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A ten-year-old retired navy canine, Dasty, was just lately reunited together with his former handler, U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Fletcher, after being aside for 2 years.
Sergeant Fletcher of the U.S. Army 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. During 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 two had been separated when Sgt. Fletcher left the Army in 2022. After studying that Dasty was retiring as a consequence of age, Sgt. Fletcher reached out to American Humane, a D.C. nonprofit group, for help in bringing Dasty to his dwelling in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The two 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 Partner
Michael Fletcher enlisted within the U.S. Army 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 intently with extremely educated navy working canine, whose missions included explosives detection and patrol. His last and most important associate was Dasty the Dutch Shepherd, identified for his talent, intelligence, and eager sense of loyalty.
The Early Days
Dasty’s navy profession started in 2016, and although he was initially paired with one other handler, Michael turned Dasty’s true associate in 2018. At the time, Michael was stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and he and Dasty underwent an important bonding interval earlier than they totally clicked as a workforce.
According to Michael, it took about three months for Dasty to heat as much as him. Initially, their work was targeted 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 Dog – Enhanced (PEDD-E) course.
The Rigorous PEDD-E Training
The PEDD-E program, accomplished by Michael and Dasty at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, was a defining second of their service. This superior 60-day coaching course is designed to equip navy 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 subject away — and nonetheless execute their duties with precision.
The coaching is intensive and is just taught 3 times per 12 months with house for less than 10 navy working canine groups, nevertheless it creates extremely efficient groups that function with a singular stage 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 (not like most navy working canine groups, which regularly need to 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 baby again dwelling. The separation was robust, however with Dasty, all the time by his facet, he felt not solely safety but in addition a much-needed sense of consolation and companionship. The two 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 an area bazaar to maintain him heat when the mountain temperatures would drop beneath freezing.
Their project at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Dahlke was removed from simple. The base was austere, with troopers residing in tents with no warmth or air con, enduring excessive climate with out primary facilities like working water for weeks at a time. Despite the robust situations, Dasty turned an unofficial mascot of the bottom, elevating morale and giving the troops a motive to smile within the face of adversity. Michael introduced Dasty to the entire briefings and conferences so the entire troopers had the chance to work together with him, and lots of troopers would even come to hang around in Michael and Dasty’s tent to get a bit extra reprieve and luxury.
In addition to their routine patrols, Michael and Dasty had been tasked with the essential and harmful position of detecting explosives. Every day was a take a look at of their abilities and bond as they labored to maintain their fellow service members protected. Dasty saved numerous lives whereas serving in Afghanistan, by finding a number of IEDs and remaining regular and targeted in fight, even when bullets had been flying.
When requested about their bond, Michael shared the story a few mission on a sizzling summer season day. They had been working low on water bottles, so he supplied 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 retaining all people behind us protected.”
Michael describes their relationship as greater than greatest associates as a result of they honestly needed to depend on one another for survival. Johanna likes to tease that the 2 ‘greater than greatest associates’ returned from Afghanistan with their first grey hairs—a testomony to the stress they had been underneath 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 Hall) 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 nations.
Michael and Dasty additionally went on to assist prepare different Ok-9 groups with the abilities they discovered at PEDD-E.
Their Time Apart
Michael and Dasty had been separated in February 2022 when Michael left the Army to pursue a brand new profession. He returned to highschool, earned a level, and relocated to Green Bay, Wisconsin, together with his household. Meanwhile, Dasty remained at Fort Myer, the place he was paired with a brand new handler, somebody who had served underneath Michael and whom he considers a buddy. Since leaving the Army, Michael hadn’t seen Dasty in individual, although he has stayed up to date on his beloved canine associate by means of common updates and occasional FaceTime calls.
When Michael discovered that Dasty was retiring as a consequence of previous age, he was excited however involved about whether or not he may take day without work from work to journey to Washington, D.C., to choose him up. Fortunately, 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 Home
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 Airlines flight (particular remedy for a really particular pup!).
On Saturday, October 12, Michael and Dasty had a heartwarming reunion in Green Bay, joined by Michael’s spouse and their two youngsters. In addition to protecting all transportation prices, American Humane will present free veterinary take care of Dasty for the remainder of his life.
Facts About Military Working Dogs
- Military Working Dogs (MWDs) have quietly however diligently served the USA for over eight a long time
- Dogs have faithfully served people since early civilizations together with historical Egypt, however they didn’t have an official position within the navy till 1942 with the creation of the Army K-9 Corps
- Today, Ok-9s are serving wherever you discover American troops, with over 1600 dogs in active service
- Experienced Department of Defense Ok-9 personnel are thought-about Non-commissioned Officers and are all the time ranked one stage larger than their handlers. This ensures that the canine are handled with the utmost care and respect.
Military Working Dog Retirement Processes & Challenges
Military working canine (MWDs) and their handlers develop an unbreakable bond whereas serving their nation. These canine will not be solely loyal companions but in addition important companions in among the most harmful missions. Unfortunately, when both the handler or the canine retires or is reassigned, they’re typically separated. This will be extremely robust for each the canine and the handler, who’ve spent years defending and counting on one another.
The 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) mandates that handlers be given first rights of adoption when their navy canine retire, guaranteeing that these loyal companions can keep collectively after service. However, many navy canine have served underneath 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 navy canine should retire on U.S. soil, however getting them there could be a problem. When a navy canine retires, it’s not all the time simple for the navy to trace down their newest handler for adoption, not to mention determine how you can transport the canine dwelling. The course of includes a major quantity of paperwork, complications, and pink tape, with the steep prices and logistical tasks typically falling on the handler. This is the place further 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 Help
American Humane handles the complicated strategy 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 gives lifelong veterinary take care of the retired Ok-9s.
Like human veterans, Ok-9 veterans typically retire with medical situations that require in depth—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 dogs they create dwelling, guaranteeing these Ok-9 veterans obtain the snug 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 embody ‘Society’ of their group, that may be a fully totally different group.
They have a specific program for military dogs to assist defend and acknowledge their heroic contributions to their nation. The work consists of 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 snug retirements they deserve.
How Can I Help?
If you’d wish to assist this trigger, you may find out more about how to donate here.
Images offered by American Humane