Wounded Sergeant Fights for a 'Best Friend' (Her Dog Rex-Murtha Trying)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/19/AR2005111901449.html

They had trained together for three years in the military and were deployed overseas side by side. In June, they arrived in Iraq, where they worked as a team scouring houses and villages for hidden explosives. Then, one afternoon, riding back from a mission, a roadside bomb went off under their Humvee.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana was critically injured -- bleeding internally, her lungs collapsed, her spine fractured, her pelvis broken. In her last moment of consciousness, she asked in desperation about her comrade. "Where's Rex?" she pleaded. When no one answered, she grabbed a medic's arm. "Where's my dog? Is he dead?"

<snip>

Weeks passed before Dana would understand that the medic was mistaken and that Rex was alive. The German shepherd was burned slightly on his nose while Dana teetered at life's edge, doctors unable to assure her family that she would survive.

Not long after she started to rally from her injuries, Dana asked Air Force leaders if she could adopt Rex. The answer was no; it was against the rules, and Rex was still valuable to the military. Now, the Air Force has changed its view -- but federal law stands in the way.

<snip>

It will take an act of Congress to pave the way for Rex to stay with Dana, 26.....In Congress, several lawmakers have taken up her cause, including Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), who is working to attach to a Defense appropriations bill a provision that would allow Rex's adoption. The measure is expected to emerge from a conference committee by the middle of next month and must face votes in both houses.

[TygrBright]

1. AAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW......

gee....

Dang, how can you not hope they succeed?

happily sappily,
Bright

[corporatemedia]

2. Well, obviously Murtha is a traitor and the only reason he is doing this..

is because it's a GERMAN shepherd and the Germans didn't support the war!

[serryjw]

4. RFLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was a good one!

n/t

[serryjw]

3. Rex did his duty...Its time

for him to retire..Lets write Murtha

[Bozita]

6. Murtha now has microphones available 24/7

Geeez, I hate that "24/7' term.

[serryjw]

7. I need an email address

If you are not in his district you can not contact him on his website

[Bozita]

8. How about telephone?

http://www.house.gov/murtha/contact.shtml

[serryjw]

9. Noooooooo, Want to email

any ideas?

[Bozita]

10. Need a DUer from his PA Cong District

I suspect more than one will be willing to help.

[RamboLiberal]

12. I intend to write my own congressperson and my senators

supporting that the she get to keep Rex. That they need to get behind Murtha on this and on his troop withdrawal idea.

[freeplessinseattle]

5. wait a minute, isn't she an "asset" too?

won't they have to train someone else to do her job? why not just get a new dog to train with her replacement? geez, have a heart people.

[roguevalley]

11. that dog will heal her. It needs to lie by her side and it will heal her.

lovely pair, these. Murtha, what a big heart he has.

[JoFerret]

17. Well....comfort

but heal? Damn Bushco.

[roguevalley]

28. a new study links speedy healing with dogs being close to you,.

[Crunchy Frog]

13. There's a federal law against this kind of adoption?

That's insanity. I mean, I can understand their wanting to keep these dogs for as long as they're useful, but there has to be room for the occasional exception. I don't see why they would need a federal law as opposed to a simple policy that can be overridden when appropriate.

This wounded soldier needs the dog alot more that the Air force does.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Yes it is, the dog is government property

and a military asset

[awoke_in_2003]

16. Yeah, they are just considered government...

issue. After VietNam, a lot of dogs were just abandoned there or killed off. Really sad.

[northzax]

26. well, to be fair

it costs money and time to acquire and train these dogs. the military puts their cash value at $11,000 each, and replacements take 100 days to train. In a war (and we are in a war, like it or not) soldiers don't get to take their military gear home with them, if they are still useable to the military. The dog has seven years of work left ahead of him. I think she should, given the special cirsumstances, be able to purchase the dog from the military, but I don't support the giving of taxpayer assets away. Sorry. She may be very attached to the dog, no question, but it was never her dog, it was her partner.

unless, of course, the dog's ability to find explosives (they are 98% effective) has been damaged by the accident. That's a loophole I would support.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Just sent an email to my congress critter

symbolic of suporting the troops

[oscarmitre]

18. We need some experts

in dognapping.

[fooj]

19. Murtha is a good man. He's trying to do the right thing...

and these rat bastards in Congress will do everything in their power to stonewall this! The self-serving, evil, maniacal monsters will turn their backs on Dana and Rex..they don't give a rat's ass about the well being of our military. I hate them with the intensity of 1000 suns!!!!! :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Hissyspit]

20. kick

[xchrom]

21. kicking for all the dogs.

[beam me up scottie]

22. Recommended.

[Johnyawl]

23. Murtha's a great guy who looks after the vets

This tidbit was from the Seattle PI this past sat:

I like this John Murtha guy. The decorated Marine veteran was visiting a hospitalized Iraq war vet who'd lost both hands and his eyesight while trying to disarm a bomb we dropped over there. But the rules say you don't get a Purple Heart if you're wounded by such "friendly fire." Murtha told the Pentagon to "Get down here and give this guy a Purple Heart or I'll bring him one of my own." The GI got his well-deserved medal.

-- Thomas Shapley

They might as well go ahead and give her the dog, cause Jack Murtha won't let up on this until they do.

[Evergreen Emerald]

24. Great story.

I saw him this morning on MTP. He was compelling and honest. When was the last time MTP had someone on that was not regurgitating the talking points?

[Faygo Kid]

25. Even the FReepers support this

I won't post the URL, but yes, the Freepers for the most part, support having this woman with lifelong, horrible injuries getting her dog. Some of them, of course, think she is a Wimp, and any dog will do.

[WindyInPA]

27. Info and email addy for Congressman Johm Murtha

I live in PA. I must say I am proud to have him serve PA for over 30 years. He's as honest as the day is long. Too bad we can't say this about Shrub! I have emailed Mr. Murtha about this and several other things on my mind about the mess in Iraq.

I hope this info is what you were looking for.

Congressman John Murtha
PO Box 780
Johnstown, PA 15907
724-532-0978 FAX: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

:yourock: