An inductee into the Horse Stars Hall of Fame, as of 2017 he was posted to Washington, D.C. Klinger, a Morgan Percheron cross breed, was foaled in 2000 and entered military service in the United States Army the same year.

[1] As of 2017 he was posted to the John C. McKinney Stables in the Military District of Washington, assigned to the caisson platoon of the 3rd Infantry Regiment.

[2][3] During his time in service, Klinger has served both as a Wheel Horse, and in a leadership capacity as the Section Horse, in the caisson platoon, and has participated in more than 5,000 full-honor military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery.

[5][6] Klinger has also been inducted into the United States Equestrian Federation's Horse Stars Hall of Fame.

[4][7][8] In the book, a heavily fictionalized version of Klinger cavorts with children visiting Arlington National Cemetery.