A Dog's Life in Iraq

While waiting for the Virtual Range, we did more "concurrent training". During a break in the action, a sergeant came up to us and answered questions about Iraq. One question led to an interesting story. There are many stray dogs in Iraq. Most suffer from under-nutrition, wandering the streets in search of food and water. On one patrol, a high-speed, all-business Ranger, weapon at the ready, turned a blind corner, and suddenly - his features softened, his eyes widened, and he said "Ahw, a puppy!" The camp mascot was adopted. The puppy was well-cared for and loved and quickly grew. It began going out on patrols in the Hummer with the soldiers that adopted it. One day, though, the patrol didn't go as planned. The soldiers had to pick up a Lt. Colonel from a remote village and return him to the base. Upon seeing the friendly pooch, the Colonel demanded "What the hell is this mutt doing in a military vehicle?" and threw the poor canine out on the street. The convoy was forced to return without it. After returning the dog-unfriendly Colonel to his unit, the soldiers quickly mounted a new patrol - a search and rescue mission. They would not abandon their four-legged friend. Upon reaching the village, they quicky realized that the dog was not where they had left it, and no one in their group knew the Iraqi word for "dog". Instead, they resorted to "woof, woof!" and pantamime. The Iraqi villagers thought it was hillarious, but it was also effective. In short order, they found their companion.

One might think that's more than enough bad luck at the hands of military brass for one little dog, but the pup had another problem to face. The Air Force said the local stray dogs were getting onto the runway at Bagdhad International, creating a hazard for aircraft. The USAF Commander ordered his security team to shoot all the strays. After a time, they showed up to put the mascot to sleep. An MP ordered "step away from the dog, I'm going to shoot it", pointing a loaded shotgun. One of the soldiers picked up his friend and said "the hell you are!" The USAF man advanced with his weapon, and the soldier grabbed the shotgun, smashing the butt-stock in it's wielder's cheek. The man left, scared dog still in the arms of its rescuer, to sommon the MP's. However, the soldier's CO stood behind him, and no charges were ever filed. Soldiers have come and gone, but the dog still calls that base its home.