Courtesy Photo
October 10, 2023
Bandera Honors Veterans set for Saturday, Nov. 11
The 21st annual Bandera Honors Veterans celebration will include a special program honoring Vietnam War era veterans, information booths and displays, a parade on Main Street, and feature keynote speaker TSgt. Leonard Anderson, USAF Ret.
Anderson was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on Jan. 17, 1984. His father, Leonard, was a USAF C-130 Crew Chief assigned to Little Rock AFB. In 1986, his father left the Air Force and moved with his wife Glenda and their children Leonard and Elyse home to South Carolina, where he worked as an engineer and his mother worked as a teacher.
In 2002, Anderson graduated from Northwestern High School in Chester, South Carolina, and immediately enlisted into the USAF as a Security Forces Member. His first assignment was to Malstrom AFB, in Montana where he was responsible for the security of nuclear weapons on station and in transit. While here he was selected for a four-man response team sent to New Orleans in support of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
In 2006, Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Anderson was approved to attend the Military Working Dog (MWD) Handler Course at JBSA-Lackland, after which he was reassigned to Eglin AFB, Florida, where he worked law enforcement as an MWD Handler. Anderson was sent on his first combat deployment to Bagram AFB in Afghanistan as a Narcotics Patrol Dog Handler assigned to support the U.S. Army drug interdiction efforts.
He was reassigned to Osan AB, Korea, in 2010. He served as the primary trainer for more than 30 Military Working Dog Teams, ensuring the highest standards were met and the security of the largest AFB in Korea.
In 2011, Anderson was reassigned to Eilson AFB, Alaska, where he continued to ensure the MWD Teams placed under him were fully combat capable, as well as being able to support a variety of Secret Service missions to include POTUS/VPOTUS security.
In 2012, Anderson was promoted to Technical Sergeant (TSgt) while on his second combat deployment to the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan at FOB Masum Ghar, assigned to support U.S. Army Infantry units with his Patrol and Explosive Detection Dog, Azza. As part of this tour Anderson was hand-selected to be a part of the Animal Planet documentary “Glory Hounds,” looking at the lives of K9 teams in combat. While on point leading a foot patrol on July 28, 2012, in a village in Sperwan Gar, near Panjwai, Anderson and Azza were struck by a 200-pound remote detonated Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The blast led to massive leg trauma, amputation of his left hand, amputation of most of his right hand leaving two fingers, a broken eye socket, abdominal wound, and broken left arm and extensive shrapnel throughout his body.
He was medevaced to San Antonio Military Medical Center to recover from his injuries, later being reassigned to JBSA-Lackland. Azza was retired from the military to become his service dog, and remains with him today.
After three years in recovery learning how to walk, use the two fingers he had left, prosthetics, and daily living activities, Anderson retired from active duty on Oct. 28, 2013, with more than 13 years of service, but not before achieving his goal of returning to full duty as a trainer with the 341st TRS Military Working Dog School.
During his recovery at Lackland AFB, Anderson got involved with several organizations to help others and himself with their recovery process. He is a board member for the non-profit 4 The Fallen (https://www.4-thefallen.org/), and a member of Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team. He competed in the 2014 Warrior Games (https://dodwarriorgames.com/) medaling in swimming and shooting and competed in the 2016 Invictus Games (https://www.invictusgamesfoundation.org/) against 13 other countries where he won two medals in swimming.
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Purple Heart, Air Force Commendation Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Air Force Combat Action Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Outstanding Unit Award with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Good Conduct Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Gold Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon, Air Force NCO PME Ribbon, Small Arms Expert Marksman Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon, NATO ISAF Medal
Displays will be set up at 9:30 a.m., on Saturday, Nov. 11, on the Bandera County courthouse lawn. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the parade at noon, and veterans BBQ lunch at 1 p.m.
See below a CBS interview with Anderson, talking about Animal Planet's "Glory Hounds," a two-hour TV special.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxfGCqcqVZs
Anderson was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on Jan. 17, 1984. His father, Leonard, was a USAF C-130 Crew Chief assigned to Little Rock AFB. In 1986, his father left the Air Force and moved with his wife Glenda and their children Leonard and Elyse home to South Carolina, where he worked as an engineer and his mother worked as a teacher.
In 2002, Anderson graduated from Northwestern High School in Chester, South Carolina, and immediately enlisted into the USAF as a Security Forces Member. His first assignment was to Malstrom AFB, in Montana where he was responsible for the security of nuclear weapons on station and in transit. While here he was selected for a four-man response team sent to New Orleans in support of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
In 2006, Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Anderson was approved to attend the Military Working Dog (MWD) Handler Course at JBSA-Lackland, after which he was reassigned to Eglin AFB, Florida, where he worked law enforcement as an MWD Handler. Anderson was sent on his first combat deployment to Bagram AFB in Afghanistan as a Narcotics Patrol Dog Handler assigned to support the U.S. Army drug interdiction efforts.
He was reassigned to Osan AB, Korea, in 2010. He served as the primary trainer for more than 30 Military Working Dog Teams, ensuring the highest standards were met and the security of the largest AFB in Korea.
In 2011, Anderson was reassigned to Eilson AFB, Alaska, where he continued to ensure the MWD Teams placed under him were fully combat capable, as well as being able to support a variety of Secret Service missions to include POTUS/VPOTUS security.
In 2012, Anderson was promoted to Technical Sergeant (TSgt) while on his second combat deployment to the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan at FOB Masum Ghar, assigned to support U.S. Army Infantry units with his Patrol and Explosive Detection Dog, Azza. As part of this tour Anderson was hand-selected to be a part of the Animal Planet documentary “Glory Hounds,” looking at the lives of K9 teams in combat. While on point leading a foot patrol on July 28, 2012, in a village in Sperwan Gar, near Panjwai, Anderson and Azza were struck by a 200-pound remote detonated Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The blast led to massive leg trauma, amputation of his left hand, amputation of most of his right hand leaving two fingers, a broken eye socket, abdominal wound, and broken left arm and extensive shrapnel throughout his body.
He was medevaced to San Antonio Military Medical Center to recover from his injuries, later being reassigned to JBSA-Lackland. Azza was retired from the military to become his service dog, and remains with him today.
After three years in recovery learning how to walk, use the two fingers he had left, prosthetics, and daily living activities, Anderson retired from active duty on Oct. 28, 2013, with more than 13 years of service, but not before achieving his goal of returning to full duty as a trainer with the 341st TRS Military Working Dog School.
During his recovery at Lackland AFB, Anderson got involved with several organizations to help others and himself with their recovery process. He is a board member for the non-profit 4 The Fallen (https://www.4-thefallen.org/), and a member of Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team. He competed in the 2014 Warrior Games (https://dodwarriorgames.com/) medaling in swimming and shooting and competed in the 2016 Invictus Games (https://www.invictusgamesfoundation.org/) against 13 other countries where he won two medals in swimming.
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Purple Heart, Air Force Commendation Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Air Force Combat Action Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Outstanding Unit Award with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Good Conduct Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Gold Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon, Air Force NCO PME Ribbon, Small Arms Expert Marksman Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon, NATO ISAF Medal
Displays will be set up at 9:30 a.m., on Saturday, Nov. 11, on the Bandera County courthouse lawn. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the parade at noon, and veterans BBQ lunch at 1 p.m.
See below a CBS interview with Anderson, talking about Animal Planet's "Glory Hounds," a two-hour TV special.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxfGCqcqVZs