Catfish wanted me to post this story:
Bomb-sniffing dog reunited with handler for keeps
By Donna St. George
The Washington PostAn Air Force bomb-dog handler who was severely injured in Iraq adopted her closest comrade in war an 80-pound German shepherd named Rex in a small ceremony Friday at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.
The much-awaited moment for Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana, 27, came 6 months after she was nearly killed when a bomb exploded beneath the Humvee in which she and Rex were riding. Rex had minor injuries.
Dana was critically injured with collapsed lungs, a broken pelvis, a fractured spine and in her last moment of consciousness that day pleaded to know the fate of her dog. Where’s Rex? she asked, grabbing a medic’s arm.
Weeks later, as Dana slowly recovered from her wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, she began asking about adopting the animal. At first, the Air Force said no. Rex was 5 years old, not nearly the retirement age of 10 to 14.
This fall, there was a change of heart. Air Force officials said they supported the adoption and worked with Congress on a measure that would allow special exceptions to working-dog adoption rules.
The measure became part of a defense bill signed Dec. 30 by President Bush.
Friday, Dana was handed Rex’s leash and an adoption certificate in a ceremony attended by her Air Force husband, her friends, her commanding officers and other Air Force personnel. Rex lay quietly near his handler through most of the speeches.
Dana is working an Air Force desk job, awaiting word on her possible retirement. She has served since 1997, just after high school graduation.
He’s mine, Dana said. I’m kind of relieved, happy, a little bit of everything.
Copyright 2006 The Seattle Times Company
