Posted on 12/20/2007 5:57:22 PM PST by RDTF
Lex attended the funeral of his best friend in March, playing with the 20-year-old Marine's younger brother away from the crowd. He was beside Cpl. Dustin Lee when Lee was killed in a mortar attack in Falluja.
-snip-
"Since Dustin's death we've been trying to get his dog, Lex, from the Marine Corps, and needless to say we've had some difficulty there," said Lee, a former Mississippi Highway Patrol officer. "This thing went from colonels to generals all the way up to the commandant of the Marine Corps, and it almost went to the secretary of defense."
-snip-
Well before joining the Marines, Dustin Lee was known by all for his devotion to his country. A member of Quitman High School's cross-country track team, Lee and three teammates participated in the Americans United: Flag Across America Run after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York and Washington.
So it was no surprise when the young man joined the Marines out of high school in 2004, nor was it a surprise when he went to Albany to train military police dogs, inspired by his mother's work with the county's search and rescue team dogs when he was a boy.
Dustin, an animal lover who also rode horses, played hide and seek with his mother's canine companion as a child, Jerome Lee said.
"He would let the dog get a sniff of his clothing and then go hide to see if the dog could find him," the elder Lee said.
At the logistics base in Albany, Lee said, Dustin "worked with all the dogs and became the kennel master."
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
ping.
Great story!
Thank God for heroes like Cpl. Dustin Lee. God bless his family.
Dog IS God spelled backwards, remember. They are wonderful beings...filled with all the unconditional love the good Lord wants us to give out as much as dogs do.
WOOF! WOOF!
I have three dogs, but I think I like my one cat better.
Yeah, I know that's weird, but this cat is really cool, lol.
Traitor...:-)
I wonder if the time it took to make the decision to give the dog to the Marine's family didn't have this argument against it. The dog took about $30K to get to the level of training it had achieved. The taxpayer is losing about 5 years of service by a trained dog by this philanthropic act representing an estimated $40K more dollars. This amount of money tossed away by a philanthropic USMC represents a significant amount of money and sets a precedent that may cost the US government more money if it is repeated. Who's money was given away? Yes, the devil's advocate position sucks but I wonder if there were these objections to give the dog to the family instead of another handler?
I thought of the same objections you raised by playing devil’s advocate.
I don’t think it is beyond the pale to consider that those who wish to support the transfer of this dog to his handler’s family can organize a fund raising to pay back the USMC for the loss of the dog’s services and for the training of a new dog that will be partnered with yet another fine American hero.
One could even conceive of a foundation to support the transfer of animals that survive their handlers to the families of their handlers. Said foundation could also be involved in the breeding and training of animals, giving the replacement animals a head start in their new lives.
Of course... I’m just saying...
Cool, I am glad the family may find some comfort with the dog.
I saw the most heartbreaking sweatshirt logo today at Ft RIchardson.
“All gave some,
my husband gave all”
ALl of ‘our’ troops are back at Ft Rich - and begin a 30 day block leave today. 53 did not make it back alive and one is still over in the KTO awaiting trial on bogus charges.
I wonder how badly “Lex” was wounded. It must have been pretty serious. It’s nice to know he’ll be given lots of TLC the rest of his days.
Somehow it makes sense to me that... if the handler dies and the dog lives...and the dog reportedly loved the handler so much that he had to be pulled away from his body...and the handler’s family wants the dog so much that they work that hard to get him then it’s a no brainer.
We got our money’s worth out of him.
Not quite. Lex would have been retired at the age of 10 and he still carries shrapnel in his back which may have reduced his remaining time on active duty.
and sets a precedent that may cost the US government more money if it is repeated.
Former handlers have already been allowed to adopt dogs in the past and Lee himself had already adopted his first dog, Doenja, and sent him to his home in Mississippi in 2006. This is the first time that a nonhandler has been allowed to adopt a dog. Considering that Corporal Lee gave his life for his country I'm surprised that it took some zero in the Corps as long as it did to make this no brainer decision.
Mississippi ping!
What a wonderful young hero.
I’m so happy Lex will be with his family.
Thank you for posting this, RDTF.
His folks live down the road a piece from my hometown.
Nice home for doggie.
Dude, you’re one sick puppy.
I suspect that if the taxpayers had been allowed to vote on the decision, that the result would have been the same.
He may be sick, but at least he’s not dead. :p
ping
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