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1
00:00:24,750 --> 00:00:27,458
( footsteps )
2
00:00:28,625 --> 00:00:30,250
( sighs )
3
00:00:32,750 --> 00:00:33,709
( latch clicks )
4
00:00:42,417 --> 00:00:43,792
"Peppy,
I miss you so much.
5
00:00:43,792 --> 00:00:46,500
In this ammo can
are some things of yours
6
00:00:46,500 --> 00:00:48,125
that we will bury
at your grave site.
7
00:00:48,125 --> 00:00:49,792
We were unable
to recover your body,
8
00:00:49,792 --> 00:00:52,125
and I'm so sorry for that.
9
00:00:52,125 --> 00:00:53,500
I put these items
in the can
10
00:00:53,500 --> 00:00:55,792
symbolically for you
until we meet again--
11
00:00:55,792 --> 00:00:57,959
a jute, a Kong,
a leash,
12
00:00:57,959 --> 00:01:00,709
a bag of liver treats,
and your brush.
13
00:01:00,709 --> 00:01:02,291
At some point
when we meet again,
14
00:01:02,291 --> 00:01:03,875
we can sit together
on the green hill
15
00:01:03,875 --> 00:01:06,792
and relax
like we used to.
16
00:01:06,792 --> 00:01:08,625
You did
what I could not do.
17
00:01:08,625 --> 00:01:12,000
You willingly dove
into your only fear, water,
18
00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,250
to engage a threat
to your pack.
19
00:01:14,250 --> 00:01:16,792
You did what countless rounds
of ammunition,
20
00:01:16,792 --> 00:01:18,875
frag and stun grenades
could not do--
21
00:01:18,875 --> 00:01:22,125
move the bad man
out of the hole he was in.
22
00:01:22,125 --> 00:01:23,875
Once you pushed him out
the second time,
23
00:01:23,875 --> 00:01:25,667
he was shot four times.
24
00:01:25,667 --> 00:01:29,166
His body was seen
floating down the river
later that night.
25
00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,291
We'll never
know who he was,
but this we do know.
26
00:01:34,291 --> 00:01:36,750
He was bad,
he intended us harm,
27
00:01:36,750 --> 00:01:38,959
and nobody else
wanted to go in after him.
28
00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:40,458
You did.
29
00:01:40,458 --> 00:01:44,500
You're a warrior
I hold in the highest regard.
30
00:01:44,500 --> 00:01:46,291
You are selfless love.
31
00:01:46,291 --> 00:01:48,166
God bless you
until we meet again.
32
00:01:48,166 --> 00:01:49,542
Thank you."
33
00:01:49,542 --> 00:01:51,834
( music playing )
34
00:01:51,834 --> 00:01:53,667
( chatter )
35
00:01:58,750 --> 00:02:01,667
( gunshots )
36
00:02:51,166 --> 00:02:53,250
( beeping )
37
00:03:00,166 --> 00:03:04,834
- ( dogs barking )
- Trent McDonald: All right,
so now we're gonna chase.
38
00:03:04,834 --> 00:03:07,500
Go, psst.
Come on, come on.
39
00:03:07,500 --> 00:03:09,667
( man panting )
40
00:03:09,667 --> 00:03:11,417
( barking )
41
00:03:11,417 --> 00:03:13,750
Man:
Stellen!
42
00:03:13,750 --> 00:03:16,166
Go on.
Oh, good boy!
43
00:03:16,166 --> 00:03:17,583
Oh, yeah!
44
00:03:20,917 --> 00:03:23,583
- Halt!
- Man: Good boy!
45
00:03:25,375 --> 00:03:27,792
Hold on, hold on.
Give me a second.
46
00:03:29,125 --> 00:03:30,583
- Oh!
- Man: Good boy!
47
00:03:30,583 --> 00:03:32,500
All right,
pull him off.
48
00:03:34,417 --> 00:03:36,500
Good boy.
That's him.
49
00:03:36,500 --> 00:03:37,625
Stellen!
50
00:03:39,500 --> 00:03:42,625
- Good boy!
- Oh, good.
51
00:03:43,959 --> 00:03:46,917
Oh, good.
52
00:03:46,917 --> 00:03:48,583
McDonald:
Messing with
Belgian Malinois
53
00:03:48,583 --> 00:03:50,291
and using them
as attack dogs is--
54
00:03:50,291 --> 00:03:52,542
to the untrained person,
it's a very stressful thing.
55
00:03:52,542 --> 00:03:54,750
But if you go into it
very clearheaded
56
00:03:54,750 --> 00:03:58,917
and you're fair
with the animal,
it's not...
57
00:04:00,500 --> 00:04:02,458
It actually relaxes me.
58
00:04:04,625 --> 00:04:05,959
We take that dog
everywhere.
59
00:04:05,959 --> 00:04:08,125
You load that dog up
on a C-17,
60
00:04:08,125 --> 00:04:12,542
you strap it down,
and you guys are going
to Afghanistan together.
61
00:04:12,542 --> 00:04:14,291
You don't know
if that dog's coming back
62
00:04:14,291 --> 00:04:16,458
and you don't know
if you're coming back either.
63
00:04:16,458 --> 00:04:18,834
But you guys are gonna
fight like hell as a team
64
00:04:18,834 --> 00:04:22,125
to get back
at least in one piece.
65
00:04:22,125 --> 00:04:24,291
( dog barking )
66
00:04:26,333 --> 00:04:29,834
Honestly,
I decided to be a Ranger
to kill terrorists.
67
00:04:29,834 --> 00:04:31,333
That's why.
68
00:04:31,333 --> 00:04:33,166
When they're out there
killing your buddies
69
00:04:33,166 --> 00:04:35,500
and you're out there
killing them, then that's
what it is.
70
00:04:35,500 --> 00:04:39,834
It's not unicorn
and rainbow vaginas,
you know what I mean?
71
00:04:39,834 --> 00:04:41,458
It's the fucking real deal.
72
00:04:42,834 --> 00:04:44,125
I like the thrill
of the hunt.
73
00:04:44,125 --> 00:04:46,000
I like to chase you down.
74
00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,375
And I noticed that
when I looked at the dog,
75
00:04:48,375 --> 00:04:50,834
the dog kind of had
the same mentality
that I had.
76
00:04:53,208 --> 00:04:54,542
I had met Benno,
77
00:04:54,542 --> 00:04:57,250
on a professional level,
overseas.
78
00:04:57,250 --> 00:05:00,709
Benno had more time in
and more deployments
than most E-6s
79
00:05:00,709 --> 00:05:02,375
in Ranger Regiment.
80
00:05:02,375 --> 00:05:04,917
Stop and take a look.
That's an invaluable person.
81
00:05:04,917 --> 00:05:07,667
That's an invaluable soldier.
That's an invaluable asset.
82
00:05:07,667 --> 00:05:10,500
That is something
that you cannot go
to PetSmart and get.
83
00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,083
So, it was
April 27th, 2012.
84
00:05:15,083 --> 00:05:16,583
It was actually
my birthday.
85
00:05:16,583 --> 00:05:19,083
I think I turned
27 years old.
86
00:05:19,083 --> 00:05:22,291
( music playing )
87
00:05:22,291 --> 00:05:25,208
As we were flying
in to the mission,
I got the squirter call,
88
00:05:25,208 --> 00:05:28,709
which means
we have guys fleeing
from the target compound.
89
00:05:28,709 --> 00:05:30,375
Instantly,
what that does to me
90
00:05:30,375 --> 00:05:33,834
is that says,
"Tonight's gonna be
a good night."
91
00:05:33,834 --> 00:05:36,667
I got over to the radio
and I started singing
"Happy Birthday,"
92
00:05:36,667 --> 00:05:38,709
and the platoon sergeant
quickly got on the radio
93
00:05:38,709 --> 00:05:40,250
and told me,
"Shut the fuck up."
94
00:05:40,250 --> 00:05:42,166
We landed,
and right when we landed,
95
00:05:42,166 --> 00:05:43,417
it was game on.
96
00:05:43,417 --> 00:05:45,208
There was
two military-aged males
97
00:05:45,208 --> 00:05:46,750
running up the side
of this mountaintop.
98
00:05:47,834 --> 00:05:48,917
We did a callout on them.
99
00:05:48,917 --> 00:05:50,250
"Hey, you, this is us.
100
00:05:50,250 --> 00:05:51,542
Please come out
with your hands up.
101
00:05:51,542 --> 00:05:53,208
This is
other coalition forces.
102
00:05:53,208 --> 00:05:55,291
We've been
doing this for 10 years.
You know who we are.
103
00:05:55,291 --> 00:05:57,083
Get the fuck out
of your fucking hole."
104
00:05:58,875 --> 00:06:00,959
The two guys refused to,
so I sent Benno.
105
00:06:02,667 --> 00:06:06,291
And he followed that guy's
footpath to the tee.
106
00:06:09,375 --> 00:06:11,125
Benno bit the guy.
107
00:06:11,125 --> 00:06:12,792
He had a nice,
good, full bite
108
00:06:12,792 --> 00:06:14,417
on the back
of the tricep.
109
00:06:14,417 --> 00:06:16,875
We started to close
the distance on the guy.
110
00:06:16,875 --> 00:06:19,458
The guy wasn't
screaming and hollering
like he normally does.
111
00:06:19,458 --> 00:06:21,792
That's the first thing
that threw a red flag for me.
112
00:06:21,792 --> 00:06:24,250
And I noticed that the guy
is not screaming and yelling
113
00:06:24,250 --> 00:06:27,166
because he is actually
wrestling with this dog,
114
00:06:27,166 --> 00:06:28,709
and he doesn't care
that he has, like--
115
00:06:28,709 --> 00:06:30,291
a bunch of dudes
around him.
116
00:06:31,667 --> 00:06:33,458
( gunshot )
117
00:06:33,458 --> 00:06:35,000
And right before
I could put
118
00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,291
that safety selector switch
from "safe" to "fire,"
119
00:06:37,291 --> 00:06:38,792
that guy had already
killed my dog.
120
00:06:38,792 --> 00:06:41,458
The guy instantly died.
I grabbed Benno.
121
00:06:41,458 --> 00:06:44,208
I don't know if he knew
he was exactly there or not
122
00:06:44,208 --> 00:06:46,041
or if he was losing
just a massive amount of blood
123
00:06:46,041 --> 00:06:47,208
and he knew he was dying.
124
00:06:47,208 --> 00:06:48,792
He wasn't trying
to bite me or anything,
125
00:06:48,792 --> 00:06:50,375
but he was alive
and he was blinking.
126
00:06:50,375 --> 00:06:52,625
My finger was actually
in the neck wound of Benno.
127
00:06:52,625 --> 00:06:56,041
I looked at the PA
and I said, "Hey, man,
what can we do?"
128
00:06:56,041 --> 00:06:59,166
And he just looked at me
and he said, "There's nothing
we can do."
129
00:06:59,166 --> 00:07:00,667
He said,
"I'm sorry, man."
130
00:07:00,667 --> 00:07:02,875
( music playing )
131
00:07:15,583 --> 00:07:17,458
When we walked off
that target,
132
00:07:17,458 --> 00:07:19,250
you know, I was
still covered in blood.
133
00:07:19,250 --> 00:07:21,333
And I picked up
the phone,
134
00:07:21,333 --> 00:07:24,041
I called my mother
and I called my wife,
135
00:07:24,041 --> 00:07:25,500
and I just let them know
136
00:07:25,500 --> 00:07:27,667
that, "You know,
hey, it's my birthday.
137
00:07:27,667 --> 00:07:28,959
You know, you guys"--
138
00:07:28,959 --> 00:07:31,166
you know,
I didn't tell them anything.
139
00:07:31,166 --> 00:07:32,500
You know,
I just wanted--
140
00:07:32,500 --> 00:07:35,291
I didn't want to talk
to anybody about it.
141
00:07:35,291 --> 00:07:37,875
I just wanted it to be
my fucking birthday.
142
00:07:37,875 --> 00:07:40,542
( music playing )
143
00:07:46,792 --> 00:07:49,375
When Benno was gonna get
cremated in Kandahar,
144
00:07:49,375 --> 00:07:53,375
I came out,
and they had a full-blown,
like, ramp-side ceremony.
145
00:07:53,375 --> 00:07:57,542
The regular Army, everybody,
had gotten together
and done it.
146
00:07:57,542 --> 00:08:00,417
And they gave me a toe tag
and an American flag.
147
00:08:00,417 --> 00:08:01,750
I put it on
an American flag
148
00:08:01,750 --> 00:08:03,625
that I carried
for six deployments.
149
00:08:03,625 --> 00:08:06,041
And on the toe tag it says
"Staff Sergeant Benno,"
150
00:08:06,041 --> 00:08:08,041
and then underneath it,
it says "hero."
151
00:08:08,041 --> 00:08:11,417
And that's kind of
when it hit me that, like--
you know what I mean?
152
00:08:11,417 --> 00:08:13,542
Like, these--
it's not only just me
153
00:08:13,542 --> 00:08:14,917
and it's not only
these Rangers,
154
00:08:14,917 --> 00:08:17,083
but you have, like,
regular Army people
155
00:08:17,083 --> 00:08:19,542
who are, like, crying
because a dog's dead.
156
00:08:19,542 --> 00:08:21,542
When I started
to think about it,
157
00:08:21,542 --> 00:08:24,041
and I saw that toe tag,
I noticed that
158
00:08:24,041 --> 00:08:26,750
they weren't crying
at a dog.
159
00:08:26,750 --> 00:08:28,417
They were crying
at a soldier.
160
00:08:28,417 --> 00:08:31,083
They were upset
because a soldier died.
161
00:08:31,083 --> 00:08:33,083
( music playing )
162
00:08:37,709 --> 00:08:39,291
When I went back
to the kennel,
163
00:08:39,291 --> 00:08:40,792
they had a dog
named Layka,
164
00:08:40,792 --> 00:08:42,250
and that's when
my trainer was, like,
165
00:08:42,250 --> 00:08:43,667
"Well,
Layka's really young.
166
00:08:43,667 --> 00:08:45,083
This is
her first deployment."
167
00:08:45,083 --> 00:08:46,917
I said,
"Yeah, but I want her."
168
00:08:46,917 --> 00:08:49,917
You know, I was like,
"I think I can do something
with her."
169
00:08:49,917 --> 00:08:52,208
( dog barking )
170
00:09:01,875 --> 00:09:03,333
Come on.
171
00:09:06,458 --> 00:09:08,750
She kind of has rule
of the roost, you know?
172
00:09:08,750 --> 00:09:12,291
She doesn't get put in cages
and stuff like that.
173
00:09:12,291 --> 00:09:14,333
- They know it, too.
- ( dog barking )
174
00:09:16,625 --> 00:09:18,875
They do what they do
because they're pack animals.
175
00:09:18,875 --> 00:09:20,458
They're always trying
to get above.
176
00:09:20,458 --> 00:09:22,709
They're always trying
to move up ahead.
177
00:09:22,709 --> 00:09:25,125
You know, every dog here
knows that Layka's the one.
178
00:09:25,125 --> 00:09:26,875
I can bring any one
of these dogs out here
179
00:09:26,875 --> 00:09:28,417
and Layka will put them all
in their place,
180
00:09:28,417 --> 00:09:30,333
and she has three legs.
181
00:09:30,333 --> 00:09:31,709
( barking )
182
00:09:31,709 --> 00:09:33,166
Puppy doesn't want
to play with Layka
183
00:09:33,166 --> 00:09:36,041
because Layka's
too serious.
184
00:09:36,041 --> 00:09:37,458
But she's like
the mother hen.
185
00:09:37,458 --> 00:09:39,083
She keeps
everybody in check.
186
00:09:39,083 --> 00:09:42,208
You know what I mean?
She keeps everybody
in check.
187
00:09:42,208 --> 00:09:44,500
Ain't that right, girl?
188
00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:46,834
This is the only picture
I have of her with four legs.
189
00:09:46,834 --> 00:09:48,875
Everybody always asks me
for pictures of her.
190
00:09:48,875 --> 00:09:49,875
This is it.
191
00:09:49,875 --> 00:09:51,834
Four legs.
Right there.
192
00:09:51,834 --> 00:09:53,875
( laughing )
That's all you get.
193
00:09:53,875 --> 00:09:56,375
It's the only one
I have of her.
194
00:09:56,375 --> 00:09:58,500
And then, you got her.
195
00:09:58,500 --> 00:09:59,834
Look at her.
I'm sorry.
196
00:09:59,834 --> 00:10:03,166
Layka, come on, honey.
Let's not do that today.
197
00:10:03,166 --> 00:10:05,333
( laughing )
198
00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,333
Oh, man.
Come on, now.
199
00:10:17,333 --> 00:10:21,625
Make this easy on me.
Mm-hmm.
200
00:10:24,417 --> 00:10:26,083
24 hours
after I got Layka,
201
00:10:26,083 --> 00:10:28,000
I was running targets
with her.
202
00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,125
That was my eighth
combat deployment.
203
00:10:30,125 --> 00:10:33,166
You know, I had already lost
a dog at that point in time.
204
00:10:33,166 --> 00:10:34,959
It doesn't really matter
who you're going after
205
00:10:34,959 --> 00:10:36,500
just as long
as you get to come home.
206
00:10:36,500 --> 00:10:39,709
- ( explosion )
- ( gunfire )
207
00:10:39,709 --> 00:10:42,375
It was only
Layka's sixth mission.
208
00:10:42,375 --> 00:10:44,542
This is all
a very new environment.
209
00:10:44,542 --> 00:10:46,667
- ( whining )
- Layka, she's getting
210
00:10:46,667 --> 00:10:48,250
pretty amped up
on the noise.
211
00:10:48,250 --> 00:10:49,834
( gunfire continues )
212
00:10:49,834 --> 00:10:51,625
All I did
was I just remained calm.
213
00:10:51,625 --> 00:10:53,250
I had been
in that situation
214
00:10:53,250 --> 00:10:54,792
way more than she has.
215
00:10:54,792 --> 00:10:56,208
I needed her
to calm down,
216
00:10:56,208 --> 00:10:57,667
so what I did
was I took a ball
217
00:10:57,667 --> 00:10:59,500
out of my pocket
and I told her to sit.
218
00:10:59,500 --> 00:11:00,667
And when she'd sit,
I paid her.
219
00:11:00,667 --> 00:11:01,959
So all I was doing
220
00:11:01,959 --> 00:11:03,625
is I was just changing
the game for her.
221
00:11:03,625 --> 00:11:05,709
- ( explosion )
- When the dust settles, like,
222
00:11:05,709 --> 00:11:07,458
the whole front
of this structure
223
00:11:07,458 --> 00:11:09,250
was pretty much
dilapidated in.
224
00:11:09,250 --> 00:11:10,709
I looked at the squad leader
and I said,
225
00:11:10,709 --> 00:11:12,166
"Oh, yeah,
I feel good about this.
226
00:11:12,166 --> 00:11:14,250
You know, let's go ahead
and send her in."
227
00:11:14,250 --> 00:11:16,583
( music playing )
228
00:11:21,083 --> 00:11:23,709
As I'm moving through
this dense dust,
229
00:11:23,709 --> 00:11:26,792
I can see Layka's
IR strobe flashing.
230
00:11:26,792 --> 00:11:29,333
You can only see it
through your night vision.
231
00:11:29,333 --> 00:11:32,917
I knew it was my dog
and I went to go investigate
what she had.
232
00:11:34,917 --> 00:11:36,417
That's when
I saw the outline
233
00:11:36,417 --> 00:11:39,333
of what appeared to be
an enemy killed in action.
234
00:11:39,333 --> 00:11:43,250
And I said,
"Okay, this guy is--
he's obviously deceased."
235
00:11:43,250 --> 00:11:47,375
I got up to Layka
and I remember her tail
touching my shins.
236
00:11:47,375 --> 00:11:50,917
And I ran my hands
up past her vest.
237
00:11:50,917 --> 00:11:52,834
I remember my thumbs
touching her camera,
238
00:11:52,834 --> 00:11:55,959
and that's when I grabbed on
to the back of her collar.
239
00:11:59,041 --> 00:12:00,667
That's when
the guy rose up.
240
00:12:00,667 --> 00:12:02,333
( gunshots )
241
00:12:03,792 --> 00:12:06,417
It was so loud
and it was so hot.
242
00:12:06,417 --> 00:12:07,959
I had never been
that close
243
00:12:07,959 --> 00:12:11,417
to the opposite end
of the barrel before.
244
00:12:11,417 --> 00:12:13,458
You know,
I definitely thought
that was it for me.
245
00:12:15,542 --> 00:12:16,959
And when
I raised back up,
246
00:12:16,959 --> 00:12:18,792
all the shots
had already went off
247
00:12:18,792 --> 00:12:20,792
and Para Green had came up
through the window
248
00:12:20,792 --> 00:12:24,500
and he eliminated the threat
in about two shots.
249
00:12:24,500 --> 00:12:26,750
That is when I started
to recall Layka.
250
00:12:26,750 --> 00:12:29,375
And I could see her,
and she actually had
251
00:12:29,375 --> 00:12:31,250
what it appeared--
actually it was.
252
00:12:31,250 --> 00:12:34,125
It was her right limb
was in her mouth
253
00:12:34,125 --> 00:12:37,834
and she was trying
to pull it off.
254
00:12:40,458 --> 00:12:42,458
That's when we noticed
that tricep
255
00:12:42,458 --> 00:12:46,375
had been torn apart
by a AK-47 round.
256
00:12:46,375 --> 00:12:48,333
( music playing )
257
00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:52,333
I was like,
"Great, again.
258
00:12:52,333 --> 00:12:54,542
You know, another dog.
Another dog."
259
00:12:54,542 --> 00:12:57,709
It was a sock in the nuts
and and it hurt.
260
00:12:57,709 --> 00:12:59,667
( music playing )
261
00:13:10,291 --> 00:13:11,792
And I remember
getting to the CSH
262
00:13:11,792 --> 00:13:14,000
and thinking
to myself, like,
263
00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:15,709
"If she makes it
through this--
264
00:13:15,709 --> 00:13:18,208
you know, if she makes it
through this, I want her."
265
00:13:18,208 --> 00:13:20,750
( music playing )
266
00:13:36,208 --> 00:13:38,000
Announcer on PA:
Fans, please direct
your attention
267
00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,041
to the north end zone
as we welcome Layka
268
00:13:41,041 --> 00:13:43,000
to Neyland Stadium.
269
00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:45,041
Layka is a decorated
war dog
270
00:13:45,041 --> 00:13:49,083
that saved the lives
of American troops
in Afghanistan.
271
00:13:49,083 --> 00:13:52,667
- ( crowd cheers )
- In honor of her
battlefield heroics,
272
00:13:52,667 --> 00:13:54,542
Layka was featured
on the cover
273
00:13:54,542 --> 00:13:58,000
of "National Geographic"
in June 2014,
274
00:13:58,000 --> 00:13:59,667
a symbol of the hero dogs
275
00:13:59,667 --> 00:14:02,375
fighting alongside
US troops.
276
00:14:02,375 --> 00:14:04,583
Let's give a big
Orange round of applause
277
00:14:04,583 --> 00:14:08,625
for the service dog
and hero, Layka.
278
00:14:08,625 --> 00:14:11,250
( crowd cheering )
279
00:14:16,083 --> 00:14:18,709
Oh, my God!
( chuckles )
280
00:14:21,208 --> 00:14:23,125
- Hey!
- Hey!
281
00:14:23,125 --> 00:14:26,750
- Here she is.
- Hi, Layka! Hi!
282
00:14:26,750 --> 00:14:31,000
Hi, baby girl.
Oh, my God.
( laughs )
283
00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:35,291
Look how strong she is.
Look how strong she is.
284
00:14:36,834 --> 00:14:38,959
It's okay, babe.
It's okay, Layka.
285
00:14:38,959 --> 00:14:41,500
Hang on.
You remember this place?
286
00:14:41,500 --> 00:14:43,000
Do you remember?
287
00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:44,959
Daddy knows how
to make you lay down
better than I do.
288
00:14:44,959 --> 00:14:47,959
There you go.
Good girl!
( laughs )
289
00:14:47,959 --> 00:14:51,583
- Okay, good girl.
- McDonald: I got her face.
290
00:14:51,583 --> 00:14:52,917
( laughs )
291
00:14:54,125 --> 00:14:55,417
That looks
so much better.
292
00:14:55,417 --> 00:14:57,166
Yeah, yeah,
it looks good.
293
00:14:57,166 --> 00:14:58,291
Easy.
294
00:14:58,291 --> 00:15:00,291
She does not like
her feet messed with.
295
00:15:00,291 --> 00:15:01,959
- She never has.
- No.
296
00:15:01,959 --> 00:15:03,834
When we first started,
we couldn't do this
297
00:15:03,834 --> 00:15:07,542
- without sedating her
almost completely.
- ( Layka snorts )
298
00:15:07,542 --> 00:15:10,291
She's a pretty lucky dog,
for sure.
299
00:15:10,291 --> 00:15:13,917
Those were some
pretty nasty injuries.
300
00:15:13,917 --> 00:15:15,834
But I can tell you
she's adapted beautifully
301
00:15:15,834 --> 00:15:20,166
because when she was here,
we'd play soccer with her toys
302
00:15:20,166 --> 00:15:21,959
and we'd put
a ball out there,
303
00:15:21,959 --> 00:15:23,625
and she would take
that cast and whack it.
304
00:15:23,625 --> 00:15:24,875
She had great aim.
305
00:15:24,875 --> 00:15:26,583
I mean, she was
a great soccer player.
306
00:15:26,583 --> 00:15:29,792
She'd get mad if you wouldn't
kick it back to her.
307
00:15:29,792 --> 00:15:31,834
Laura Miller:
Oh, God, I love it
when she does that.
308
00:15:31,834 --> 00:15:33,500
It's so freaking cute!
309
00:15:35,208 --> 00:15:37,417
After seeing her,
I just couldn't stop smiling
310
00:15:37,417 --> 00:15:38,792
because
she looked so good
311
00:15:38,792 --> 00:15:40,166
and because
I'm so attached to her.
312
00:15:40,166 --> 00:15:42,000
And that's how
you get with her.
313
00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:45,208
To be a dog
that can attack people
314
00:15:45,208 --> 00:15:46,834
and to be so affectionate
and loving
315
00:15:46,834 --> 00:15:48,750
and just create
316
00:15:48,750 --> 00:15:51,500
those kind of feelings
in people is amazing.
317
00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:53,875
Good girl.
Come on.
318
00:15:53,875 --> 00:15:56,083
Good girl, good girl.
319
00:15:56,083 --> 00:15:58,500
Oh, yes,
she is so much better.
320
00:16:00,542 --> 00:16:02,083
( music playing )
321
00:16:04,208 --> 00:16:05,250
Come on.
Come on, babe.
322
00:16:05,250 --> 00:16:08,417
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
323
00:16:08,417 --> 00:16:11,208
Good girl.
Good girl.
324
00:16:15,875 --> 00:16:17,834
Come on in.
Go get it, go get it.
325
00:16:17,834 --> 00:16:19,458
Go get it.
Good girl, good girl.
326
00:16:19,458 --> 00:16:22,208
Good girl, good girl,
good girl, good girl.
327
00:16:23,375 --> 00:16:24,750
Good girl.
328
00:16:26,875 --> 00:16:28,834
( music playing )
329
00:16:38,041 --> 00:16:40,166
McDonald:
Layka, did you eat
all my food?
330
00:16:44,250 --> 00:16:46,125
( panting )
331
00:16:48,917 --> 00:16:51,750
It's really cool
to forge that bond
and build that bond,
332
00:16:51,750 --> 00:16:54,291
because we're more
of a team now than we were
333
00:16:54,291 --> 00:16:56,917
when we were even
in Afghanistan.
334
00:16:56,917 --> 00:16:59,250
Where our bond developed
and where our team developed,
335
00:16:59,250 --> 00:17:02,166
it was developed
when we were out hunting
for deer antlers.
336
00:17:02,166 --> 00:17:03,667
And that's what
she likes to do now.
337
00:17:03,667 --> 00:17:05,166
She likes to hunt
for deer antlers,
338
00:17:05,166 --> 00:17:06,792
she likes pets
on her head,
339
00:17:06,792 --> 00:17:09,041
and she likes to watch
"Grey's Anatomy"
340
00:17:09,041 --> 00:17:10,291
from time to time.
341
00:17:10,291 --> 00:17:12,250
That's her favorite show
is "Grey's Anatomy."
342
00:17:12,250 --> 00:17:15,125
They took it off air,
which about killed her.
343
00:17:15,125 --> 00:17:16,959
But, you know,
every once in awhile,
344
00:17:16,959 --> 00:17:18,583
we get some reruns,
so it's good.
345
00:17:18,583 --> 00:17:20,917
- She likes her "Grey's."
- ( thunder rumbling )
346
00:17:23,166 --> 00:17:24,625
( sniffs )
347
00:17:24,625 --> 00:17:26,417
You know, she wasn't big
in combat with me,
348
00:17:26,417 --> 00:17:29,291
but she went through
a lot of life things with me.
349
00:17:29,291 --> 00:17:31,041
After being blown up
in 2009,
350
00:17:31,041 --> 00:17:33,291
I got addicted
to my painkillers.
351
00:17:33,291 --> 00:17:35,125
I mean, she helped me
through that addiction, man.
352
00:17:36,208 --> 00:17:37,792
It was lonely, you know.
353
00:17:37,792 --> 00:17:39,500
My ex-wife takes my kid
and moves all the way back
354
00:17:39,500 --> 00:17:42,208
to Arkansas,
625 miles.
355
00:17:42,208 --> 00:17:44,166
At the end of the day
when everything fell apart,
356
00:17:44,166 --> 00:17:46,583
the only person
that had me grounded was her.
357
00:17:46,583 --> 00:17:48,291
She couldn't speak to me,
she couldn't say,
358
00:17:48,291 --> 00:17:49,667
"Hey, pull your head
out of your ass
359
00:17:49,667 --> 00:17:51,208
and get your shit
together."
360
00:17:51,208 --> 00:17:52,834
No, she could
only look at me,
361
00:17:52,834 --> 00:17:54,875
you know, and console me
when I was, you know,
362
00:17:54,875 --> 00:17:57,625
in pain, trying to get
the stuff out of my system
363
00:17:57,625 --> 00:18:00,583
or, you know,
just an emotional pain
364
00:18:00,583 --> 00:18:04,417
for my-- you know,
my ex-wife taking
my kid and leaving.
365
00:18:04,417 --> 00:18:05,375
I mean, that was tough.
366
00:18:06,709 --> 00:18:08,125
Zoek.
367
00:18:08,125 --> 00:18:10,667
( music playing )
368
00:18:13,500 --> 00:18:14,667
Good.
369
00:18:17,041 --> 00:18:20,875
Layka really helped me
keep my sanity through it all.
370
00:18:20,875 --> 00:18:22,333
( clicking tongue )
371
00:18:22,333 --> 00:18:24,000
She's not a dog,
she's her own person.
372
00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:25,333
She's got her own agenda.
373
00:18:25,333 --> 00:18:26,875
She's got
her own scheduling.
374
00:18:26,875 --> 00:18:28,291
She does her own thing.
375
00:18:28,291 --> 00:18:30,333
I don't know
what it is day by day
376
00:18:30,333 --> 00:18:33,417
what her scheduling is,
but I remain flexible
377
00:18:33,417 --> 00:18:37,125
because she is
very, very needy.
378
00:18:37,125 --> 00:18:40,583
At the end of the day,
I can sit on my couch
and I can look at her
379
00:18:40,583 --> 00:18:42,792
and I can put
my forehead on hers
380
00:18:42,792 --> 00:18:46,166
and, you know,
just take a deep breath
and let everything go
381
00:18:46,166 --> 00:18:48,125
and kind of be
at my place of peace.
382
00:18:48,125 --> 00:18:49,792
And that's-- you know,
that's what feels--
383
00:18:49,792 --> 00:18:53,041
you know, that's what
feels good to me.
384
00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:56,917
( music playing )
385
00:19:21,542 --> 00:19:23,417
Reporter on TV:
Today some North Mississippi
386
00:19:23,417 --> 00:19:26,333
crime-fighting dogs are being
honored in DeSoto County.
387
00:19:26,333 --> 00:19:28,709
North Mississippi reporter,
Michael Clark, joins us live
388
00:19:28,709 --> 00:19:30,333
with the "High 5."
Michael?
389
00:19:30,333 --> 00:19:32,750
K9 units often keep folks
safe in DeSoto County,
390
00:19:32,750 --> 00:19:33,917
but this past week,
391
00:19:33,917 --> 00:19:35,500
patrol units took home
first place
392
00:19:35,500 --> 00:19:37,875
out of more than 100 teams
in an annual competition
393
00:19:37,875 --> 00:19:39,208
held in Indiana.
394
00:19:39,208 --> 00:19:41,208
The three dogs--
Sammy, Mika, and Max--
395
00:19:41,208 --> 00:19:42,917
- That's her.
- appear on our video.
396
00:19:42,917 --> 00:19:45,083
They took home the gold
in the 13th Annual
397
00:19:45,083 --> 00:19:47,333
American Working Dogs
Canine Olympics.
398
00:19:47,333 --> 00:19:49,625
This is from 2012.
399
00:19:49,625 --> 00:19:52,208
On it, it has the name
of the handler.
400
00:19:55,500 --> 00:19:59,500
Paul Leslie,
Deputy Paul Leslie, 2012.
401
00:19:59,500 --> 00:20:01,417
( keyboard clicking )
402
00:20:01,417 --> 00:20:06,375
So, there's a good chance
that it's still the same handler
from 2012
403
00:20:06,375 --> 00:20:08,917
that she's probably with.
404
00:20:08,917 --> 00:20:10,333
( phone ringing )
405
00:20:12,959 --> 00:20:15,375
Woman on phone: Good afternoon.
DeSoto County Sheriff's
Department.
406
00:20:15,375 --> 00:20:16,750
May I help you?
407
00:20:16,750 --> 00:20:18,375
Yes, I'm trying
to get in contact
408
00:20:18,375 --> 00:20:21,542
with someone
in the Canine Department.
409
00:20:21,542 --> 00:20:25,291
Woman:
Do you need somebody
in the Canine Department?
410
00:20:25,291 --> 00:20:28,291
- Yes.
- I can give somebody
a message for you.
411
00:20:28,291 --> 00:20:31,375
My name is
Sergeant First Class
John Dixon.
412
00:20:31,375 --> 00:20:32,875
There was
a military working dog
413
00:20:32,875 --> 00:20:35,166
that I had
worked with, Mika.
414
00:20:36,542 --> 00:20:39,291
A little female Malinois.
415
00:20:39,291 --> 00:20:42,291
- Mika?
- Yes.
416
00:20:42,291 --> 00:20:45,125
Okay.
417
00:20:45,125 --> 00:20:49,208
I think I know
who actually may have had
something to do with that dog.
418
00:20:49,208 --> 00:20:52,709
All right, I will get
somebody to give you
a call back, okay?
419
00:20:52,709 --> 00:20:55,208
- And you were the owner?
- Yes.
420
00:20:55,208 --> 00:20:56,875
- Okay.
- All right, bye.
421
00:20:56,875 --> 00:20:58,041
Bye-bye.
422
00:20:59,667 --> 00:21:03,500
- ( phone clicks )
- ( beeps )
423
00:21:03,500 --> 00:21:05,834
( sighs )
Now it's still waiting.
424
00:21:08,166 --> 00:21:10,709
( music playing )
425
00:21:10,709 --> 00:21:12,834
( chatter )
426
00:21:12,834 --> 00:21:17,458
Man:
Whoa, Mika!
Okay. Whoa, Mika!
427
00:21:17,458 --> 00:21:20,875
- ( chuckles )
- Whoa, zoek!
428
00:21:20,875 --> 00:21:23,542
- ( shouting )
- ( cheering )
429
00:21:23,542 --> 00:21:25,166
Man:
Yeah! Yeah!
430
00:21:25,166 --> 00:21:27,166
- Man #2: Yeah, buddy, go.
- Hey, get him!
431
00:21:27,166 --> 00:21:30,166
John:
In 2006, the command
had made a decision
432
00:21:30,166 --> 00:21:33,208
that we'll start
our own Ranger dog program
433
00:21:33,208 --> 00:21:35,542
with Ranger dog teams.
434
00:21:35,542 --> 00:21:37,667
I was fortunate enough
to be one of the four
435
00:21:37,667 --> 00:21:40,750
that was chosen
to go start this program up.
436
00:21:40,750 --> 00:21:43,417
I actually left Afghanistan
a little bit early.
437
00:21:43,417 --> 00:21:45,583
They sent us off
to the dog school.
438
00:21:45,583 --> 00:21:47,333
And that's where
I first met Mika.
439
00:21:47,333 --> 00:21:49,542
As soon as I got there,
they took the four of us
440
00:21:49,542 --> 00:21:51,375
and they paired us up
with a dog
441
00:21:51,375 --> 00:21:53,250
and they said,
"This is your dog."
442
00:21:53,250 --> 00:21:55,375
So, I was a little nervous,
actually, when I first met her.
443
00:21:55,375 --> 00:21:57,875
I was like,
"I don't, you know,
444
00:21:57,875 --> 00:22:00,041
know how to really
approach this dog yet."
445
00:22:00,041 --> 00:22:01,834
You know,
our instructions were
446
00:22:01,834 --> 00:22:05,333
just hold the leash
and walk around with them.
447
00:22:05,333 --> 00:22:08,458
Wherever they want to go,
just walk with them.
448
00:22:08,458 --> 00:22:10,834
It's amazing,
just by holding a leash
449
00:22:10,834 --> 00:22:12,375
with a dog attached
to the other end,
450
00:22:12,375 --> 00:22:15,333
like, how they can pick up
451
00:22:15,333 --> 00:22:17,625
on any little cue
that you have.
452
00:22:19,250 --> 00:22:20,625
You know,
even when we weren't
453
00:22:20,625 --> 00:22:22,000
supposed to be working
or training,
454
00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:23,458
we'd be working
and training,
455
00:22:23,458 --> 00:22:25,667
which for her,
it's not work and training,
456
00:22:25,667 --> 00:22:27,291
for her, that's,
"Hey, Daddy's here.
457
00:22:27,291 --> 00:22:29,417
We're having time together.
It's fun."
458
00:22:29,417 --> 00:22:31,583
And for me
it wasn't really working
or training either,
459
00:22:31,583 --> 00:22:32,792
to be honest with you.
460
00:22:32,792 --> 00:22:34,083
It was fun,
it was enjoyable,
461
00:22:34,083 --> 00:22:35,625
and I loved doing it.
462
00:22:35,625 --> 00:22:37,417
( music playing )
463
00:22:39,041 --> 00:22:41,250
Her being my first dog,
we worked so much together
464
00:22:41,250 --> 00:22:42,875
and I spent
so much time with her.
465
00:22:42,875 --> 00:22:45,125
We built that--
you know, that...
466
00:22:45,125 --> 00:22:47,875
really, really
strong bond.
467
00:22:50,583 --> 00:22:52,166
Whenever she left,
there was only--
468
00:22:52,166 --> 00:22:53,834
you know, there was only
a handful of things
469
00:22:53,834 --> 00:22:55,166
that I could keep,
you know?
470
00:22:55,166 --> 00:22:59,166
I would love
to have kept her with me,
471
00:22:59,166 --> 00:23:02,959
you know, forever,
but, you know, that's not--
472
00:23:02,959 --> 00:23:05,125
it wasn't possible,
so I kept what I could,
473
00:23:05,125 --> 00:23:09,291
and this collar
was one of the things
that I could keep
474
00:23:09,291 --> 00:23:12,542
that, you know, she had
from the time I got her
475
00:23:12,542 --> 00:23:15,125
till-- till the time
she left.
476
00:23:15,125 --> 00:23:17,542
And then the other thing
that I kept was
477
00:23:17,542 --> 00:23:22,792
a picture of her that--
we had all of our dogs.
478
00:23:22,792 --> 00:23:26,625
We had taken a picture
of them and blown it up,
479
00:23:26,625 --> 00:23:28,542
and we put them
in little frames
480
00:23:28,542 --> 00:23:30,250
and we had them hanging
on the kennel walls
481
00:23:30,250 --> 00:23:33,041
so that, you know,
when you came in the kennel,
482
00:23:33,041 --> 00:23:35,458
it'd be all the dogs
up there in a row.
483
00:23:35,458 --> 00:23:37,917
And...
484
00:23:39,834 --> 00:23:41,959
I want to get it
kind of cleaned up.
485
00:23:41,959 --> 00:23:43,834
During the move,
when we were moving,
486
00:23:43,834 --> 00:23:47,375
it kind of got
a little damaged.
487
00:23:47,375 --> 00:23:50,500
But it's the only picture--
the only big-frame picture
488
00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:54,625
that I have,
so I still keep it up.
489
00:23:54,625 --> 00:24:00,166
These were her call signs
that she wore on her vest.
490
00:24:00,166 --> 00:24:02,625
So, she was
wearing this one
491
00:24:02,625 --> 00:24:06,000
on the mission night
where I was wounded.
492
00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,500
And, you know,
all that happened
493
00:24:09,500 --> 00:24:11,583
and we got separated.
494
00:24:11,583 --> 00:24:14,333
That actual
brownish-red color
495
00:24:14,333 --> 00:24:16,750
is actually blood
from the mission.
496
00:24:16,750 --> 00:24:20,750
I just never cleaned it.
I just left it the way it is.
497
00:24:20,750 --> 00:24:23,667
I thought about cleaning it
or wiping it off,
498
00:24:23,667 --> 00:24:28,458
but it just--
I just left it
the way it is.
499
00:24:28,458 --> 00:24:29,875
I just feel like
500
00:24:29,875 --> 00:24:32,875
I don't want to change
anything from it, so.
501
00:24:44,667 --> 00:24:46,375
( sighs )
502
00:24:46,375 --> 00:24:51,750
Then this is the kit
that I was wearing
503
00:24:51,750 --> 00:24:54,500
on the mission
where I was shot with Mika,
504
00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:58,041
and it's got
the bullet hole
505
00:24:58,041 --> 00:24:59,917
where it went
through there.
506
00:24:59,917 --> 00:25:02,291
On my eighth deployment,
507
00:25:02,291 --> 00:25:05,291
the second deployment
with Mika to Afghanistan,
508
00:25:05,291 --> 00:25:09,166
the third weekend, we walked
straight into an ambush.
509
00:25:09,166 --> 00:25:13,875
Pretty much
the worst imaginable situation
you're gonna walk into.
510
00:25:13,875 --> 00:25:17,667
- ( gunfire )
- ( explosions )
511
00:25:17,667 --> 00:25:20,333
It was just
a blaze of flashes
in front of me,
512
00:25:20,333 --> 00:25:22,917
and so all I can do
is hit the ground
513
00:25:22,917 --> 00:25:25,333
and shoot at the flashes.
514
00:25:25,333 --> 00:25:27,041
Mika started going crazy.
515
00:25:27,041 --> 00:25:28,458
The anxiety started
to build in her.
516
00:25:28,458 --> 00:25:30,291
She's want--
she's rearing to go.
517
00:25:30,291 --> 00:25:33,041
I'm keeping her attached
to me the whole time
on a tether
518
00:25:33,041 --> 00:25:35,458
and trying
to keep her calm.
519
00:25:35,458 --> 00:25:37,250
( explosions )
520
00:25:38,750 --> 00:25:40,625
( rocket whistles )
521
00:25:42,458 --> 00:25:44,291
And I start hearing
the radio traffic
522
00:25:44,291 --> 00:25:47,750
that we're taking
mortar fire and rocket fire
523
00:25:47,750 --> 00:25:51,792
from the outlying compounds
that we had passed.
524
00:25:51,792 --> 00:25:53,667
( gunfire )
525
00:25:53,667 --> 00:25:56,667
We knew we weren't
gonna push through this
and fight through this.
526
00:25:56,667 --> 00:26:00,458
We knew we needed
to break contact.
527
00:26:00,458 --> 00:26:03,417
We had a AC-130
and a A-10
528
00:26:03,417 --> 00:26:04,875
circling above us,
taking turns
529
00:26:04,875 --> 00:26:06,166
hitting this target.
530
00:26:06,166 --> 00:26:10,333
( explosions )
531
00:26:10,333 --> 00:26:12,458
It sounded
really powerful.
532
00:26:12,458 --> 00:26:15,208
The explosions
looked huge.
533
00:26:15,208 --> 00:26:18,709
I thought the enemy
would just stop shooting
at that point, you know?
534
00:26:18,709 --> 00:26:20,083
But they didn't.
535
00:26:21,667 --> 00:26:25,375
A few of them broke off
with AK-47s
536
00:26:25,375 --> 00:26:28,375
and went down
the backside of the hill
537
00:26:28,375 --> 00:26:31,709
and kind of looped around
and came to our left flank.
538
00:26:31,709 --> 00:26:34,000
I had one hand
on my dog like, you know,
539
00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:36,166
telling her to calm down,
540
00:26:36,166 --> 00:26:37,750
and, you know, bring
my other hand up to shoot.
541
00:26:37,750 --> 00:26:40,542
That's when I just,
you know, felt a hit.
542
00:26:40,542 --> 00:26:41,959
I didn't know
what it was.
543
00:26:41,959 --> 00:26:43,875
I didn't know
if it was a fucking rock--
544
00:26:43,875 --> 00:26:45,333
it felt like a rock.
545
00:26:45,333 --> 00:26:48,083
It felt like a huge,
like, sledgehammer hit me.
546
00:26:48,083 --> 00:26:50,458
When I fell to the ground,
I lost all control over her,
547
00:26:50,458 --> 00:26:53,542
and she was just barking
and making a crazy noise
548
00:26:53,542 --> 00:26:55,917
and rearing
and jumping up and down.
549
00:26:55,917 --> 00:26:58,500
And, you know,
I was trying to get
550
00:26:58,500 --> 00:27:00,667
my dog with one hand
and get my weapon back up,
551
00:27:00,667 --> 00:27:02,083
and I could only
use one arm.
552
00:27:02,083 --> 00:27:03,709
My other arm
just wouldn't work.
553
00:27:05,458 --> 00:27:07,917
And before I could
even think too much,
554
00:27:07,917 --> 00:27:10,709
one of my Ranger buddies
who was running with me,
555
00:27:10,709 --> 00:27:14,000
just grabbed
my carrying handle
on my body armor
556
00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,125
and started
dragging me backwards,
557
00:27:16,125 --> 00:27:18,500
and the dog's trying
to run the other direction
558
00:27:18,500 --> 00:27:20,166
towards the people
that are shooting at us.
559
00:27:20,166 --> 00:27:21,542
She's trying
to run that a-way
560
00:27:21,542 --> 00:27:22,959
and barking
and pulling against me,
561
00:27:22,959 --> 00:27:24,667
and that's when
562
00:27:24,667 --> 00:27:27,250
one of my Ranger buddies
popped the tether loose
563
00:27:27,250 --> 00:27:31,750
and he took her
and walked her over
to the side.
564
00:27:31,750 --> 00:27:35,375
( snaps fingers )
Like, just a few seconds
after that,
565
00:27:35,375 --> 00:27:36,959
and then a round hits.
566
00:27:36,959 --> 00:27:39,208
( explosion )
567
00:27:39,208 --> 00:27:41,500
That's kind of
when I lost sight of her
568
00:27:41,500 --> 00:27:45,834
and, you know,
started going in and out
of consciousness.
569
00:27:46,875 --> 00:27:49,250
And that's when...
570
00:27:49,250 --> 00:27:51,792
they slid their hand
under my body armor
in the back,
571
00:27:51,792 --> 00:27:54,166
and they said this--
like, all four fingers
572
00:27:54,166 --> 00:27:57,625
like this went into,
like, a big hole.
573
00:27:57,625 --> 00:27:58,875
And then
they pulled it back some,
574
00:27:58,875 --> 00:28:00,750
and that's when
they noticed, like,
575
00:28:00,750 --> 00:28:04,000
you know, just
the massive amount of blood
that was coming out.
576
00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:08,041
So, then they, you know,
started working on that.
577
00:28:10,667 --> 00:28:13,834
I was tied down
to a stretcher,
578
00:28:13,834 --> 00:28:16,834
and I was being carried.
579
00:28:16,834 --> 00:28:18,583
But I do remember
intermittently
580
00:28:18,583 --> 00:28:21,667
throughout the exfil,
581
00:28:21,667 --> 00:28:24,041
I'd ask about my family,
then I'd ask about Mika,
582
00:28:24,041 --> 00:28:26,709
then I'd ask about
my family and Mika.
583
00:28:26,709 --> 00:28:28,166
My main concern
with my family
584
00:28:28,166 --> 00:28:30,917
apparently was
making sure that
585
00:28:30,917 --> 00:28:34,250
they talked to my wife
and she wasn't mad
that I got hurt.
586
00:28:34,250 --> 00:28:37,583
( chuckles )
And then-- because
I'd always told everybody--
587
00:28:37,583 --> 00:28:39,709
no one, you know,
in my family really knew
588
00:28:39,709 --> 00:28:42,250
exactly what I did
and stuff.
589
00:28:42,250 --> 00:28:45,208
You know, all the BS stuff
that we tell people
590
00:28:45,208 --> 00:28:47,792
to comfort them
and make them feel all right.
591
00:28:47,792 --> 00:28:49,625
You know, "I'm not
really that important.
592
00:28:49,625 --> 00:28:53,041
I don't really engage
with a lot of stuff,"
or whatever.
593
00:28:53,041 --> 00:28:56,667
Of course,
that's hard to hide
once you get injured.
594
00:28:56,667 --> 00:28:58,625
( music playing )
595
00:29:05,166 --> 00:29:08,667
You know, I wake up
and I'm like, "All right,"
596
00:29:08,667 --> 00:29:13,375
you know, "Where did
all my Ranger buddies go
597
00:29:13,375 --> 00:29:15,250
and where's Mika at?"
598
00:29:15,250 --> 00:29:17,250
You know,
they talked to me.
599
00:29:17,250 --> 00:29:19,875
They're like,
"Hey, we've already
notified your family.
600
00:29:19,875 --> 00:29:22,917
And, by the way,
we flew Mika here.
Do you want to see her?"
601
00:29:22,917 --> 00:29:25,500
And I'm like,
"Yes, I want to see her.
Of course."
602
00:29:25,500 --> 00:29:27,166
And as soon
as she came in there
603
00:29:27,166 --> 00:29:29,291
and she seen me,
she tried to jump on my bed.
604
00:29:29,291 --> 00:29:31,041
And the doctors,
they didn't like that
very much.
605
00:29:31,041 --> 00:29:33,250
They're like, "Ah,"
but we're like, "Whatever."
606
00:29:33,250 --> 00:29:34,709
She didn't jump
all the way on the bed,
607
00:29:34,709 --> 00:29:36,709
but, you know, she--
halfway up on the bed.
608
00:29:36,709 --> 00:29:38,709
It made me feel
so much better.
609
00:29:38,709 --> 00:29:41,709
And they had also
taken her out
610
00:29:41,709 --> 00:29:46,125
and they had
explained to me, like,
"Hey, she's gonna stay here"
611
00:29:46,125 --> 00:29:49,583
while I was medevaced
back to the U.S.
612
00:29:49,583 --> 00:29:52,709
'cause they felt that,
613
00:29:52,709 --> 00:29:55,041
you know, she could still
serve the mission there
614
00:29:55,041 --> 00:29:57,667
if they paired her up
with somebody else.
615
00:30:00,709 --> 00:30:03,500
The kennel master and handler
came and picked her up
616
00:30:03,500 --> 00:30:05,458
to take her to work,
and she wouldn't.
617
00:30:05,458 --> 00:30:06,417
She quit.
618
00:30:06,417 --> 00:30:07,709
She would just run back
619
00:30:07,709 --> 00:30:10,291
behind everybody,
cower behind their legs,
620
00:30:10,291 --> 00:30:13,792
whatever the case,
even when there was no danger.
621
00:30:13,792 --> 00:30:16,041
You know, she was suffering
from PTSD from that
622
00:30:16,041 --> 00:30:18,500
and from the separation,
I think.
623
00:30:18,500 --> 00:30:20,083
If the last thing
that you saw
624
00:30:20,083 --> 00:30:22,083
was stuff blowing up,
625
00:30:22,083 --> 00:30:24,500
and then all of the sudden
you don't see
626
00:30:24,500 --> 00:30:26,375
your partner anymore,
you know,
627
00:30:26,375 --> 00:30:30,125
there's all kinds of things
that go through your mind.
628
00:30:30,125 --> 00:30:32,917
At that point,
it becomes the liability
629
00:30:32,917 --> 00:30:35,875
to the dog
and the handlers.
630
00:30:37,583 --> 00:30:39,083
As they realized,
you know,
631
00:30:39,083 --> 00:30:40,542
I was gonna be able
to recover
632
00:30:40,542 --> 00:30:42,250
and get back
to handling dogs
633
00:30:42,250 --> 00:30:44,709
and get back to doing
the Ranger mission,
634
00:30:44,709 --> 00:30:46,792
they decided
that it'd be best
635
00:30:46,792 --> 00:30:52,166
to retire her out
to a police department.
636
00:30:52,166 --> 00:30:54,083
They felt that she was still
a pretty young dog
637
00:30:54,083 --> 00:30:58,625
and she could be useful
in the civilian
police sector.
638
00:30:58,625 --> 00:31:01,166
For the first time,
it was explained to me,
639
00:31:01,166 --> 00:31:02,875
you know, everybody gets
their first dog back.
640
00:31:02,875 --> 00:31:05,083
You're gonna get
this dog back.
641
00:31:05,083 --> 00:31:06,625
That was the ease
that I had.
642
00:31:06,625 --> 00:31:09,417
That was the only comfort
that I had,
643
00:31:09,417 --> 00:31:14,250
knowing that one day,
you know, I would
get that call.
644
00:31:15,625 --> 00:31:17,291
I mean, obviously,
she didn't know
645
00:31:17,291 --> 00:31:19,959
that she was leaving
to go somewhere else.
646
00:31:19,959 --> 00:31:21,959
There was no way
to explain that to her.
647
00:31:21,959 --> 00:31:24,208
Like, "Hey, Mika,
648
00:31:24,208 --> 00:31:27,291
you're-- I'm not
gonna see you again
649
00:31:27,291 --> 00:31:30,250
for a long time,
if not ever."
650
00:31:30,250 --> 00:31:32,125
( music playing )
651
00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:41,667
- Paul Leslie:
Make her sit.
- Boy: Zit.
652
00:31:41,667 --> 00:31:44,166
Blijf. Blijf.
653
00:31:44,166 --> 00:31:46,000
- Now throw it.
Throw it.
- Blijf.
654
00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,125
- Blijf. Blijf!
- Throw it.
655
00:31:48,125 --> 00:31:49,625
Go!
656
00:31:51,750 --> 00:31:52,875
Bring it, girl!
Come on.
657
00:31:52,875 --> 00:31:54,500
Your turn, Pops.
658
00:31:54,500 --> 00:31:56,291
- ( barks )
- Leslie: All right, hey.
659
00:31:56,291 --> 00:31:57,625
Let's chill
with the ball throwing.
660
00:31:57,625 --> 00:31:59,542
- She's moving
kind of slow.
- Hey.
661
00:31:59,542 --> 00:32:03,166
- Boy #2: Mika, search!
- Grab the ball.
662
00:32:03,166 --> 00:32:05,333
Leslie:
I really don't have
a whole lot of details
663
00:32:05,333 --> 00:32:06,875
that I know
about her past
664
00:32:06,875 --> 00:32:09,583
other than she came
from the Army Rangers
665
00:32:09,583 --> 00:32:13,041
and she was involved
in some combat situations
666
00:32:13,041 --> 00:32:15,834
that ultimately caused her
to, you know, shut down
667
00:32:15,834 --> 00:32:18,083
as far as working.
668
00:32:18,083 --> 00:32:20,792
I knew that she had had
a handler that had gotten shot
669
00:32:20,792 --> 00:32:23,208
and that she had had
some problems
670
00:32:23,208 --> 00:32:25,291
as far as turning
the light back on
671
00:32:25,291 --> 00:32:26,709
and getting back
into work.
672
00:32:26,709 --> 00:32:28,041
- ( tapping )
- Boy: Come here.
673
00:32:28,041 --> 00:32:29,834
- Boy #2: Come on.
- Hey, come here.
674
00:32:29,834 --> 00:32:32,083
Mika, here.
675
00:32:32,083 --> 00:32:33,458
Leslie:
I had her
about three weeks
676
00:32:33,458 --> 00:32:35,000
before we started
dog class.
677
00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:36,458
We'd come home,
we'd play ball,
678
00:32:36,458 --> 00:32:38,166
and I'd give her a bath
and brush her,
679
00:32:38,166 --> 00:32:40,083
and just slowly starting
to build that friendship,
680
00:32:40,083 --> 00:32:41,875
that bond where she would
trust me enough
681
00:32:41,875 --> 00:32:44,542
to when I call her,
she'd come.
682
00:32:44,542 --> 00:32:47,625
You know,
14, 15, 16 hours a day--
683
00:32:47,625 --> 00:32:49,709
I mean, a lot of people
don't spend that
684
00:32:49,709 --> 00:32:50,875
even with their wives.
685
00:32:50,875 --> 00:32:52,250
You know,
they wouldn't even want
686
00:32:52,250 --> 00:32:54,208
to spend it
with their wives that long.
687
00:32:54,208 --> 00:32:55,792
Mika, hey.
688
00:32:55,792 --> 00:32:57,250
- Blaffen.
- ( barking )
689
00:32:57,250 --> 00:32:58,542
- Leslie: Good girl.
- Woman: Love on her.
690
00:32:58,542 --> 00:33:00,250
- Say, "Good girl."
- Good job!
691
00:33:00,250 --> 00:33:02,208
Leslie:
It's not like
we're baking cookies here.
692
00:33:02,208 --> 00:33:04,166
You know,
we're going after bad guys.
693
00:33:04,166 --> 00:33:07,208
We're trying to get,
you know, drugs and explosives
off the street.
694
00:33:08,583 --> 00:33:10,041
She is just
one of those dogs--
695
00:33:10,041 --> 00:33:11,750
she's one in a thousand,
you know?
696
00:33:11,750 --> 00:33:13,750
You very rarely find
697
00:33:13,750 --> 00:33:17,208
a dog that has
the temperament
that she does,
698
00:33:17,208 --> 00:33:19,000
the social ability
that she has,
699
00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:21,542
you know, the ability
to come in here
700
00:33:21,542 --> 00:33:23,083
and lick
on the kids' faces
701
00:33:23,083 --> 00:33:24,542
and then turn around
and go outside.
702
00:33:24,542 --> 00:33:26,458
And if we had
to bite somebody,
703
00:33:26,458 --> 00:33:29,083
hey, we're all in.
704
00:33:29,083 --> 00:33:31,083
- Boy: Mika.
- I love her
like one of the kids.
705
00:33:31,083 --> 00:33:33,583
It is that strong.
706
00:33:38,542 --> 00:33:41,583
( phone rings )
707
00:33:41,583 --> 00:33:43,333
Hello?
708
00:33:43,333 --> 00:33:45,083
Leslie:
This is Paul Leslie.
How are you doing?
709
00:33:45,083 --> 00:33:47,667
Oh, Paul Leslie.
I'm SFC Dixon.
710
00:33:47,667 --> 00:33:49,250
I was Mika's handler
711
00:33:49,250 --> 00:33:51,959
when she was with
the Ranger battalion.
712
00:33:51,959 --> 00:33:55,041
- Oh, yeah.
How you doing, man?
- Good, good.
713
00:33:55,041 --> 00:33:56,250
- Good.
- I'm doing good.
714
00:33:56,250 --> 00:33:58,083
I was trying
to track her down
715
00:33:58,083 --> 00:33:59,917
and find out
what her status is
716
00:33:59,917 --> 00:34:03,083
and how she's doing,
and...
717
00:34:03,083 --> 00:34:04,417
She's doing good.
718
00:34:04,417 --> 00:34:06,166
Obviously,
she's all up there
719
00:34:06,166 --> 00:34:08,041
and she can't--
she moves around
kind of slow,
720
00:34:08,041 --> 00:34:10,041
but she's been doing
pretty good.
721
00:34:10,041 --> 00:34:11,500
She's been
doing pretty good.
722
00:34:11,500 --> 00:34:14,542
- So, she is retired?
- Yes.
723
00:34:14,542 --> 00:34:20,041
Okay. So, how long
has she been retired for?
724
00:34:20,041 --> 00:34:22,291
We just retired her
last month
725
00:34:22,291 --> 00:34:24,041
as far
as paperwork goes.
726
00:34:24,041 --> 00:34:26,291
- Just last month?
- Yeah.
727
00:34:26,291 --> 00:34:29,125
'Cause I was told
that I'd have the option
728
00:34:29,125 --> 00:34:31,959
to pick her up
when she does retire.
729
00:34:33,166 --> 00:34:35,291
I understand, well...
730
00:34:35,291 --> 00:34:37,291
We give the handler
the option
731
00:34:37,291 --> 00:34:40,250
when we adopt them out,
obviously, to keep them.
732
00:34:40,250 --> 00:34:43,041
And I've taken
that option
733
00:34:43,041 --> 00:34:45,709
and that's the option
I'm gonna stay with.
734
00:34:45,709 --> 00:34:49,542
The way I've always
seen it is, you know,
that was--
735
00:34:49,542 --> 00:34:50,792
you know, that was
kind of like a promise
736
00:34:50,792 --> 00:34:52,291
with
the sheriff department.
737
00:34:52,291 --> 00:34:56,333
And then, you know, one day,
you know, like, when--
738
00:34:56,333 --> 00:34:59,834
and especially now,
you know, like...
739
00:34:59,834 --> 00:35:01,458
now I'm not deploying
and stuff
740
00:35:01,458 --> 00:35:06,333
and, you know, we'd be able
to be reunited and so...
741
00:35:06,333 --> 00:35:09,166
I'm just really
struggling with...
742
00:35:09,166 --> 00:35:11,125
with a lot of that
right now.
743
00:35:12,917 --> 00:35:15,375
I'd be more than happy
to get you some pictures
of her
744
00:35:15,375 --> 00:35:18,166
or anything like that.
745
00:35:18,166 --> 00:35:21,417
If you would be willing
to take the pictures.
746
00:35:21,417 --> 00:35:23,041
( sniffles )
747
00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:27,417
- Are you there?
- Yeah, I'm here.
748
00:35:27,417 --> 00:35:29,208
I'm sorry, I just,
you know, like I said,
749
00:35:29,208 --> 00:35:31,417
I'm going-- you know,
I'm just thinking about this
750
00:35:31,417 --> 00:35:34,041
really hard
right now and...
751
00:35:34,041 --> 00:35:36,458
uh...
752
00:35:36,458 --> 00:35:38,792
I mean, I got
pictures of her.
753
00:35:38,792 --> 00:35:41,041
I'm not trying to turn down
your pictures,
754
00:35:41,041 --> 00:35:44,333
I'm just saying...
755
00:35:44,333 --> 00:35:46,875
I just feel like I need
more than just pictures.
756
00:35:48,375 --> 00:35:50,917
- I understand.
- Uh...
757
00:35:50,917 --> 00:35:54,417
Well, Mr. Dixon,
why don't you give me
a call back tomorrow?
758
00:35:54,417 --> 00:35:57,709
I've gotta take care
of my little ones here
in just a minute.
759
00:35:57,709 --> 00:35:59,709
Shoot me a call
tomorrow.
760
00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:04,834
Okay, well,
I'll call you tomorrow.
761
00:36:04,834 --> 00:36:06,166
All right, Mr. Dixon.
762
00:36:06,166 --> 00:36:09,959
- Okay. All right, bye.
- All right, bye.
763
00:36:09,959 --> 00:36:11,417
( phone beeps )
764
00:36:13,250 --> 00:36:16,083
( sighs )
765
00:36:23,417 --> 00:36:25,291
John:
You know, even if
I could pick her up
766
00:36:25,291 --> 00:36:27,875
to go camping here and there,
whatever, you know, like,
767
00:36:27,875 --> 00:36:29,750
I just want
that relationship
back with her
768
00:36:29,750 --> 00:36:33,709
and I want to be able
to help care for her.
769
00:36:33,709 --> 00:36:36,750
I mean, that would mean
a lot for me if I could just...
770
00:36:36,750 --> 00:36:38,417
Even if Paul
doesn't need the help,
771
00:36:38,417 --> 00:36:41,667
I mean, if he would
just let me help care for her,
772
00:36:41,667 --> 00:36:43,625
that would mean
a lot for me,
773
00:36:43,625 --> 00:36:47,208
'cause I feel
that I owe her that.
774
00:36:47,208 --> 00:36:51,625
And, you know, I'd love
to do that for her.
775
00:37:01,250 --> 00:37:02,959
Thank you.
776
00:37:05,959 --> 00:37:08,750
Carlin Dixon:
So, John has this way of...
777
00:37:08,750 --> 00:37:10,625
things about him
where he doesn't--
778
00:37:10,625 --> 00:37:13,792
he doesn't like to show
if something hurts,
779
00:37:13,792 --> 00:37:16,625
or he doesn't like to show
if something's bothering him,
780
00:37:16,625 --> 00:37:19,792
so he just
kind of compartmentalizes
781
00:37:19,792 --> 00:37:23,375
and he deals with it
on his own.
782
00:37:23,375 --> 00:37:27,291
So the picture
that people see
on the outside
783
00:37:27,291 --> 00:37:33,000
is happy John, funny John,
levelheaded John,
784
00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:37,417
but... in his sleep
785
00:37:37,417 --> 00:37:41,667
or in those moments
where it just spills over...
786
00:37:43,125 --> 00:37:46,208
you see it, I mean,
the hurt or the guilt
787
00:37:46,208 --> 00:37:49,417
when he talks about her
or when he goes back
788
00:37:49,417 --> 00:37:51,166
and looks
at those pictures.
789
00:37:51,166 --> 00:37:53,917
There's one picture
we have of the day
that she left.
790
00:37:53,917 --> 00:37:55,500
It was the last day
we spent with her,
791
00:37:55,500 --> 00:37:58,166
and you can just see it
on his face
792
00:37:58,166 --> 00:38:01,834
and you see it on her face
where her ears are just
laid down sideways
793
00:38:01,834 --> 00:38:03,834
and he's holding her
like a baby.
794
00:38:03,834 --> 00:38:09,208
And... that's where
the hurt comes out.
795
00:38:09,208 --> 00:38:12,542
And it spills over.
796
00:38:12,542 --> 00:38:16,917
Most of the time,
he just pushes it down
797
00:38:16,917 --> 00:38:19,375
'cause he doesn't want
everybody else to see.
798
00:38:19,375 --> 00:38:23,542
'Cause, for him,
it's like weakness
799
00:38:23,542 --> 00:38:28,083
and Mr. Big Ranger,
tough guy.
800
00:38:28,083 --> 00:38:29,959
They don't show
weakness.
801
00:38:29,959 --> 00:38:32,750
They don't want you to know
that something hurts.
802
00:38:36,500 --> 00:38:37,959
- Dang!
- ( John chuckles )
803
00:38:37,959 --> 00:38:39,542
- What's up?
- Hey, buddy.
How's it going?
804
00:38:39,542 --> 00:38:40,542
- Good.
- Woman: Hey!
805
00:38:40,542 --> 00:38:42,000
- Hey, man.
- Hey.
806
00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:43,208
Haven't seen you
in 100 years, man.
807
00:38:43,208 --> 00:38:44,208
Yeah, I know, right?
808
00:38:44,208 --> 00:38:45,208
...later.
You want a beer?
809
00:38:45,208 --> 00:38:47,041
- Woman: Yeah.
- Yeah, sure.
810
00:38:47,041 --> 00:38:49,750
- Drink a beer.
- Woman: You're not
in the government now.
811
00:38:49,750 --> 00:38:51,667
- Yeah.
- Where's the Nukes dude at?
812
00:38:51,667 --> 00:38:53,417
Woman:
He's in the backyard.
813
00:38:53,417 --> 00:38:54,875
- John: Yeah?
- Donovan Hunter: Loving it.
814
00:38:54,875 --> 00:38:56,959
He's an old--
retired old man.
815
00:38:56,959 --> 00:38:59,875
But he'll still bite you.
He'll still bite you.
Come check him out.
816
00:38:59,875 --> 00:39:01,750
- He's like superdog.
- John: That's awesome.
817
00:39:01,750 --> 00:39:03,917
- Yeah. Boom,
the sneak attack.
- Hey!
818
00:39:03,917 --> 00:39:05,458
- Yeah, see?
- Look at that.
819
00:39:05,458 --> 00:39:07,750
He probably remembers you.
Come out, come on.
820
00:39:07,750 --> 00:39:09,250
- John: Hey, buddy.
- Woman: Millie.
821
00:39:09,250 --> 00:39:11,667
And you didn't become a snack.
That's good. ( laughs )
822
00:39:11,667 --> 00:39:13,083
- Hunter: Yeah.
- Woman: No.
823
00:39:15,625 --> 00:39:16,750
Trying to get Mika back.
824
00:39:16,750 --> 00:39:18,375
- And then, which--
- Mm.
825
00:39:18,375 --> 00:39:19,709
We'll see how that goes.
826
00:39:19,709 --> 00:39:22,083
- ( yelling )
- Hunter: Yeah, Dixon,
827
00:39:22,083 --> 00:39:24,583
he was just a pioneer
in his own right.
828
00:39:24,583 --> 00:39:28,250
I'd say he's got the demeanor
that works with handling.
829
00:39:28,250 --> 00:39:31,583
You can't be a guy
that shoots off
830
00:39:31,583 --> 00:39:33,000
and gets frustrated.
831
00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:36,709
He's just a real kind,
patient, quiet kind of guy
832
00:39:36,709 --> 00:39:38,625
that worked well.
833
00:39:38,625 --> 00:39:40,625
Sit.
834
00:39:40,625 --> 00:39:42,834
- Good boy.
- ( laughs )
835
00:39:42,834 --> 00:39:45,375
Good boy.
Af.
836
00:39:45,375 --> 00:39:48,166
Good boy.
Yes.
837
00:39:48,166 --> 00:39:51,333
- Rout.
- ( barking )
838
00:39:51,333 --> 00:39:54,000
Good boy.
Yeah.
839
00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:56,041
- Yeah, that's a good boy.
- He's still good.
840
00:39:56,041 --> 00:39:58,458
Still good.
He's like, "Everything's
coming back to me."
841
00:39:58,458 --> 00:40:01,500
- Yeah.
- ( both laughing )
842
00:40:01,500 --> 00:40:04,458
- I am a war dog.
- Yes.
843
00:40:07,458 --> 00:40:08,792
( groans )
844
00:40:08,792 --> 00:40:11,125
Hunter:
We have the lame sleeve.
845
00:40:11,125 --> 00:40:14,959
Mm. The "I don't want
bruises on my arm" sleeve.
846
00:40:14,959 --> 00:40:16,959
Yeah.
847
00:40:16,959 --> 00:40:19,208
And we have
the fun sleeve.
848
00:40:19,208 --> 00:40:23,125
And the "I'm for sure
gonna have bruises
on my arm" sleeve.
849
00:40:23,125 --> 00:40:26,500
So, whichever one.
850
00:40:26,500 --> 00:40:28,417
Pick your poison.
851
00:40:28,417 --> 00:40:31,583
Very nice, and I know
he knows the smell.
852
00:40:31,583 --> 00:40:33,500
He's probably, like,
right there, like,
"Where is he?"
853
00:40:33,500 --> 00:40:35,250
- Yeah, so he'll--
- Where's that guy at?
854
00:40:35,250 --> 00:40:37,125
He is right here.
( laughs )
855
00:40:38,959 --> 00:40:41,333
( whispers )
What is he doing?
856
00:40:41,333 --> 00:40:42,750
Oh.
857
00:40:42,750 --> 00:40:44,333
- You ready?
- Yeah.
858
00:40:44,333 --> 00:40:47,083
- ( thumping )
- ( grunting )
859
00:40:47,083 --> 00:40:49,333
Hunter:
Watch him.
Watch him.
860
00:40:49,333 --> 00:40:52,125
( barking )
861
00:40:52,125 --> 00:40:54,125
- ( screaming )
- Good boy!
862
00:40:54,125 --> 00:40:57,667
- ( screaming continues )
- Yeah. Good boy.
863
00:40:57,667 --> 00:41:00,750
- ( screaming )
- Good boy.
864
00:41:00,750 --> 00:41:04,542
( Nuke howling )
865
00:41:04,542 --> 00:41:06,667
( laughing )
There we go.
There we go.
866
00:41:06,667 --> 00:41:09,291
Good boy.
Good boy.
867
00:41:09,291 --> 00:41:11,750
He did not want
to release that.
868
00:41:11,750 --> 00:41:14,375
Yeah, that was good.
He's still got
a strong bite.
869
00:41:14,375 --> 00:41:15,834
Still got a chomp.
Good!
870
00:41:15,834 --> 00:41:17,166
Once he got
his mouth full on it...
871
00:41:17,166 --> 00:41:18,709
Good boy, good boy,
good boy.
872
00:41:18,709 --> 00:41:20,291
That's pretty good.
873
00:41:20,291 --> 00:41:21,792
( laughs )
Oh!
874
00:41:21,792 --> 00:41:23,083
He's like, "I want more."
875
00:41:23,083 --> 00:41:26,041
"There's more!
I still see the sleeve!"
876
00:41:27,208 --> 00:41:30,250
Good boy!
Good boy!
877
00:41:30,250 --> 00:41:32,709
Hunter:
I think Dixon
is still kind of where I was,
878
00:41:32,709 --> 00:41:37,875
just waiting on the word.
879
00:41:37,875 --> 00:41:40,834
He's in the waiting stage.
880
00:41:42,917 --> 00:41:46,834
Getting Nuke back...
881
00:41:46,834 --> 00:41:49,875
he's that final thing
that's bridging and making
882
00:41:49,875 --> 00:41:52,792
what I used to do
an actual reality.
883
00:41:52,792 --> 00:41:55,250
And he lives
in my backyard.
884
00:41:55,250 --> 00:41:57,291
And I get to see him
every single day
885
00:41:57,291 --> 00:42:00,375
and remember all that--
everything we did.
886
00:42:01,750 --> 00:42:03,750
( music playing )
887
00:42:07,917 --> 00:42:09,750
Hunter:
When I look at him
and know
888
00:42:09,750 --> 00:42:12,417
that he did
every single thing
that I did
889
00:42:12,417 --> 00:42:16,083
for the last three years
of my career and--
890
00:42:16,083 --> 00:42:19,667
he Rangered up
just like everyone else did.
891
00:42:19,667 --> 00:42:22,291
And his transition--
he could care less.
892
00:42:22,291 --> 00:42:24,667
Like, he's a dog.
893
00:42:24,667 --> 00:42:27,125
He's not struggling
with it.
894
00:42:27,125 --> 00:42:30,041
It's like
if he's not struggling,
895
00:42:30,041 --> 00:42:32,667
like, I don't
have to struggle with it.
896
00:42:32,667 --> 00:42:36,041
John:
It's awesome coming here
to see Nuke with Donovan.
897
00:42:36,041 --> 00:42:37,792
It really
kind of drives it home
898
00:42:37,792 --> 00:42:40,083
that, like, this is
the way it should be.
899
00:42:40,083 --> 00:42:44,166
It should be like this
for every, you know,
dog team
900
00:42:44,166 --> 00:42:46,041
that serves the country.
901
00:42:46,041 --> 00:42:49,542
It should be us out there,
you know, on the grill,
902
00:42:49,542 --> 00:42:53,542
tossing little pieces
to Mika and Nuke, you know?
903
00:42:53,542 --> 00:42:57,166
But Mika's missing out
of that equation,
904
00:42:57,166 --> 00:43:00,458
and I believe that
she should be here with us.
905
00:43:00,458 --> 00:43:02,792
( music playing )
906
00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:19,333
Woman:
Are they all in?
907
00:43:19,333 --> 00:43:21,834
No. Oh, okay.
908
00:43:21,834 --> 00:43:24,500
Hold on, hold on.
909
00:43:24,500 --> 00:43:26,291
Oh, hold on.
910
00:43:26,291 --> 00:43:28,667
Part of yours
fell out.
911
00:43:28,667 --> 00:43:30,041
Okay.
912
00:43:30,041 --> 00:43:33,041
No, Rollo.
Get where you're supposed to.
913
00:43:34,792 --> 00:43:36,667
Leslie:
At first, it was shocking.
914
00:43:36,667 --> 00:43:38,166
You know,
we've had her this long
915
00:43:38,166 --> 00:43:41,500
and I didn't know
anything about John.
916
00:43:41,500 --> 00:43:44,000
And then to tell us
that, you know,
917
00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:46,834
"I was promised her.
I want her."
918
00:43:46,834 --> 00:43:48,583
- That's the first
we had ever heard of it.
- Yeah.
919
00:43:48,583 --> 00:43:50,834
- Well, that's a promise
we never made.
- Yeah.
920
00:43:50,834 --> 00:43:53,458
I have never talked
to John Dixon
921
00:43:53,458 --> 00:43:55,625
up until recently
on the phone.
922
00:43:55,625 --> 00:43:58,041
I don't look at it
as we were stuck being
babysitters.
923
00:43:58,041 --> 00:43:59,625
No, I don't look at it
like that.
924
00:43:59,625 --> 00:44:02,000
We absolutely
got the better end
of this bargain.
925
00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:03,208
- Come on.
- ( chatter )
926
00:44:03,208 --> 00:44:05,291
- Bye, hon.
- Bye. Hey.
927
00:44:05,291 --> 00:44:07,875
- ( boys yelling )
- Woman: Quit fighting! Shh!
928
00:44:09,583 --> 00:44:12,750
Woman:
And we don't even look
at her as she's a dog.
929
00:44:12,750 --> 00:44:14,709
We don't
consider her a dog.
930
00:44:14,709 --> 00:44:16,625
- I mean, she's...
- Yeah, I mean, she's--
931
00:44:16,625 --> 00:44:19,166
- She's a human to us.
- Yeah.
932
00:44:19,166 --> 00:44:21,542
Woman:
And then to say
you want her,
933
00:44:21,542 --> 00:44:24,125
"I was promised her,"
that was...
934
00:44:24,125 --> 00:44:25,959
I'm not gonna lie, I cried.
That was upsetting.
935
00:44:25,959 --> 00:44:28,583
I'm like,
"Is this true?
936
00:44:28,583 --> 00:44:31,208
Are we gonna lose her?"
937
00:44:31,208 --> 00:44:32,917
Well, I'm not
gonna lose her,
938
00:44:32,917 --> 00:44:34,333
'cause she's a--
you know,
939
00:44:34,333 --> 00:44:35,875
- she's a part
of the family.
- Yeah.
940
00:44:35,875 --> 00:44:38,083
It'd be like,
you know,
941
00:44:38,083 --> 00:44:40,125
one of my kids
were gone.
942
00:44:58,250 --> 00:44:59,583
( grunts )
943
00:45:06,250 --> 00:45:08,083
Carlin:
Most nights,
944
00:45:08,083 --> 00:45:10,917
you can tell
that he's dreaming
about something,
945
00:45:10,917 --> 00:45:13,959
whether it's
trigger squeezes
in his sleep,
946
00:45:13,959 --> 00:45:15,667
and if he's got
his arm on mine,
947
00:45:15,667 --> 00:45:19,834
then I feel his finger
squeezing triggers.
948
00:45:21,375 --> 00:45:24,291
But a lot of nights
it's still
949
00:45:24,291 --> 00:45:28,709
calling out her name
when it's that scenario
950
00:45:28,709 --> 00:45:32,083
of getting-- the night
that he got hit
all over again,
951
00:45:32,083 --> 00:45:34,000
so he'll,
"Mika, Mika."
952
00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:39,000
Or just one big shout
of "Mika."
953
00:45:41,625 --> 00:45:42,500
( tree thuds )
954
00:45:44,208 --> 00:45:47,291
There's a lot of things
that, you know--
955
00:45:47,291 --> 00:45:49,750
that I never
want to forget.
956
00:45:49,750 --> 00:45:53,500
But at the same time,
I don't want to think
about them ever either.
957
00:45:53,500 --> 00:45:58,166
And some of them thoughts,
you know, they just--
958
00:45:58,166 --> 00:46:00,083
are hard to go away.
959
00:46:00,083 --> 00:46:03,125
And it's not that you want
to completely, like,
960
00:46:03,125 --> 00:46:04,542
pretend that
it never happened.
961
00:46:04,542 --> 00:46:08,166
I mean, you kind of do,
but it's impossible.
962
00:46:08,166 --> 00:46:11,917
But what you can do
is take your mind off of it
963
00:46:11,917 --> 00:46:15,417
by doing things,
you know?
964
00:46:15,417 --> 00:46:17,166
You know,
I spent a lot of time
on deployments,
965
00:46:17,166 --> 00:46:23,166
a lot of time doing things
that, you know--
966
00:46:23,166 --> 00:46:25,041
that aren't normal.
967
00:46:25,041 --> 00:46:28,542
And... this is
very normal.
968
00:46:28,542 --> 00:46:30,625
Very simple, very normal.
969
00:46:35,500 --> 00:46:37,208
You know, it's not like
I'm trying to run
970
00:46:37,208 --> 00:46:39,000
from my feelings or anything,
like I said.
971
00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:43,291
It's like,
you've just gotta get away
from it sometimes.
972
00:46:43,291 --> 00:46:45,500
( panting )
973
00:46:48,417 --> 00:46:51,166
Like the pressing thing,
like, even with Mika,
you know?
974
00:46:55,583 --> 00:46:58,375
I can't stand
giving up on things.
975
00:46:58,375 --> 00:47:00,500
I just keep
fucking whacking it.
976
00:47:02,625 --> 00:47:04,834
Oh, yeah,
this one's a monster.
977
00:47:12,500 --> 00:47:15,917
( deep breathing )
978
00:47:18,208 --> 00:47:21,041
Carlin:
One of my biggest fears
979
00:47:21,041 --> 00:47:22,667
and one
of his biggest fears
980
00:47:22,667 --> 00:47:25,625
is that she's older
981
00:47:25,625 --> 00:47:27,041
and...
982
00:47:31,333 --> 00:47:35,083
the thought of her passing
before he gets to see her
983
00:47:35,083 --> 00:47:38,959
and have that guilt
lifted off of him
984
00:47:38,959 --> 00:47:43,250
and have that release
of knowing that she's okay
985
00:47:43,250 --> 00:47:46,250
and that she's happy
and that she's healthy.
986
00:47:48,417 --> 00:47:50,041
And that that will--
987
00:47:50,041 --> 00:47:53,542
that pain will stay
with him forever
988
00:47:53,542 --> 00:47:56,875
is like hell.
989
00:47:57,917 --> 00:48:00,291
Because if he can't
990
00:48:00,291 --> 00:48:02,625
find a way
to let that go,
991
00:48:02,625 --> 00:48:06,625
then it'll always
be there.
992
00:48:06,625 --> 00:48:08,625
You know,
like that hole forever.
993
00:48:08,625 --> 00:48:11,667
'Cause it doesn't matter
how many new dogs
994
00:48:11,667 --> 00:48:15,709
come in and out,
she's there.
995
00:48:15,709 --> 00:48:20,375
And if he can't know
that she's okay,
996
00:48:20,375 --> 00:48:22,959
then it's...
997
00:48:26,625 --> 00:48:29,333
he's not okay.
998
00:48:29,333 --> 00:48:31,417
( music playing )
999
00:48:41,625 --> 00:48:44,458
John:
To finally pinpoint, like,
1000
00:48:44,458 --> 00:48:47,834
I found her, this is her,
this is where she's at,
1001
00:48:47,834 --> 00:48:51,333
and then get shut down
and turned away again,
1002
00:48:51,333 --> 00:48:55,500
it's just all that comfort
is just gone.
1003
00:48:55,500 --> 00:48:57,625
I mean, you know,
I was still holding on
1004
00:48:57,625 --> 00:49:00,333
to this little bit of hope,
this little bit of hope,
1005
00:49:00,333 --> 00:49:05,458
but every time,
it gets a little harder
and a little harder.
1006
00:49:05,458 --> 00:49:10,875
And, you know,
I'm just trying not to let it
completely crush me,
1007
00:49:10,875 --> 00:49:13,458
but, you know.
1008
00:49:13,458 --> 00:49:17,375
And that's why I gotta
keep going at it,
1009
00:49:17,375 --> 00:49:21,500
and, you know,
it's gonna happen, so.
1010
00:49:29,542 --> 00:49:32,125
John and Carlin:
I pray the Lord
my soul to keep.
1011
00:49:32,125 --> 00:49:34,375
Let angels watch me
through the night
1012
00:49:34,375 --> 00:49:36,291
and keep me safe
till morning light.
1013
00:49:36,291 --> 00:49:37,792
- Amen.
- Amen.
1014
00:49:37,792 --> 00:49:39,375
- All right.
- All right.
1015
00:49:39,375 --> 00:49:42,375
Give Mom a kiss.
Good night.
1016
00:49:42,375 --> 00:49:43,667
( kisses )
Love you.
1017
00:50:12,291 --> 00:50:13,792
Dave Nielsen:
There's the war
after the war
1018
00:50:13,792 --> 00:50:15,500
that you don't know
is coming.
1019
00:50:15,500 --> 00:50:16,542
You might hear about it.
1020
00:50:16,542 --> 00:50:17,834
I heard about it
1021
00:50:17,834 --> 00:50:21,000
from my Vietnam friends.
1022
00:50:21,000 --> 00:50:23,875
But you don't know it's coming
until you're in it.
1023
00:50:26,417 --> 00:50:30,917
For a lot of years
I was angry at myself
1024
00:50:30,917 --> 00:50:33,917
and at a lot of things
and confused.
1025
00:50:35,959 --> 00:50:38,917
Because it may be just a dog,
but she was my best friend.
1026
00:50:38,917 --> 00:50:40,750
( Nielsen clapping )
1027
00:50:42,250 --> 00:50:45,875
So, after Pepper died,
you get to where
1028
00:50:45,875 --> 00:50:50,083
you realize you have
to move on with life,
and you do,
1029
00:50:50,083 --> 00:50:53,792
and it's a process
to figure it out.
1030
00:50:53,792 --> 00:50:55,667
At this point,
10 years later,
1031
00:50:55,667 --> 00:51:00,083
I want to talk
about this.
1032
00:51:01,458 --> 00:51:03,667
( sighs )
1033
00:51:05,667 --> 00:51:08,959
Basically, I got home
after my last rotation.
1034
00:51:08,959 --> 00:51:12,792
I put it all in a box
and haven't looked
at it since.
1035
00:51:17,083 --> 00:51:19,208
This was her.
1036
00:51:19,208 --> 00:51:22,500
Sort of first photo
as she first got to the unit.
1037
00:51:22,500 --> 00:51:28,333
This is a-- just a map
of where she died.
1038
00:51:28,333 --> 00:51:32,000
I think I fed her
out of this napkin.
1039
00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:36,166
Or brought some steak down
from the chow hall for her
1040
00:51:36,166 --> 00:51:38,875
the night
before she was killed,
1041
00:51:38,875 --> 00:51:40,834
and then it was still
in her kennel,
1042
00:51:40,834 --> 00:51:43,750
so I just
wrote her name on it
1043
00:51:43,750 --> 00:51:46,208
and tacked this up
somewhere.
1044
00:51:53,583 --> 00:51:57,667
This is a letter
I wrote to Pepper
1045
00:51:57,667 --> 00:51:59,875
that I forgot about
till just now.
1046
00:52:01,333 --> 00:52:02,667
"Peppy,
I miss you so much.
1047
00:52:02,667 --> 00:52:05,333
In this ammo can
are some things of yours
1048
00:52:05,333 --> 00:52:07,000
that we will bury
at your grave site.
1049
00:52:07,000 --> 00:52:08,625
We were unable
to recover your body,
1050
00:52:08,625 --> 00:52:11,041
and I'm so sorry for that.
1051
00:52:11,041 --> 00:52:12,500
I put these items
in the can
1052
00:52:12,500 --> 00:52:14,834
symbolically for you
until we meet again--
1053
00:52:14,834 --> 00:52:17,166
a jute, a Kong,
a leash"...
1054
00:52:17,166 --> 00:52:19,000
So, while I can't say
what the unit is,
1055
00:52:19,000 --> 00:52:21,875
I can say
that I tried out for it
and I made it.
1056
00:52:21,875 --> 00:52:25,834
And it was the absolute
greatest day of my life
1057
00:52:25,834 --> 00:52:27,375
when I made it.
1058
00:52:27,375 --> 00:52:29,542
My daughter
hadn't been born yet,
1059
00:52:29,542 --> 00:52:35,375
but getting selected
after selection was amazing.
1060
00:52:37,125 --> 00:52:39,375
I asked if I could be
a canine handler.
1061
00:52:39,375 --> 00:52:41,041
Went over to the kennels.
I was shown around.
1062
00:52:41,041 --> 00:52:42,959
I was shown all the dogs.
1063
00:52:42,959 --> 00:52:44,333
All of them were males
1064
00:52:44,333 --> 00:52:46,458
except for one dog
named Pepper,
1065
00:52:46,458 --> 00:52:49,083
this Belgian Mal
who just sat there
1066
00:52:49,083 --> 00:52:50,583
in her kennel
and looked up at me.
1067
00:52:50,583 --> 00:52:52,500
And, you know, I could
look down and see her,
1068
00:52:52,500 --> 00:52:55,709
and she looked at me,
and-- just a cute little dog.
1069
00:52:55,709 --> 00:52:57,583
And I asked,
"Why is this dog here?
1070
00:52:57,583 --> 00:52:59,417
Is she somebody's pet?"
( chuckles )
1071
00:52:59,417 --> 00:53:01,500
"No, she's a working dog.
She'll dirty up just fine.
1072
00:53:01,500 --> 00:53:03,375
Don't worry.
We've seen her bite."
1073
00:53:03,375 --> 00:53:05,417
And I still
didn't believe it.
She was small.
1074
00:53:05,417 --> 00:53:08,291
She was 50 pounds,
if that.
1075
00:53:08,291 --> 00:53:13,041
She also had
a hyperintelligent look
in her eyes.
1076
00:53:13,041 --> 00:53:16,125
That she would tilt
her head
1077
00:53:16,125 --> 00:53:17,709
but look at you,
and you could--
1078
00:53:17,709 --> 00:53:21,709
I could tell
she was thinking
and feeling.
1079
00:53:23,166 --> 00:53:25,083
I don't know why
I fell in love
1080
00:53:25,083 --> 00:53:28,375
with her instantly,
but I did.
1081
00:53:28,375 --> 00:53:30,333
We're trained
in a dog handler's course
1082
00:53:30,333 --> 00:53:33,333
to not turn them
into a human being,
1083
00:53:33,333 --> 00:53:35,041
but it's so hard not to.
1084
00:53:35,041 --> 00:53:36,792
I mean, the dog hugged.
1085
00:53:36,792 --> 00:53:38,125
She hugged me.
1086
00:53:39,458 --> 00:53:41,000
She came up,
put her arm around me,
1087
00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:43,667
and put her head
against my neck.
1088
00:53:43,667 --> 00:53:46,875
( chuckles )
I don't know
1089
00:53:46,875 --> 00:53:49,750
how dogs do that,
but she did.
1090
00:53:49,750 --> 00:53:51,083
She was hilarious.
1091
00:53:51,083 --> 00:53:54,625
I mean, I could tap
my shoulder right here
1092
00:53:54,625 --> 00:53:56,291
and she would jump up,
1093
00:53:56,291 --> 00:53:58,417
spring up in the air
and land in my arms,
1094
00:53:58,417 --> 00:54:00,166
and then just sit there
and look at everybody.
1095
00:54:00,166 --> 00:54:03,458
It was almost like she was
trying to get laughter.
1096
00:54:04,792 --> 00:54:06,834
She was a lapdog
1097
00:54:06,834 --> 00:54:09,083
who became a beast of fury
on target.
1098
00:54:20,375 --> 00:54:23,792
I wanted to establish
a bond between us
1099
00:54:23,792 --> 00:54:26,667
'cause I knew we were getting
ready to go to war.
1100
00:54:26,667 --> 00:54:28,667
It was coming
within months.
1101
00:54:30,750 --> 00:54:33,458
I didn't really know
what I was doing either,
to start out.
1102
00:54:33,458 --> 00:54:35,500
Nobody does
with a new job.
1103
00:54:35,500 --> 00:54:38,208
You learn each other's
movements and voices
1104
00:54:38,208 --> 00:54:42,417
and just-- you learn
each other's subtle cues.
1105
00:54:42,417 --> 00:54:45,542
And I learned hers
and she learned mine.
1106
00:54:45,542 --> 00:54:48,792
If I turned left,
she would move back and left.
1107
00:54:48,792 --> 00:54:51,083
I mean, we just--
the more we worked together,
1108
00:54:51,083 --> 00:54:54,166
the more we got in sync.
1109
00:54:54,166 --> 00:54:57,083
I taught her to bark.
There's a command
in Dutch to bark,
1110
00:54:57,083 --> 00:54:58,583
which most people
don't do.
1111
00:54:58,583 --> 00:55:00,250
Why would you want
your dog to bark
1112
00:55:00,250 --> 00:55:02,750
if you're going to a target
and you're trying to be quiet?
1113
00:55:02,750 --> 00:55:04,834
I taught her to bark
because I wanted to give her
1114
00:55:04,834 --> 00:55:07,041
the counter command
to be quiet.
1115
00:55:07,041 --> 00:55:10,375
Stil, which is
"zip it, be quiet."
1116
00:55:12,917 --> 00:55:17,041
Saturday afternoon,
she came up next to me
1117
00:55:17,041 --> 00:55:20,000
and just flopped her head
on my chest.
1118
00:55:20,000 --> 00:55:22,500
And I laid back
and we--
1119
00:55:22,500 --> 00:55:25,834
she fell asleep,
and I just let it happen.
1120
00:55:25,834 --> 00:55:27,709
And...
1121
00:55:27,709 --> 00:55:31,458
she would lick my face
or nuzzle my ear.
1122
00:55:31,458 --> 00:55:35,750
And that's really
what I was going for,
1123
00:55:35,750 --> 00:55:41,458
was that bond
that couldn't be broken.
1124
00:55:43,417 --> 00:55:46,375
It was really like
having a sister
1125
00:55:46,375 --> 00:55:50,500
or just a great friend
at my side
1126
00:55:50,500 --> 00:55:52,625
all the time
in war.
1127
00:55:52,625 --> 00:55:56,458
It was a very special bond
that happened with us.
1128
00:55:59,583 --> 00:56:02,083
When we would lose a man,
when somebody would get killed,
1129
00:56:02,083 --> 00:56:05,250
and it's real quiet
in the house
1130
00:56:05,250 --> 00:56:09,417
and nobody wants to talk
and they can't sleep anymore,
1131
00:56:09,417 --> 00:56:11,125
and people are sad,
1132
00:56:11,125 --> 00:56:13,500
then Pepper comes out
and sits in their lap
1133
00:56:13,500 --> 00:56:17,375
and makes it
a little easier.
1134
00:56:17,375 --> 00:56:20,125
I would just
hear people laughing
down the hallways.
1135
00:56:20,125 --> 00:56:22,417
She was making her rounds.
She would go and see people.
1136
00:56:22,417 --> 00:56:26,333
She would make--
she would visit the guys.
1137
00:56:26,333 --> 00:56:27,959
About once an hour,
she would just come up
1138
00:56:27,959 --> 00:56:29,583
and I could feel her nose
on my hand.
1139
00:56:29,583 --> 00:56:32,625
She would just come
and nudge me a little bit.
1140
00:56:32,625 --> 00:56:35,333
I'd pet her a little bit.
She'd lay back down.
1141
00:56:35,333 --> 00:56:38,834
She served
way more of a purpose
1142
00:56:38,834 --> 00:56:42,333
than helping
to find bad guys
1143
00:56:42,333 --> 00:56:43,959
or sniffing out a bomb.
1144
00:57:14,208 --> 00:57:15,500
"Eternal."
1145
00:57:16,750 --> 00:57:18,625
That's a strong word.
1146
00:57:31,959 --> 00:57:33,625
( whispers )
Hey, Pep-Pep.
1147
00:57:36,375 --> 00:57:38,709
Hey, Pep-Pep.
1148
00:57:38,709 --> 00:57:43,125
The more I think back
on it now, the more I...
1149
00:57:43,125 --> 00:57:45,333
really think there was
1150
00:57:45,333 --> 00:57:48,000
an element
that can't be explained.
1151
00:57:48,000 --> 00:57:50,542
Just a link
between man and dog...
1152
00:57:50,542 --> 00:57:53,875
that special
doesn't do it justice.
1153
00:57:53,875 --> 00:57:57,375
I mean,
it's a profound thing
1154
00:57:57,375 --> 00:58:00,542
going on there
between handler and dog
1155
00:58:00,542 --> 00:58:03,333
that's nearly impossible
to explain.
1156
00:58:07,875 --> 00:58:10,458
( music playing )
1157
00:58:10,458 --> 00:58:12,083
It was a rough night
1158
00:58:12,083 --> 00:58:13,875
because my friend had
just died the night before
1159
00:58:13,875 --> 00:58:16,333
and we had been
woken up early
1160
00:58:16,333 --> 00:58:18,917
to plan
for this huge thing,
1161
00:58:18,917 --> 00:58:22,125
so we didn't have
much sleep, both of us.
1162
00:58:22,125 --> 00:58:25,500
We landed, and Pepper
and I got out.
1163
00:58:25,500 --> 00:58:27,667
It was on the bank
of the Tigris River,
1164
00:58:27,667 --> 00:58:30,083
and it sloped down
steeply.
1165
00:58:30,083 --> 00:58:33,709
It was a muddy slide down
into thick brush
1166
00:58:33,709 --> 00:58:36,875
where the person
was hiding.
1167
00:58:36,875 --> 00:58:38,583
There was houses
right there,
1168
00:58:38,583 --> 00:58:40,917
and kids live
in those houses.
1169
00:58:40,917 --> 00:58:44,500
It was too close
to level it.
1170
00:58:44,500 --> 00:58:49,250
( explosions )
1171
00:58:49,250 --> 00:58:51,917
We tried for hours
and hours.
1172
00:58:51,917 --> 00:58:53,166
I was getting close.
1173
00:58:53,166 --> 00:58:55,041
I wanted
more than anything
1174
00:58:55,041 --> 00:58:56,875
to be able
to shoot the guy
1175
00:58:56,875 --> 00:58:59,458
and not have
to send Pepper.
1176
00:58:59,458 --> 00:59:02,625
So, she's in drive.
It's pitch-black at night.
You can't see anything.
1177
00:59:02,625 --> 00:59:05,125
She's running up
to the other teammates,
her pack.
1178
00:59:05,125 --> 00:59:06,166
She knows it's them.
1179
00:59:06,166 --> 00:59:07,542
She's almost going to them
1180
00:59:07,542 --> 00:59:10,583
for permission
to go after this guy.
1181
00:59:10,583 --> 00:59:12,667
She's going up
to each guy.
1182
00:59:16,291 --> 00:59:17,792
I sent Pepper once.
1183
00:59:22,417 --> 00:59:27,959
She went after this guy,
disappeared into the brush.
1184
00:59:27,959 --> 00:59:30,125
( music playing )
1185
00:59:37,959 --> 00:59:39,458
10 minutes,
15 minutes later,
1186
00:59:39,458 --> 00:59:42,583
she came back to me
up the hill,
1187
00:59:42,583 --> 00:59:44,917
sort of sluggish
and all wet.
1188
00:59:44,917 --> 00:59:46,875
And she didn't like
to swim.
1189
00:59:46,875 --> 00:59:49,208
She didn't like water,
so I knew she had been
in the water.
1190
00:59:49,208 --> 00:59:50,500
I'm checking her.
1191
00:59:50,500 --> 00:59:51,834
I had been
trained medically
1192
00:59:51,834 --> 00:59:55,250
to search the dog
for any issues.
1193
00:59:55,250 --> 00:59:57,834
She sort of comes back
to life.
1194
00:59:57,834 --> 01:00:02,291
You know, she gets the pep
back in her step
and she's okay.
1195
01:00:04,625 --> 01:00:06,500
I tried to love her up
a little bit,
1196
01:00:06,500 --> 01:00:07,667
but she didn't want that.
1197
01:00:07,667 --> 01:00:08,875
She wanted to go work.
1198
01:00:08,875 --> 01:00:10,667
She knew
where the guy was.
1199
01:00:10,667 --> 01:00:12,750
I knew that she knew
because she was pulling on me
1200
01:00:12,750 --> 01:00:14,500
and she wanted
to go there.
1201
01:00:14,500 --> 01:00:17,000
She wants to bite
like nothing else.
1202
01:00:18,583 --> 01:00:22,667
After hours of trying,
1203
01:00:22,667 --> 01:00:25,834
I decided
to send her again.
1204
01:00:25,834 --> 01:00:29,583
And she sort of sprung
through this high grass
a little bit
1205
01:00:29,583 --> 01:00:33,792
and turned back
and looked at me,
which she didn't do.
1206
01:00:33,792 --> 01:00:37,291
She just had this look
that I hadn't seen in her.
1207
01:00:37,291 --> 01:00:38,667
She was thinking.
1208
01:00:38,667 --> 01:00:42,041
She was looking at me
and thinking something
1209
01:00:42,041 --> 01:00:44,458
and she was feeling
something as well.
1210
01:00:44,458 --> 01:00:49,417
And I'm looking at her
through my night vision,
and it was just,
1211
01:00:49,417 --> 01:00:51,667
"I love you
and I'm doing this for you,
1212
01:00:51,667 --> 01:00:54,875
and see you later."
1213
01:00:54,875 --> 01:00:58,417
She went over
into that brush,
1214
01:00:58,417 --> 01:01:01,667
into the spider hole
where this guy was hiding.
1215
01:01:04,333 --> 01:01:06,875
After she pushed the guy
out of the hole,
1216
01:01:06,875 --> 01:01:11,083
and he moved to the right
down south on the riverbank,
1217
01:01:11,083 --> 01:01:14,250
- the team went after him.
- ( gunfire )
1218
01:01:17,375 --> 01:01:19,917
Now it's time
to find Pepper.
1219
01:01:19,917 --> 01:01:23,583
And she wasn't coming
back to me.
1220
01:01:25,125 --> 01:01:27,000
I asked everybody
on the ground
1221
01:01:27,000 --> 01:01:28,917
to start looking for her.
1222
01:01:28,917 --> 01:01:31,291
There was a lot of people
there that night.
1223
01:01:31,291 --> 01:01:34,333
Everybody's searching.
1224
01:01:34,333 --> 01:01:37,625
After five minutes,
they said, "We found her."
1225
01:01:37,625 --> 01:01:40,458
And so,
oh, I was relieved.
1226
01:01:40,458 --> 01:01:42,625
And then they said,
"Oh, I'm sorry,
1227
01:01:42,625 --> 01:01:44,875
it's just
her marking device,"
1228
01:01:44,875 --> 01:01:47,333
her light that had come off
of her somehow,
1229
01:01:47,333 --> 01:01:48,750
and it had to be
in a struggle
1230
01:01:48,750 --> 01:01:52,542
because it was secured
to her working vest.
1231
01:01:54,208 --> 01:01:58,417
So, we knew that she had been
in a struggle.
1232
01:01:58,417 --> 01:02:02,208
These teammates
and these brothers of mine
1233
01:02:02,208 --> 01:02:04,125
and these uncles to her,
1234
01:02:04,125 --> 01:02:06,750
already cold and wet,
but they got colder
and wetter
1235
01:02:06,750 --> 01:02:12,208
by searching
in just nasty, wet,
1236
01:02:12,208 --> 01:02:15,625
swampy holes that nobody
would want to go into.
1237
01:02:15,625 --> 01:02:16,917
It was her family.
1238
01:02:16,917 --> 01:02:18,667
Her family
was looking for her.
1239
01:02:18,667 --> 01:02:21,291
Her brothers
were gonna do everything
1240
01:02:21,291 --> 01:02:23,625
they could do to find her,
recover her,
1241
01:02:23,625 --> 01:02:26,500
and help her just like
she had done for us.
1242
01:02:26,500 --> 01:02:28,125
There was just a...
1243
01:02:29,834 --> 01:02:32,083
a sadness
that came over everybody.
1244
01:02:32,083 --> 01:02:33,625
I could feel it.
1245
01:02:33,625 --> 01:02:36,875
And, at one point,
1246
01:02:36,875 --> 01:02:40,333
I loaded up with another guy
on a helicopter
1247
01:02:40,333 --> 01:02:42,959
and we were
just flying sideways
1248
01:02:42,959 --> 01:02:47,500
looking for her
on the bank of the river.
1249
01:02:47,500 --> 01:02:50,625
We did everything
we could to find her.
1250
01:02:53,917 --> 01:02:55,166
Nobody gave up.
1251
01:02:55,166 --> 01:02:57,166
We had to be told,
and more than once,
1252
01:02:57,166 --> 01:02:59,458
to abandon the search.
1253
01:02:59,458 --> 01:03:01,291
The call came
that the sun's up.
1254
01:03:01,291 --> 01:03:02,959
It's light.
1255
01:03:02,959 --> 01:03:04,500
We're gonna get
people killed
1256
01:03:04,500 --> 01:03:06,041
if we stay here.
1257
01:03:06,041 --> 01:03:11,166
And it started to set in
that I'm not gonna get her.
1258
01:03:11,166 --> 01:03:13,000
( music playing )
1259
01:03:16,709 --> 01:03:19,083
The helicopters
picked us up.
1260
01:03:19,083 --> 01:03:21,750
We flew five minutes
back to our house.
1261
01:03:21,750 --> 01:03:23,458
Then when I hit
the ground there,
1262
01:03:23,458 --> 01:03:26,875
the sun was up
by that time,
1263
01:03:26,875 --> 01:03:28,500
and I knew that was it.
1264
01:03:28,500 --> 01:03:31,208
And I had her kennel,
her empty kennel,
1265
01:03:31,208 --> 01:03:33,750
and I just took it out
and threw it
1266
01:03:33,750 --> 01:03:35,875
and walked back
to the house.
1267
01:03:42,625 --> 01:03:44,417
No, but I started
to have that dream
1268
01:03:44,417 --> 01:03:46,250
that night
and many nights after
1269
01:03:46,250 --> 01:03:49,500
where I'm looking down
1270
01:03:49,500 --> 01:03:51,667
and she's running
back and forth
1271
01:03:51,667 --> 01:03:53,125
where she's supposed
to be picked up,
1272
01:03:53,125 --> 01:03:55,834
where the helos came
and picked us up.
1273
01:03:55,834 --> 01:03:58,709
She's looking for me,
and I can't--
1274
01:03:58,709 --> 01:03:59,875
you know,
I can't get there.
1275
01:04:04,917 --> 01:04:08,375
I wonder if we love each other
as much as they love us.
1276
01:04:12,250 --> 01:04:13,417
This is the strobe light.
1277
01:04:13,417 --> 01:04:14,667
So, when they said,
1278
01:04:14,667 --> 01:04:17,166
"We found your strobe--
we found the dog,"
1279
01:04:17,166 --> 01:04:19,875
this is what had come off.
1280
01:04:19,875 --> 01:04:23,250
You know, it blinks.
I thought they found her.
1281
01:04:30,834 --> 01:04:33,250
And then the look back
is what really--
1282
01:04:34,583 --> 01:04:40,041
why I really question
everything.
1283
01:04:40,041 --> 01:04:42,083
I still think about it.
1284
01:04:42,083 --> 01:04:44,083
I'm still
very much bothered
1285
01:04:44,083 --> 01:04:48,125
and tormented
by my decisions.
1286
01:04:48,125 --> 01:04:50,166
And I don't think
without the rapport
that we had,
1287
01:04:50,166 --> 01:04:53,709
without the relationship
we had,
1288
01:04:53,709 --> 01:04:55,500
I don't think
she would've done it.
1289
01:05:01,125 --> 01:05:02,667
Mm.
1290
01:05:04,458 --> 01:05:05,625
Oh, there she goes.
1291
01:05:14,959 --> 01:05:17,959
( sighs, crying )
1292
01:05:21,667 --> 01:05:24,542
And it was just clear
to me that...
1293
01:05:26,875 --> 01:05:30,333
my daughter has a daddy
because of Pepper.
1294
01:05:32,333 --> 01:05:35,792
Yeah.
It made sense.
1295
01:05:38,000 --> 01:05:40,667
- Girl: Go!
- Nielsen: What does
yellow mean?
1296
01:05:42,750 --> 01:05:45,834
- Slow down!
- "Slow down,"
that's right.
1297
01:05:45,834 --> 01:05:47,458
"You're almost there.
Stop at that tree.
1298
01:05:47,458 --> 01:05:51,625
Climb the ladder to...
a dog party."
1299
01:05:51,625 --> 01:05:54,333
Look at the dogs' party
with cake.
1300
01:05:54,333 --> 01:05:56,667
I would have put myself
in harm's way
1301
01:05:56,667 --> 01:05:58,333
or sacrificed anything
that I would
1302
01:05:58,333 --> 01:06:00,333
for a human being
for Pepper.
1303
01:06:00,333 --> 01:06:02,333
We don't fight
because we hate the bad guys.
1304
01:06:02,333 --> 01:06:07,125
We fight because we love
who and what we love.
1305
01:06:07,125 --> 01:06:09,250
And she was the same way.
1306
01:06:11,291 --> 01:06:13,125
Both:
♪ She touched
the sky, sky, sky ♪
1307
01:06:13,125 --> 01:06:15,041
♪ And didn't come back,
back, back ♪
1308
01:06:15,041 --> 01:06:16,792
♪ Till the 4th
of July-ly... ♪
1309
01:06:16,792 --> 01:06:19,333
I have my personal
spiritual beliefs.
1310
01:06:19,333 --> 01:06:20,875
I think
I'll see her again,
1311
01:06:20,875 --> 01:06:25,250
so I know one day,
we're gonna meet up.
1312
01:06:25,250 --> 01:06:30,417
And I just want to thank her,
and my daughter does, too.
1313
01:06:30,417 --> 01:06:32,542
( music playing )
1314
01:07:07,792 --> 01:07:10,250
( music continues )
94379
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