Retired Army Canine and U.S. Military Sgt. Reconnect After Two Years – Dogster

A ten-year-old retired army canine, Dasty, was not too long ago reunited together with his former handler, U.S. Military Sgt. Michael Fletcher, after being aside for 2 years.

Sergeant Fletcher of the U.S. Military was paired with three distinctive canine throughout his seven-year profession, however his bond together with his third canine Dasty, a Dutch Shepherd, was distinctive. As they navigated deployments, superior coaching, and life at dwelling, their partnership stood as a testomony to the facility of belief and teamwork and solely grew stronger with time.

Sgt. Fletcher and Dasty had been inseparable throughout their 4 years of service collectively, which included a 10-month deployment in Afghanistan, the place they slept collectively in a small tent in an lively fight zone. Throughout their service, additionally they participated in a number of Secret Service missions, touring the world collectively, and offering safety for Presidents Trump and Biden.

The 2 had been separated when Sgt. Fletcher left the Military in 2022. After studying that Dasty was retiring attributable to age, Sgt. Fletcher reached out to American Humane, a D.C. nonprofit group, for help in bringing Dasty to his dwelling in Inexperienced Bay, Wisconsin.

The 2 had been reunited on October 12, 2024, as Sgt. Fletcher and his spouse Johanna have adopted him so he’s now formally a part of the Fletcher household.

A Sergeant and His Ok-9 Companion

Michael Fletcher enlisted within the U.S. Military in 2015, a profession path pushed by his ardour for serving his nation and a deep love for animals. As a Ok-9 handler, he labored carefully with extremely skilled army working canine, whose missions included explosives detection and patrol. His remaining and most important companion was Dasty the Dutch Shepherd, identified for his ability, intelligence, and eager sense of loyalty.

The Early Days

Dasty’s army profession started in 2016, and although he was initially paired with one other handler, Michael grew to become Dasty’s true companion in 2018. On the time, Michael was stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and he and Dasty underwent a vital bonding interval earlier than they totally clicked as a workforce.

In line with Michael, it took about three months for Dasty to heat as much as him. Initially, their work was centered on supporting base operations and aiding the native police division, which lacked its personal explosives detection canine. The pair’s arduous work quickly led them to extra specialised coaching, together with the celebrated Patrol Explosive Detection Canine – Enhanced (PEDD-E) course.

The Rigorous PEDD-E Coaching

The PEDD-E program, accomplished by Michael and Dasty at Fort Leonard Wooden, Missouri, was a defining second of their service. This superior 60-day coaching course is designed to equip army Ok-9 groups with the abilities wanted to detect explosives and conduct patrol duties in high-risk environments. The course focuses on off-leash coaching, enabling canine like Dasty to work at a distance from their handler — generally so far as a soccer area away — and nonetheless execute their duties with precision.

The coaching is intensive and is simply taught 3 times per 12 months with area for less than 10 army working canine groups, but it surely creates extremely efficient groups that function with a novel degree of belief and independence. Graduating from PEDD-E is an honor, and one of many perks of the funding of time and sources is that these groups stay paired collectively even when their handler is relocated (in contrast to most army working canine groups, which regularly must separate when handlers relocate—which is tough for each handler and canine).

Deployment to Afghanistan: Trials and Triumphs

In 2019, Michael and Dasty had been deployed to Logar Province, Afghanistan, a deployment marked by private sacrifice {and professional} challenges. For Michael, it was a tough time—his spouse Johanna was pregnant with their first little one again dwelling. The separation was powerful, however with Dasty, all the time by his facet, he felt not solely safety but additionally a much-needed sense of consolation and companionship. The 2 shared a tent, every with their very own twin-sized mattress, and spent all their time collectively. Caring for Dasty was Michael’s high precedence—he would carry him human meals from the eating corridor on particular events, and even purchased him a pile of blankets from a neighborhood bazaar to maintain him heat when the mountain temperatures would drop beneath freezing.

Their project at Ahead Working Base (FOB) Dahlke was removed from straightforward. The bottom was austere, with troopers residing in tents with no warmth or air con, enduring excessive climate with out primary facilities like operating water for weeks at a time. Regardless of the powerful situations, Dasty grew to become an unofficial mascot of the bottom, elevating morale and giving the troops a cause to smile within the face of adversity. Michael introduced Dasty to all the briefings and conferences so all the troopers had the chance to work together with him, and plenty of troopers would even come to hang around in Michael and Dasty’s tent to get a bit extra reprieve and luxury.

Along with their routine patrols, Michael and Dasty had been tasked with the essential and harmful position of detecting explosives. Daily was a check of their expertise and bond as they labored to maintain their fellow service members secure. Dasty saved numerous lives whereas serving in Afghanistan, by finding a number of IEDs and remaining regular and centered in fight, even when bullets had been flying.

When requested about their bond, Michael shared the story a few mission on a scorching summer time day. They had been operating low on water bottles, so he provided Dasty the final little bit of water he had after which drank the dregs himself (slobber and all). “That’s how a lot he meant to me on the market. I knew that he wanted it greater than me as a result of he was holding everyone behind us secure.”

Michael describes their relationship as greater than greatest pals as a result of they honestly needed to depend on one another for survival. Johanna likes to tease that the 2 ‘greater than greatest pals’ returned from Afghanistan with their first grey hairs—a testomony to the stress they had been beneath collectively whereas on responsibility.

Secret Service Missions

After their lively service in Afghanistan, the 2 had been relocated to Fort Myer (Joint Base Myer – Henderson Corridor) in Northern Virginia. The pair participated in a number of secret service missions defending President Trump and President Biden in a number of states and international locations.

Michael and Dasty additionally went on to assist practice different Ok-9 groups with the abilities they discovered at PEDD-E.

Their Time Aside

Michael and Dasty had been separated in February 2022 when Michael left the Military to pursue a brand new profession. He returned to high school, earned a level, and relocated to Inexperienced Bay, Wisconsin, together with his household. In the meantime, Dasty remained at Fort Myer, the place he was paired with a brand new handler, somebody who had served beneath Michael and whom he considers a good friend. Since leaving the Military, Michael hadn’t seen Dasty in individual, although he has stayed up to date on his beloved canine companion by means of common updates and occasional FaceTime calls.

When Michael discovered that Dasty was retiring attributable to previous age, he was excited however involved about whether or not he may take day off from work to journey to Washington, D.C., to choose him up. Fortuitously, his spouse Johanna got here throughout a TikTok video concerning the nonprofit group American Humane and inspired him to succeed in out.

The Fletcher household is thrilled that they had been capable of undertake Dasty and might’t wait to present him the peaceable, well-deserved retirement he has earned after his years of service. Michael believes having Dasty again at his facet will assist together with his ongoing transition to civilian life, particularly after the traumatic experiences they shared throughout their deployment in Afghanistan.

Dasty’s Journey Dwelling

An American Humane handler picked Dasty up from Fort Myer in Arlington, VA on Friday, October 11, 2024. Dasty had his personal seat within the cabin in the course of the American Airways flight (particular remedy for a really particular pup!).

On Saturday, October 12, Michael and Dasty had a heartwarming reunion in Inexperienced Bay, joined by Michael’s spouse and their two youngsters. Along with protecting all transportation prices, American Humane will present free veterinary take care of Dasty for the remainder of his life.

Information About Army Working Canines

• Army Working Canines (MWDs) have quietly however diligently served the USA for over eight a long time
• Canines have faithfully served people since early civilizations together with historic Egypt, however they didn’t have an official position within the army till 1942 with the creation of the Military Ok-9 Corps
• At the moment, Ok-9s are serving anyplace you discover American troops, with over 1600 canine in lively service
• Skilled Division of Protection Ok-9 personnel are thought of Non-commissioned Officers and are all the time ranked one degree greater than their handlers. This ensures that the canine are handled with the utmost care and respect.

Army Working Canine Retirement Processes & Challenges

Army working canine (MWDs) and their handlers develop an unbreakable bond whereas serving their nation. These canine usually are not solely loyal companions but additionally important companions in a number of the most harmful missions. Sadly, when both the handler or the canine retires or is reassigned, they’re typically separated. This may be extremely powerful for each the canine and the handler, who’ve spent years defending and counting on one another.

The 2016 Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) mandates that handlers be given first rights of adoption when their army canine retire, making certain that these loyal companions can keep collectively after service. Nonetheless, many army canine have served beneath a number of handlers all through their careers, and whereas each handler types a deep bond with their Ok-9 counterpart, not all handlers are capable of undertake their canine, particularly if they’re nonetheless on lively responsibility or stationed abroad.

The NDAA additionally stipulates that army canine should retire on U.S. soil, however getting them there is usually a problem. When a army canine retires, it isn’t all the time straightforward for the army to trace down their newest handler for adoption, not to mention work out find out how to transport the canine dwelling. The method includes a major quantity of paperwork, complications, and purple tape, with the steep prices and logistical obligations typically falling on the handler. That is the place extra assist is crucial to make sure that these courageous canine are cared for in retirement, reunited with their handlers, and capable of benefit from the lives they deserve after their service.

American Humane – How They Assist

American Humane handles the complicated technique of transporting and aiding former handlers in adopting their Ok-9 counterparts once they retire. The group covers the journey prices for transporting the canine and offers lifelong veterinary take care of the retired Ok-9s.

Like human veterans, Ok-9 veterans typically retire with medical situations that require intensive—and costly—veterinary care, however the authorities doesn’t cowl these prices. That’s why American Humane steps in to cowl all medical payments for the working canine they create dwelling, making certain these Ok-9 veterans obtain the comfy and dignified retirement they deserve.

American Humane is the USA’s first and largest humane group. Please observe they’re simply identified by two names – American Humane – and don’t embrace ‘Society’ of their group, that could be a fully completely different group.

They’ve a particular program for army canine to assist shield and acknowledge their heroic contributions to their nation. The work contains bringing retired canine dwelling to reunite with their handlers, like in Michael and Dasty’s case, and offering veterinary care and monetary assist to make sure the canine have the comfy retirements they deserve.

How Can I Assist?

In the event you’d wish to assist this trigger, you may discover out extra about find out how to donate right here.

Photos supplied by American Humane