$6,000 raised to fly two Afghanistan war zone dogs to the U.S.

$6,000 raised to fly two Afghanistan war zone dogs to the U.S.
Published: July 4, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Two stray dogs in Afghanistan that found comfort and companionship with a company of U.S. Army soldiers at a remote firebase are poised to leave the war zone behind. As the troops get set to return home, their spouses have raised nearly $6,000 to fly the dogs to the United States.

A Facebook posting has spread the word and donations are flowing in to pay the costs of transporting the dogs - Smiley and OP1 - the thousands of miles from Afghanistan. Their destination: Fort Campbell, the big military base on the Kentucky-Tennessee line and a new, peaceful life with the families of some of the soldiers.

The 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, was one of the units dispatched to Afghanistan last year to secure that country from a resurgent Taliban. They are expected to begin leaving the country later this summer.

Sonya Luedeman, wife of Spc. Jason Luedeman - a medic in Charlie Company, 1-61 Cavalry - said her husband couldn't stop talking about a black-and-white dog that had followed the soldiers back to their firebase during a patrol months ago.
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War zone dogs
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