This Episode hit kind of close to home.
At Afghanistan and Iraq, U.S. Army Special Forces routinely had "Patrol Dogs" also trained as M Dogs, not so routinely "Sentry Dogs", "Guard Dogs". These Patrol Dogs become a U.S. Army Special Forces Team Member and bond with all Team Members, when Team Members got Killed In Action, the Patrol Dog continued on with the Mission like the rest of Us, during the Ceremony loading the U.S. Flag Draped Coffins onto a Aircraft the Patrol Dog would let out a long loud howl.
These Patrol Dogs as M Dogs detected explosives buried in the ground of both the smaller anti personnel types as well as the huge 100 pound to 1000 pound Improvised Explosive Devices.
The tragedy was when the Handler was Killed In Action the Patrol Dog usually had to be euthanized (this was later changed to a Adoption Program to recondition the Patrol Dogs into Civilian Life as a Pet or a Seeing Eye Dog, Disabled U.S. Military Veteran's Dog the Dog would open doors reach items that the U.S. Military Servicemember missing hands fingers arms could not do). If the Patrol Dog was Killed In Action, the Servicemember had three choices, Change MOS, Go back to the School starting at Day Zero to get another Patrol Dog assigned (Dog and Handler must go thru entire School together as a Team), or an Honorable Discharge.
At Afghanistan and Iraq, U.S. Army Special Forces routinely had "Patrol Dogs" also trained as M Dogs, not so routinely "Sentry Dogs", "Guard Dogs". These Patrol Dogs become a U.S. Army Special Forces Team Member and bond with all Team Members, when Team Members got Killed In Action, the Patrol Dog continued on with the Mission like the rest of Us, during the Ceremony loading the U.S. Flag Draped Coffins onto a Aircraft the Patrol Dog would let out a long loud howl.
These Patrol Dogs as M Dogs detected explosives buried in the ground of both the smaller anti personnel types as well as the huge 100 pound to 1000 pound Improvised Explosive Devices.
The tragedy was when the Handler was Killed In Action the Patrol Dog usually had to be euthanized (this was later changed to a Adoption Program to recondition the Patrol Dogs into Civilian Life as a Pet or a Seeing Eye Dog, Disabled U.S. Military Veteran's Dog the Dog would open doors reach items that the U.S. Military Servicemember missing hands fingers arms could not do). If the Patrol Dog was Killed In Action, the Servicemember had three choices, Change MOS, Go back to the School starting at Day Zero to get another Patrol Dog assigned (Dog and Handler must go thru entire School together as a Team), or an Honorable Discharge.