’s Day, so here’s a good cartoon…

Tips for Veteran’s Day Cartoons, to honor our armed forces and any pups

Since I just started doing op-ed cartoons in February for Slate, I wasn’t sure how to approach this holiday, and what type of editorial cartoon would be respectful yet also cheerful!

Do veterans themselves celebrate? I don’t know any vets, except my father. Surely not all of them are decrepit, as so often they are drawn in cartoons. I don’t even know what their uniforms look like. And I hate parades, so that background is out. Do I draw another cemetery?

Fortunately, Daryl Cagle, who owns and operates Cagle Cartoons, put up a slew of Veterans’s Day cartoons last week, so I could at least see what guys had done in past years. Here’s what I decided: better alive veterans than dead– fallen soldiers is more appropriate for Memorial Day. And vets wear green with a lot of medals.

The war dog was my own twist. Here’s more on War Dogs. (It’s a very messy and unorganized site, but I guess dogs are like that, too. It’s the woof that counts.) Dogs have done so much to protext and serve our armed forces and our country.

V-Day cartoon deets

The cartoon caption: What all Vets (including dogs!) want to hear most: GOOD JOB!

I added a colored frame to the 2nd version, and also a star to the dog’s chest belt, to prove he was in the military, too. I couldn’t find any examples of what real military dogs wear, but hope this gives him creds. (He’s also wearing veteran dog tags, but they’re hard to see.)

Happy Veterans Day to all brave men, women, and dogs!

More holiday editorial cartoons here.