March 20, 2013 5:00 am
Hundreds of dogs have served in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade, hunting down roadside bombs, like Gabe, an Army dog who went from being one day away from euthanasia as a pound puppy to completing more than 200 combat missions. (He died last year of cancer, after being named the Hero Dog of the Year in 2012.)
Marines give the dogs each a military rank, and one step above the dogs’ handlers to emphasize the respect the dogs deserve. The handler of one such Marine dog, Sgt. Rex, described him thusly:
I keep thinking that a time will come when Rex is gonna flee from the next explosion with his tail between his legs. Or I’m gonna come to my senses and realize that I just can’t do another lonely, death-defying walk … But here’s the thing: Having Rex beside me helps give me the strength so I can face it. … Never once has he faltered when I’ve asked him to do the walk with me, not even when we’re under the enemy’s gun. And because of this, he’s put steel in my soul.”
Faced with combat conditions on a daily basis, though, PTSD has afflicted some dogs, who the armed services have attempted to rehabilitate either back into military service or into civilian life as pets.
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