Ben Brody/GlobalPost
By Ben Brody, GlobalPost
At combat outposts in Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers often adopt a stray neighborhood dog or two. They provide a huge morale boost for the soldiers there even if they're ornery, diseased and mangy, as the dogs often are.
In Kandahar City, Giselle is the exception — she is healthy, friendly and affectionate.
Soldiers from Apache Troop, 1-10 Cavalry, keep Gisele at their small outpost in the northern part of the city. About the size of a Jack Russell terrier, she trots along with soldiers on patrol every day.
Check out GlobalPost's blog on Afghanistan/Pakistan.
Apache Troop inherited her from the previous tenants of Combat Outpost 9-1, who took her to a military vet at Kandahar Airfield to get her shots.
"The guys leaving tried to take her with them, but she refused to leave the COP," said Staff Sgt. Bill Godfrey. "She just falls in with whichever soldiers are staying here."
Giselle leads the way back to Combat Outpost 9-1 in Kandahar City after a patrol in the mountains.
While soldiers rest at an Afghan police station, Giselle drinks out of a water bottle.
Giselle is constantly underfoot at Combat Outpost 9-1 – soldiers there have to be careful not to step on her.
Giselle usually follows in one of the soldiers' footprints – a good way to avoid land mines in Kandahar.
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For the Apache Troop, 1-10 Cavalry this adorable dog makes the best memory for Kandahar!
At our FOB in the Arghandab Valley in Zabul, we had 4 dogs – and they were the greatest dogs of all time. One was even a purebred Central Asian Shepherd with the most beautiful white fur. Another, affectionately named Bro Namath, followed us on patrols, barked at combatants, recon'd areas before we went into it, and kept local nationals out of our little area on our base. Wonderful dogs. Too bad its almost $3K to bring one back...
This is such a real shame that the guys can not bring a dog back with them. What is it really going to cost our government to pay for the fees to bring a dog back here? No much in my eyes! As look what all those guys have done for our country. This makes me sick as the dogs become best friends of the humans who take care of them and the loss is a hurtful to the dog as it is the human to leave the dog behind. Hope thing change. Thanks for what you do for our country.
Check out http://www.thepuppyrescuemission.org That is what they do! Lots of folks help get them over here
Well....I hope they bring her back with them, but at this rate the dog will die of old age. Go Giselle!!!!
Awesome looking dog. Dogs are great! Thanks to Giselle for keeping good company.
Stay safe and come home soon and bring your Giselle with you back to the States!!! She is as precious.
take her home
Great thought, but unfortunately our government probably has some stupid rule that doesn't allow them to do so.
Good dog, Giselle! Good girl! Who's a good girl? Who is? Who is? Giselle is!
Great story, one of the few good things about this situation in AFG.
Why dogs are better then cats 101....their USEFUL.....
Thanks for ruining a decent comment board. AZzhole.
I couldn't agree more. Right on.
I mean chris, cats are worthless.
That may be true or not but I am sure either way a cat or even a dog can spell better than you, smart one.
Awesome story, I know how it is to feel to have a dog as your companion. They become part of the pack, will company you and protect till the end. You go Giselle!
Beautiful story. Giselle come home with our GREAT SOLDIERS. Thank you for writing such a great story. I love Giselle and our Soldiers. Thanks.
We actually did something similar when I was in the Corps serving in SE Asia twenty years ago, "adopting" a stray we named 'Fuji'. The military, or at least our command looked down on that kind of thing back then and we didn't really understand why. Glad to see that this is now openly accepted – the smallest things make the biggest difference to our troops deployed....
Semper Fi!
Having a pet is still a violation of General Order 1 (apparently written by a someone without an ounce of common sense) but the troops largely ignore it. The animals can't be brought back on military aircraft. One organization that brings them back is ASPCA's Operation Bagdad Pups. Which also brings back felines, not just canines. Make a donaton!
Good to know! Thanks!
Good dog Giselle! We need more stories like this than constant bad news. Thanks guys for sharing!
Great story! I volunteer at SPCA, where there are always wonderful dogs available for adoption. Dogs are, above all, loyal to their "pack" and this one has chosen good men in a bad situation as hers. Thank you, Giselle. Tell your men to check out the local shelter when they come home.
Bringing animals home is expensive, often thousands of dollars. We can help with those costs at the SPCA website Operation Baghdad Pups. Donations of any amount are accepted.
http://www.spcai.org/baghdad-pups.html
You can also sign up on the site to become a fundraiser, set a goal and let people contribute towards your goal.
Thanks for that info. You've just made me very happy.
I'm sitting here crying. I have the book about Nubs and it makes me happy that a 4 legged friend gives such love and support to our great men serving in such a forlorn place. Miss G, take good care of the boys, they need your help and support. There is nothing like the love of a dog, there are no borders or politics involved with a dog. Luv them n you all!
A dog is the best friend/companion you'll ever have! Great story!
Smart, beautiful girl. She probably helps them keep their sanity.
The puppy rescue mission on Facebook helps bring these fur babies home with their soldiers. They do awesome work
Too bad facebook is a virus infested POS. I cant bring myself to open an account! Can't tweet either – beyond this.
Luckily for you, you don't have to go to Facebook to support The Puppy Rescue Mission. Please feel free to check out their website at http://www.thepuppyrescuemission.org.
Thanks. I just "liked" them.
Touching story. The dog helping the troops (companionship and watch dog too I am sure!) and the troops taking care of their new 'best' friend! Hopefully she can come back to the states one day with one of the troopers.
Just watched a Tv show on History or Discovery that the soldiers are getting very attached and they are now being allowed to cut red tape and bring these friends of our soldiers home. They are great for morale and our troops really need something good to come out of that bees nest over there. The one female soldier has been able to bring home 147 dogs to our returning soldiers. Just a great story !!!
Awesome. My corgi wouldn't last a day there. Legs too short.
Different slogs, for different Dogs!
The Armed Services field dogs are wonderous. They take the point, sniff, detect and protect our troops from all they can. My dog can only sniff his balls...I'd gladly take an army dog!
Beautiful, beautiful dog.
Please bring her and others (canine and feline) home with you when you can and spoil them crazy in return for the kindness and love they provide.
She's wonderful!
As far as friends go, nothing beats a Dog.
I served in C Co., 1/508th In. Regt., 173rd Airborne Brigade, during OEF 6 in Afghanistan. When we got to Waza Kwah, our main base, there were several dogs similar to the one described here, which we "inherited" from the 25th ID. They had even gone so far as to have "dog tags" made for some of them, reading "U.S. Army stormtrooper" along with their name. The dogs would sometimes follow soldiers on patrols, often walking many miles. Other times, they would greet us with tails wagging after we returned from missions, providing a much-needed morale boost. At night, they would usually bark at people who walked close to our compound, helping us to pull guard. Actually, they would bark at anyone who wasn't American. They had a clear sense of loyalty. In return, they were killed, by us. Then battalion LTC McGuire and CSM Hof decided that the dogs' dislike of Afghans would be bad for public relations, and ordered us to kill them all. A few soldiers complied. Most were indifferent. A few grumbled quietly among each other. None, including myself, had the courage to speak up or try to take video. I can still remember the dogs sitting patiently, looking up at their executioner. The couple that I watched yelped as they were shot, a second before the executioner finished them off with several more rounds to make sure they were out of their suffering. Everything I had been told in Basic Training about the importance of loyalty disintegrated right there.
*despair*
Your story broke my heart, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Those poor dogs didn't deserve such a cruel death after being so loyal. McGuire and Hof made an ignorant decision.
Nathan: My heart aches for you – and for those poor pups that were so easily tossed aside. I truly hope that you have since returned home safely and found a pup to call your own and love. I also hope that someday, those in charge will begin to understand the value in morale and true loyalty – or at least learn to look the other way and not notice the soldiers being happy about the mere presence of a dog.
This wasn't right. I'm sorry you and your canine friends experienced this. Sadly, there's ugly all over the world.
Those sweet little friends of yours deserved better. I hope you find peace and can heal.
Bring her home to the USA. Surely she has a better chance at a longer life expectancy. By the way............hope the Army lets you folks take in these dogs without hiding them. What a morale booster! Glad to see you enjoying the dog.
Furryocious! Go Giselle, hooah!
I hope that Giselle is rewarded and brought over to America to be loved and cherished. She's a brave dog and needs to be rewarded with love and affection. Please don't forget her once you have pulled out and returned home.
Sooooo ...... How many total dogs has the military "euthanized"? Just askin'.
probably thousands
See Puppy Rescue Mission for the amazing stories of what these battle buddies mean to their Men and Women in Uniform. Soldiers saving Puppies... Puppies saving Soldiers!
These animals give a sense of normalcy to our Troops in an environment that is anything but normal. When they get back to the FOB after a mission they can unwind playing with these pups! During a time when record numbers of Vets are presenting with PTSD, allowing these dogs on base are a small price to pay considering our Men and Women put their lives on the line.
Contact your Representatives and let them know your thoughts on Military orders concerning pets on FOBS. I know the importance of their role on our Troops first hand. My son was based in Afghanistan and through Puppy Rescue Mission who organized the logistics and fundraising was able to rescue his battle buddy! When I see him play with his dog I can see the tension in him leave. Support our Troops and Thank you for your Service.
The amazing bonds that dogs and soldiers form with each other today are much like the bonds shared by American Civil War soldiers and the dogs who accompanied them. In the Civil War dogs helped soldiers endure the stress and horror of warfare, shared their hardships, and helped to raise their morale at one of the bleakest times in our nation's history. You can read more about these remarkable dogs here: http://www.LoyaltyOfDogs.com/LargeView.aspx
very fscinting informtion ! .