Marine, dog to reunite after hard journey for both

[XemaSab]

Ward Van Alstine is a tough U.S. Marine who, after a somewhat troubled life growing up in Santa Rosa, developed a sense of purpose amid the gunfire, bone-rattling explosions and death in Afghanistan.

The 22-year-old corporal said he became a man during two tours of duty in the war, but it took a starving, battered dog to help him through the worst of it.

One day, as he prepared to go on patrol, a dirty, sad-eyed mutt walked up and touched something in him. The shy, brown-and-white pooch, with a dark patch around the nose, was something precious and good surrounded by poverty, hatred and war. The two of them formed an inseparable bond.

The dog, named Chloe, is one of 14 stray dogs and one cat that were rescued from Afghanistan this month by the Nowzad Dogs charity and brought back to the United States to live with the soldiers who adopted them.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/23/BA401M0JGJ.DTL#ixzz1eeZpNnDU

[Tansy_Gold]

1. I will rec this, but I can't read it. n/t

[xchrom]

5. +1

[idiotgardener]

6. Just look at the photos

the dogs are gorgeous

[roguevalley]

7. I did too for the same reason. I can't bear even a story with a good ending.

[Tansy_Gold]

9. We have had a local story with a heartbreakingly bad ending

I just can't deal with it.

The war is so horrible. The things it does to people and animals are unspeakable. We shouldn't have these stories at all.

[snagglepuss]

2. A wonderful story. Thank you fpr posting. K & R

[Bigmack]

3. Wet blanket alert!...

I love these stories.. along with everybody else...

but...

The dog(s) are rescued.

Why not the troops.

Load the planes with people and gear...drive/fly out what's movable.. blow the rest in place.

[Angry Dragon]

4. R&K

[Vinca]

8. Great story. I wonder where that sweet dog Gremlin was going.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

10. Gremlin sure had a look of concern, one would think they would say...