Marines let dog go to slain handlers' family

Marine Cpl. Dustin Jerome Lee and his German shepherd, Lex, scoured Iraq for roadside bombs together, slept next to each other and even posed in Santa hats for a holiday photo.

When a mortar attack killed the 20-year-old Marine in Falluja a few months later, Lex, whimpering from his own injuries, had to be pulled away, Lee's father was told.

That strong bond compelled the slain Marine's family to adopt 8-year-old Lex even though the military said he still had two years of service.

The family lobbied the military for months, launched an Internet petition and enlisted the aid of a North Carolina congressman(Walter Jones) who took their case straight to the Marine Corps' top general.

On Wednesday, the Marine Corps finally announced Lex could go home to Lee's family. It is the first time the military has granted a dog early retirement to be adopted by someone other than a former handler.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/12/13/slainmarine.sdog.ap/index.html



Glad the Marines had the relented. Lex still has shrapnel in his back. I think it was the least the Marines could do for this family and for this dog! If you read the entire story - Dustin had adopted his former Marine dog Doenja and sent him to live with his family when the 11 year old dog started going blind.

to let the noble dog know he is home with his rightful 'pack'.

May dog and family find some comfort in each other's presence and in shared love, loss of the fallen young man.

Peace. May all find a way for Peace.

I had two rescued pups when I met my future husband. They were still pretty fearful and one was a barker. If anyone they didn't know came to the house the little barker would follow them around and bark at them relentless. The day that his kids came by, something weird happened, the barker didn't bark. Instead, he was very interested in how they smelled. He smelled each one of them and then was very friendly. He didn't bark or otherwise act territorial like he usually did around strangers. We were surprised.

It occurred to me later that the dogs, especially the barker, did the same thing around my family. The dogs seem to give people a smell test and family members seem to get a pass and became immediate members of the pack. My husband and I talked about it and came up with the theory that our family members had a family scent that the dogs could recognize. Since they recognized the smell they weren't as freaked out as if they were meeting non-related people. I guess what I'm saying is that dogs and other animals are very perceptive and they use smells a lot more than we do to help determine whether a person belongs with them. After all, if dogs can smell fear, they're probably able to smell familial scents.

and was wondering how it turned out. I'm so glad Lex is going to live with the Lees.

My guy was a dog soldier (is that the right term?)in Nam. They put the dog to sleep when he left the service. He almost stayed just so the dog could live longer. This wasn't a bomb sniffing dog though, it was a dangerous dog trained to kill if necessary, so it could never be around the civilian population.

They could've been retrained.

There was a vet with Marines in WWII who fought to have their dogs retrained and returned to civilian life and he was pissed that this wasn't done for the Nam dogs. Story of the WWII Marine dogs in book which I highly recommend:

Always Faithful: A Memoir of the Marine Dogs of WWII

From Amazon.com

From Library Journal
A retired Marine Corps captain and veterinarian, Putney writes a moving and heartrending account of his days as commander of the 3rd Marine War Dog Platoon, in which some 72 dogs and their handlers were his responsibility. The dogs and handlers trained in scouting, mine detection, and other patrol duties and went into combat together. Here we read about Peppy, Big Boy, and Lady and a host of other courageous dogs who lived and died during some of the worst fighting of the war. Putney takes the reader through basic training and the battles of Guadalcanal and the retaking of the island of Guam in 1944. He continues the story of how those dogs that survived the war were retrained and returned to civilian life. For veterans and dog owners, the stories of heroism and death may be dreadful, but they are a reminder of the sacrifices needed to obtain victory in World War II. A unique animal and war story, this memoir is a tribute to all who cherish the loyalty and bonds that dogs give their owners. Recommended for all public libraries. David Alperstein, Queens Borough P.L., Jamaica, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Retired veterinarian Putney is also a decorated World War II veteran whose primary service was helping organize the Marine War Dog Corps, which trained nearly a thousand dogs, mostly Doberman pinschers, as scouts, messengers, and alarm givers. Many of the dogs saw combat, especially on Guam, where then captain Putney won a Purple Heart and Silver Star fighting the Japanese, with and without dogs. More than 500 canine survivors were successfully demilitarized and returned to civilian life, and more than half of those became companions of the marines they had accompanied in battle--results that Putney counts as one of his finest achievements. An exceptionally clear writer, Putney is compassionate for his fellow marines of both species, except when some of them proved more dangerous to the dog platoons than the Japanese were. A valuable addition to the historiography of military animals, World War II, and the marines. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

...time and time again.

I really do wish my living situation would allow me to keep a dog, but in the city in an apartment - it just wouldn't be fair.

I grew up having dogs around, and they are indeed imo one of the finest animals around.

ah well. someday.

The handler was seriously wounded and was being discharged and wanted to take the dog with her.

The dog was finally brought to the hospital and when called from down the hall bounded into the hospital room and onto the bed! Tears commenced. Yes, she was permitted to keep the dog.

:cry:

without any trouble from the wounds or remaining shrapnel. :)

It's nice to hear something good happening after all that bad.

:) :cry:

just 20 years old :cry:

how many more?