For these soldiers, sadness upon returning from Afghanistan

For these soldiers, sadness upon returning from Afghanistan
3BCT dog handlers face a hard parting as a reality of coming home from deployment
Jun. 11, 2013
Written by
By. Spc. Brian Smith-Dutton
3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

At Campbell Army Air Field, Cpl. Daniel Crean, a military police officer assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team 'Rakkasans,' 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), with his military working dog, Misa, exit an aircraft after their nine month deployment to Afghanistan. US ARMY/SPC. BRIAN SMITH-DUTTON

FORT CAMPBELL, KY. — Returning 3rd Brigade Combat Team “Rakkasan” dog handlers recently faced a tough moment upon returning to Fort Campbell, having to part ways with their canine battle buddies after 11 months of closely working and living together.

The soldiers and their dogs flew back from Afghanistan together on May 23, exiting the aircraft for a brief ceremony before a hard moment.

"It was kind of a long flight back," said Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Phillips, an infantryman assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team "Rakkasans," 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). "It was quiet because everyone knew they were going to have to give their dogs up once they got back."

"We got off the plane and spent the last 15 minutes we had with our dogs before they were loaded onto a truck," said Army Spc. Daniel Crean, a military police officer assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 3rd Special Troops Battalion. "That was the last time I saw him."
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