“Friends love through all kinds of trouble." ~ Proverbs
17:17
Heroes are born every day. Some of them even sport fur and greater senses
of hearing and smell than their human counterparts.
So when a stray mutt wandered onto a U.S. military compound
in Afghanistan, Sgt. Bill Snyder knew he’d found a new friend. He had the speed of a puppy and the teeth of a
grizzly. And when his tail started to
wag, Snyder knew he hadn’t chosen his companion; Bravo (his adopted
name), had picked him. Little did
he know how important their friendship would become.
Weeks later after the blazing sun had gone to rest, a
suicide bomber snuck into Snyder’s camp attempting to slaughter the 50 or so
soldiers sleeping inside. Bravo eyed the
intruder sourly, refusing to let him pass, while barking to alert the soldiers
that something was wrong. Snyder woke
and immediately ran toward the entrance.
They found Sgt. Snyder first. His shrapnel wounds dictated rapid evacuation
to the
U.S. military hospital near Landstuhl, Germany.
For his part, Bravo also sustained life threatening injuries
but was nursed back to health by the troops.
He’d earned the right to be treated like a soldier, so Bravo was
“promoted” to share the rank of his original master.
Snyder survived the explosion, but after months of physical
rehabilitation, he faced an even tougher battle - getting Sgt. Bravo out of
Afghanistan. Flying an animal to the
States from a foreign country involves reams of paperwork, so Snyder was forced
to leave his 4-legged buddy behind, knowing he’d likely never see him again.
But the story didn’t end there. When an animal rescue group heard of the
brave pet’s mission, they raised enough money ($21,000) to help Sgt. Snyder fly
Sgt. Bravo to his home in Missouri. Their reunion was epic – for both
sergeants. Praise the Lord!
Dogs that specialize in bomb search and security work day in
and day out in Iraq and Afghanistan to help keep our nation safe. These K9’s are soldiers and much appreciated
by our troops. When our troops return
home from war, many come home with wounds that aren’t visible on the outside. Service K9’s assist those veterans who are
handicapped either mentally or physically, to live more meaningful lives.
So while March 13 is National K9 Veteran’s Day, let’s
remember these special Veterans tomorrow too, who help protect and preserve our
freedom! On behalf of all Americans, we
thank you for your dedication and service! Woof, woof!
Heavenly Father, thank you for lending these
beautiful creatures to us. Because of
them, I’ve learned a little more about loving, a little more about caring, and
a little more about letting things be. It’s
one of best ways of knowing You. Amen
