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Dogs of War

1K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  Thorsen 
#1 ·
I read the following article in today's Atlanta Journal. In my opinion, it is well worth reading. The final sentence in particular is poignant.




The dogs of war: Canine heroes
Fearless, bold: About 2,000 of the animals, big and small, enter combat alongside their human partners. Sometimes, like the troops, they fight, die.

By Jeff Donn
Associated Press

Published on: 08/13/07

San Antonio —- When he came to, the Marine's arm hung lamely. It was broken by ball bearings hurled so hard from a suicide bomb that they also became embedded in his gun. Yet Brendan Poelaert's thoughts quickly turned to his patrol dog.

The powerful Belgian Malinois named Flapoor had served him as partner and protector for the past four months in Iraq. Now, the dog staggered a few steps along the Ramadi street, then stared blankly. Blood poured from his chest.

"I didn't care about my injuries," his handler says. "I'm telling the medic, 'I got to get my dog to the vet!'"

About 2,000 of these working dogs confront danger beside American soldiers, largely in the Middle East. With noses that detect scents up to a third of a mile away, many sniff for explosives in Iraq. Their numbers have been growing about 20 percent a year since the terrorist attacks of 2001, said Air Force Capt. Jeffrey McKamey, who helps run the program.

In doing their jobs, dozens of these dogs have also become war wounded —- scorched by the desert, slashed by broken glass, pelted by stray bullets, pounded by roadside bombs.

Their services are so valued that wounded dogs are treated much like wounded troops. "They are cared for as well as any soldier," said Senior Airman Ronald Harden, a dog handler in Iraq.

Their first aid comes out of doggy field kits bearing everything from medicine to syringes. Some are evacuated to military veterinary centers hundreds of miles away and even to Germany and the United States for rehabilitation. Many recover and return to duty.

On the day of the Ramadi blast in January 2006, Poelaert, trained in veterinary first aid, began care as soon as both were loaded into an SUV. He pressed his finger to his dog's chest to stop him from bleeding to death.

When they reached the base camp, a medic with veterinary training took over, starting Flapoor on an IV. Poelaert departed reluctantly for his own surgery.

Flapoor —- the name means "droopy-eared" in the Dutch language of his homeland —- eventually was sent to Baghdad for more care of his punctured lung and belly wounds. He later rejoined his handler and flew in a cargo plane to the U.S. for physical rehab.

Healing under the California sun at Camp Pendleton, Flapoor is now back to his usual self in most ways: fast, friendly, eager to please. But he suffers a sort of canine PTSD. "He's really jumpy around loud noises now," Poelaert said.

Military dogs must be in top condition to perform the duties they're assigned. And training is rigorous.

Dogs take their basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, where they learn to tolerate the crack of gunfire and sputter of helicopters. They are trained to sniff for explosives on command, freezing and staring at suspicious objects.

Merely baring their teeth, they can cow a crowd. Commanded to strike, they can easily flatten a big man with one leap, flying like a 50-pound sand bag tossed from a truck.

Smart and strong Malinois and shepherds predominate, but other breeds are trained too. Even small dogs, like beagles or poodles, are occasionally taught to detect explosives in submarines and other close quarters.

In Iraq, the demand for explosives-finding dogs has escalated. They lead patrols with their handlers in tow, sniffing bags and other suspicious objects.

The bombs have bulked up in past months, putting dogs and handlers at more risk.

To protect handlers, some dogs are now trained to wear backpacks with radios and respond to remote voice commands.

Though no careful count is kept, Army vet Lt. Col. Michael Lagutchik, who supervises care at Lackland, believes about 10 dogs have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"As much as I love these dogs, their job is to take a bullet for me," said trainer Sgt. Douglas Timberlake.

The military estimates spending six months and $25,000 to buy, feed, train and care for the average dog. They are tended by 440 Army veterinarians worldwide.

Dogs have been weapons of war since ancient times. Thousands were enlisted in this country's fights in World Wars I and II and in Vietnam.

Care for wounded military dogs was more limited in earlier wars. And euthanasia typically awaited at the close of their careers —- but that is changing.

Since 2000, a law allows many to be adopted by police departments, former handlers, and others if the dogs are placid enough.

Regardless of war's dangers, these dogs are fearless. For them, checking a road for bombs means a fun walk, their handlers say. "They like what they do," said Poelaert, who has returned to Exeter, N.H.

These days, he's trying to move beyond memories of the Ramadi explosion, which killed dozens of people, including his best friend, fellow handler Adam Cann.

But one image still inspires him: the sight of Cann's wounded dog stretched over his body —- to protect him.
 
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#8 ·
zookeper said:
OMG here we are a bunch of gun toting macho men sobbing like school girls
Just shows we were brought up right!
Every young American boy should have his own gun & his own dog and instructed in how to care, appreciate, and respect both (and beat with a switch when he doesn't). Most importantly that should be prior to him figuring out that girls aren't icky.
Get his mind right from the get go and maybe it will go back to being right after that 14 - 23 year old phase. :lol:
 
#9 ·
zookeper said:
OMG here we are a bunch of gun toting macho men sobbing like school girls
I love dogs.

Every man should have a gun, a truck, a good dog, and a good woman... in that order.
 
#13 ·
Damn right I cried when Ol' Yeller died.

Good story. Ive read others about the dogs that were used in Viet Nam and how the handlers were not allowed to bring them home when we left in '74. I was crying reading that one.

Chris
 
#14 ·
gsusnake said:
Every man should have a gun, a truck, a good dog, and a good woman... in that order.
I've had a good dog ever since I was about 6, a good gun since I was about 19, a good woman since about last January, and I drive a civic which is more than enough. Gas is too expensive to be driving anything that gets less than 30 mpg. I've yet to encounter any obstacle I can't tackle with my civic...and some speed. :)
 
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