A Video that Hits Home
I love this video for the content but it truly resonates with me on a much deeper level. The video was filmed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Wilson in the Kandahar region of Afghanistan.
When I oversaw the dog program for Afghanistan, FOB Wilson was where the plea for additional dog teams originated. That plea and the sequence of events afterwards forever changed my life.
By the end of my tour in Afghanistan we had flooded hundreds of “Paws on Ground” to FOB Wilson and the surrounding bases. FOB Wilson was the epicenter for the 2011-2011 fight for the dreaded Arghandab River Valley.
FOB Wilson and the Arghandab River Valley is also where a large portion of my first novel, Paws on the Ground, is set.
I’ll never forget flying in a helicopter from Kandahar Airbase to FOB Wilson and taking notes about the scenery in my little green notebook. It was that day I knew I would be a writer someday.
In the video is Staff Sergeant Abdnon who I knew as a young Soldier when we were both stationed in Germany and later Iraq……many years ago. Staff Sergeant Abdnon sphere of control grew from a dozen to ten times that number as we flooded dogs into Afghanistan. Because of Staff Sergeant Abdon’s tireless efforts with dog teams and the Tactical Explosive Detector Dog program many lives were saved.
Great memories….. Times I will never forget.
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10 comments on “A Video that Hits Home”
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Karen says: I love this video. I wish I could meet a real MWD and handler. They are so special.
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Kevin Hanrahan says:
Where are you located Karen? I agree though…they are special folks!
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Thanks Renee…I got all excited when I found this video last week! It brought back great memories!
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I def agree Patrick!
Need to get a dog. I don’t know if I should get a big one since my apartment’s little. No cats. Can’t stand liter boxes. But since I am always away with the Army and seminary I can’t have one. My Mom can’t feed him…
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You are in a tough dilemma Sean. Sometime you have to wait on the timing to be right! Maybe once you finish you education. Course if you can find a good dog sitter you are good to go. When I only had one finding a dog sitter was easy. With two it is much harder. I put them in a kennel and it is crazy expensive. But they are together so they don’t mind.
BTW: Thank you for what your noble pursuit. Chaplains are critical to our Army and troops.
Hey sir- Maybe I’ll ask my brigade chaplain if I can bring it to drill with me. Help morale, and the soldiers wouldn’t’ have to take the trash out as much.
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I would love to take my dogs to work with me! There is actually a lot of hoopla about PTSD/ therapy dogs in the military. It is a tough situation all around.
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I love this video. I wish I could meet a real MWD and handler. They are so special.
Where are you located Karen? I agree though…they are special folks!
I loved it Thanks Kevin
Thanks Renee…I got all excited when I found this video last week! It brought back great memories!
One word to describe MWD’s and their handlers…. AWESOME.
I def agree Patrick!
Need to get a dog. I don’t know if I should get a big one since my apartment’s little. No cats. Can’t stand liter boxes. But since I am always away with the Army and seminary I can’t have one. My Mom can’t feed him…
You are in a tough dilemma Sean. Sometime you have to wait on the timing to be right! Maybe once you finish you education. Course if you can find a good dog sitter you are good to go. When I only had one finding a dog sitter was easy. With two it is much harder. I put them in a kennel and it is crazy expensive. But they are together so they don’t mind.
BTW: Thank you for what your noble pursuit. Chaplains are critical to our Army and troops.
Hey sir- Maybe I’ll ask my brigade chaplain if I can bring it to drill with me. Help morale, and the soldiers wouldn’t’ have to take the trash out as much.
I would love to take my dogs to work with me! There is actually a lot of hoopla about PTSD/ therapy dogs in the military. It is a tough situation all around.