AND ANOTHER
Local area Marine killed by sniper & his war dog buddy.
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Pfc. Colton Rusk always talked about his loyal bomb-sniffing black lab, Eli, when he called home
When Pfc. Colton Rusk was shot by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan last December, his loyal explosives-sniffing dog, Eli, rushed to his side and crawled on top of him to protect him, according to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Eli even snapped at other Marines who rushed over to help Rusk.
Tragically, Rusk, 20, didn’t make it. Eli could have been sent off to a new handler. After all, he’s only 4 years old, was uninjured, and has thousands of dollars worth of training invested in him. The day Rusk died, Eli had already sniffed out two explosives. But a plea from Rusk’s family in Texas changed Eli’s future.
The commander of Rusk’s unit knew of Rusk’s very special bond with Eli. Sniffer dogs are supposed to sleep in kennels. But Rusk often broke the rules and let him sleep with him on his cot, according to the Huffington Post. Sometimes the dog took up the entire sleeping bag, but Rusk didn’t mind.. Rusk had grown up with dogs on his family’s 100-acre ranch in South Texas, and Eli was almost like a second skin to him. Rusk ate ready-to-eat meals, therefore so did Eli.
Based on their strong bond, and the family’s pleas (on their own and through influential politicians), the commander of Rusk’s unit recommended Eli for retirement and adoption by Rusk’s parents and brothers. It’s only the second adoption to the family of a military dog handler killed in combat, reports the Caller.
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Brady Rusk, 12, clung to his brother's best friend when they met at Lackland Air Force Base on Thursday. (Photo: Corpus Christi Caller-Times)
Fallen Marines dog adopted by family
http://dogblog.dogster.com/2011/02/04/fa...is-family/
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OT: Loyal Dog Mourns Fallen Navy Seal
