Operation Puppy Love: Bringing DJ Home

Posted By The Wolf

UPDATE:  Be sure to see Matt's story above for more details on DJ and the team; I just received info that DJ is loaded onto the plane departing Kuwait and will arrive Thursday morning (UAL FLT 092) in Dulles Airport, Washington, DC.  Laughing Wolf is escorting.

What a great way to start the New Year!

As many of you know, one of our own BlackFive members, Laughing Wolf, has been on an embed in Iraq over the holiday season.  Stories that he's gathering will be posted soon, as he's on his way back. 

But what is EXTRA special about his return is that he's agreed to help bring back a very special piece of love from Iraq.  A couple weeks ago, I received this email from an LT based in Iraq:

Question/Comment:
To whom it may concern,
I am a platoon leader for an infantry battalion. On May 19th of this year six of my soldiers were killed during combat operations. One of those soldiers, Alex, enjoyed playing with the dogs on one of our FOBs. His mother found many photos of the animals in his personal effects. She has been trying for some time to get a contractor to bring one of the dogs back to the states. We adopted one of the dogs for force protection at our company outpost. The dog had a puppy. I would like very much to transport the dog back to the states for Alex's mother. The biggest hurdle is getting the dog out of Baghdad. Is there any help your airline can provide? I am sorry to say that my unit will be returning to the states very soon. I only recently found out about Alex's mom and her goals and want to help in any way I can.
Very respectfully,
LT Tom

Needless to say, this got our attention very quickly.  Supporting the families and survivors goes to the top of the list around here.  I've had similar requests before, but those asking were not asking for any similar reasons, and they were seeking assistance of animal rescue groups, who flatly refused to have anything to do with it (partly due to summer heat- none would sponsor an animal traveling in over 80-degree heat.. Comment withheld). 

I immediately emailed our friends at Soldiers Angels, enlisted Matt's help, and asked LW if he could assist while over there.  Bless him, he's come thru fantastically.

DJ (the puppy/dog) is getting a final bath this evening; and there appear to be no problems with my linking up with Gryphon Airlines in Baghdad on 2 January 2008 to fly to Kuwait to link up with my 1240 am flight to Dulles on the 3rd.

Patti, at Soldiers Angels, in typical fashion has helped tremendously, and this has turned out (so far!) to be going smoothly.

Laughing Wolf, with DJ in tow, lands in Dulles the morning of the 3d of January. 

LW has sent the following to be posted, with much more to follow:

Operation Homecoming:  Bringing DJ Home

The dogs at COP Annihilator were special to Private First Class Alejandro "Alex" Varela; and, to the dogs, Alex and the soldiers of Alpha Company, were special as well.  Adopted as a force protection dog, one female would walk with the soldiers as they moved out on foot to observation posts, almost as if she were wanting to be sure that they made it safely.  This dog, and others, helped lift the spirits of Alex and other soldiers, as well as improving their security.

On May 19, 2007, Alex and six comrades (five soldiers, one interpreter) were killed when their Bradley armored vehicle was hit by an anti-tank mine.  In going through his possessions, Alex's mother, Rinda Pope of Orangevale, CA, was struck by the photographs of her son with the dogs.  She began efforts to get one of the dogs, but was not having any success.   Lt. Tom Hickey, Alex's platoon leader, found out about her efforts from another soldier, Specialist Matthew Alford, and began working to get her something much more tangible than a letter or medal:  one of the dogs that he had enjoyed so much.

While it wasn't possible to send the official force protection dog, that dog, BP for Bradley Position, had recently had puppies. Now old enough to travel, DJ as she is known, needed a sponsor to escort her back on a civilian flight. The platoon's efforts led them to contact Gryphon Air.

The result of that contact was a partnership between Gryphon Airlines, BlackFive, Soldier's Angels, and Prudent Publishing (parent company of The Gallery Collection to escort DJ to the U.S.  C. Blake Powers, who posts at BlackFive as Laughing Wolf. was to be doing an embed over Christmas made possible by the support of Prudent Publishing, and he agreed to be the escort.  All embeds from Blackfive milblog also serve as representatives of Soldier's Angels. Soldier's Angels purchased an airline approved travel kennel and necessary supplies, which were carried as luggage to Baghdad. The PetSmart in Lafayette, IN, also contributed some chew toys to the effort.

DJ is named for another platoon member, Travis Dowd, in a bit of teasing humor.  DJ was the only puppy to survive in her litter, and as a result ate rather well.  So well, in fact that she got very large -- too large for her feet.  His platoon mates like to kid the well-developed Dowd, so they started calling the puppy Dowd Junior, or DJ for short.  She is a typical puppy who chases her own tail, is well into the chewing phase of teething, and in good health.  The platoon has been working on housebreaking her, and on spoiling her as much as possible, even though no toe, sock, or boot is safe from DJ.

DJ is scheduled to arrive in Washington DC on January 3, 2008, where she will be handed over to Pat Jarrett upon clearing Customs and entry.



In Memoriam:

Staff Sgt. Christopher Moore, 28, of Alpaugh, Calif.
Sgt. Jean P. Medlin, 27, of Pelham, Ala.
Spc. David W. Behrle, 20, of Tipton, Iowa.
Spc. Joseph A. Gilmore, 26, of Webster, Fla.
Pfc. Travis F. Haslip, 20, of Ooltewah, Tenn.
Pfc. Alexander R. Varela, 19, of Fernley, Nev.

1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas

We'll update as soon as we have material.  If anyone is in the Dulles area, let us know...

-Wolf

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» You'll Want To Read This from Tammi's World
I've mentioned that my friend Laughing Wolf is in Iraq for the holidays. Well, for the holidays and a very special mission. The story is posted HERE at Blackfive. LW is escorting a very special puppy home from Iraq. It's... [Read More]

Comments

[Nicki]

Very touching. Thanks for sharing!

[Robin]

This is such a heartwarming story. Nothing like puppy love and kisses to help heal the heart.

[JihadGene]

Meanwhile somewhere north of the R.O.K.'s DMZ we find the DPRK's Great Reader KIM JONG IL mystified by his feelings...

KIM- General WANG! Kwit dwagging buttocks and get ober here wight now!!

WANG- At your side, my Most Greatness.

KIM- Abrout time!

WANG- Wot's the problem, Slir?

KIM- I'm tink Chi-Mart cumplooter trying to eee-wecktrocute Great Reader.

WANG- Why yoo think that Most Epiphanated One?

KIM- Beclaws... when I'm reading that Heathen Round-Eye, Mr Woof's piece abrout puppy dog (AKA-Korean Pot Sticker), on Heathen Bastard Brack 5, I'm beginning to fweel all ting-gull-lee inside. Muss be shortscircus
in keybloard or someting like that. What chew think?

WANG- (reading Wolf's piece)
...Great Reader,

KIM- Well, General Wang?

WANG- I'm go out on a limb here, Great One...

KIM- You are committed, now goes on wiff it!...

WANG- Slir! Far be it frum me, to say you have feelings or emotions, but I'm think you are not being erector-cuted by computer but rather are moved by the compassion of this story. You should send official letter of thanks to all involved (B5, Gryphon Air/Mr Wolf, Laughing Wolf, and Patti Bader of Soldiers Angels). May I also state that you should donate some
foldin money/$/cash/dinero to Soldiers Angels and Laughing Wolf?!...
...There. I'm said it. You may kill me now, your Greatness.

KIM- No. I'm not kill you. In dis matter, you plobablee be right.
I'm can send money EZ, tanks to PayPal, but how I'm get Ohfishwal Top SeaQuit Letter of Thanks to Brack 5 (for the story), Mr Wolf at Gryphon Air, Patti P-B at Soldiers Angels, and Laff Wulf (for his troubles of joy and kindness, as well)?

WANG- For the transporting of top secret documents, there is but one I can think of...

KIM & WANG- SANDY BURGER!!!

KIM- Make sure he 's got clean undies on this time.

WANG- 10-4, Sir!

KIM- Fweeeelings....Woe-O-O-O...fweelings...

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES!!!JG

[mindy1]

This is just too sweet. I'm glad it worked out.

[MaryAnn]

Love this story! Big hugs to LW for bringing DJ home.

[Cincinnati_Bob]

Very cool.

Peace be to the families.

Kimmy, I hope you continue to find yourself through your confusing emotions. Maybe you'll allow your people to eat more than grass someday you bad little puddytat.

[JihadGene]

***DPRK SPORTS MEMLOW***

Great Reader KIM JONG IL wishes a Happy (not crappy) New Year to all Norf Korean peoples who have faithfully kept the putting greens and fairways of the Pyongyang Golf Course/Gourmet Buffet so neatly groomed. Keep up this all-important work (trying to sustain your miserable lives) as Great Reader sees a summer crop of hybrid-bermuda in your glorious futures!!! Remember chlorophyll is low in cholesterol!!! Now sing praises to KIM JONG IL or I'm kill you!

Happy New Year,
Great Reader
KIM JONG IL

PMS...Happy New Year's shout out to that Heathen in Ohio, C_Brob!

[RichardUSA]

Thank you to the special people at Blackfive, Gryphon Airlines, My fellow Soldiers' Angels, especially Patti, Prudent Publishing and Lauging Wolf. You are all people with hearts of gold. I have long known of the therapeutic value of animals and have no doubt that this heroes mother will find comfort with DJ.

This is yet another example of the power of this blog and its friends. Keep up the good work Matt. The consequences are far reaching and make life for those who serve and their families better.

God Bless all of you!

[Cincinnati_Bob]

Lol. and Tanks Kimmy.

May your Dictatortotship rise to new lower levels this year. As for your pal JG, a most prosperous New Year is wished for you. And many more too numerous to name.

Btw, I understand you shot 7 holes in one your first golf game. You da man. You should open up your courses to the PGA and one Tiger Woods. heh.

[Maggie45]

I can't think of a better person than LW to bring DJ home to her new mom. Mrs Pope, may DJ bring you and your family much comfort. Thank you for raising such a man as PFC Alexander Varela. I am eternally grateful for his sacrifice.You have a wonderful Angel watching over you.

[Deltabravo]

I'm only sorry I am not at the moment living near Dulles, or I'd be there helping right now.

But is there somewhere we can all send our contact info and locations so in the future if someone needs help at an airport or a friendly face in town, you have a master list? I'm sure the B5 readership is spread everywhere and has all the bases covered and we'd be happy to assist if asked.

[Consul-At-Arms]

Great and heart-warming story. It's lovely how Alex's family is making something good come out of their grief.

I've linked to you here: http://consul-at-arms.blogspot.com/2008/01/re-operation-puppy-love-bringing-dj.html

[dellbabe68]

Thanks for bringing this little baby home!

[USAF Doc]

Proud to be part of the USAF which helped this happen.