My Friendly Pets

Whether you are a news geek like I am or just a casual observer and listener, no one can ignore the news of last week reminding the country that we have been at war in Iraq for 5 years. The stories of loved ones lost or injured are heartbreaking. However, there are a few good stories that come out of war and I will share one with you today.

In several entries, I have written about military dogs and the great job they do assisting our service personnel and the critical roles they serve. Check here to see a prior entry. However, not all of the dogs over in Iraq are military dogs. Chaos breeds chaos and for the many dogs that wander in Iraq, they often assume their own societal role out of the chaotic environment in which they live.

In the picture above is Marine Major Brian Dennis and a dog named Nubs. Major Dennis is a fighter pilot, but when given the opportunity to work on a ground operation trying to build up the infrastructure along the Syria-Iraq border, he quickly volunteered for the assignment. Dennis would write home and tell his family and friends about the desert dogs - strays that wander the desert getting scraps of food from the Iraqis and also guarding the borders by barking like crazy when danger was approaching. They could hear for miles and would warn the people through their barks if sounds were heard.

One dog in particular became attached to Major Dennis and his unit. They called the dog Nubs, because someone had cut off the top of the dog’s ears to probably try and make it more aggressive. Nubs would greet Dennis during patrols and it was hard for Dennis to watch the way this difficult life was wearing on the dog. One day Dennis found Nubs near death with a stab wound from a screwdriver in his side. It was near freezing and Major Dennis didn’t believe the dog would survive the night. He applied medication to the wound and slept next to the dog to keep him warm. The dog did survive, but Major Dennis had to leave and he was forced to leave Nubs behind. Two days and 65 miles later, Major Dennis was working on a humvee and looked up and there was Nubs …he had tracked down the man who had saved his life. Non military dogs are not allowed with a unit, but Major Dennis was determined to save this dog.

With the help of friends and family raising $3500 in the U.S. and much transportation wrangling in the middle east, Nubs was delivered to a friend of Dennis’ in San Diego. The dog will be trained just to be a dog and is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the man who saved his life. Major Dennis is due home sometime this month.

I believe Marsha Cargo, Major Dennis’ mother said it best, “I just can’t believe it. Out there in the middle of nowhere these two find each otherâ€?