Marine Corps Major Brian Dennis and His Pal "Nubs"

Marine Corps Major Brian Dennis, based in St. Petersburg, Florida is presently serving in Iraq.

While there, he befriended a German shepherd/Border collie mix, who they named "Nubs" because some Iraqi had cut the dog's ears off thinking to make the dog more aggressive and alert.

Major Dennis and his buddies would feed the dogs bits of their food while on patrols, and the dog would often try to follow their Hum-vees.

One cold day, Major Dennis found the dog near death, it having been stabbed with a screw driver. Major Dennis took the dog and slept with him to try to warm the near-frozen doggie up. Surprisingly, the dog survived that night and with Major Dennis administering antibiotic creme, Nubs recovered.

But later, Major Dennis and his group were moved 65 miles away, and could only watch as Nubbs tried to follow their trucks as they drove away.

Two days later, Nubs showed up at the Marine's new location, having tracked them to their new spot 65 miles away.

Major Dennis was given an ultimatum, get the dog off the base or kill him. No pet dogs allowed on the front line base.

Major Dennis, with the help of an Iraqi interpreter, a Jordanian veterinarian, and friends and family and even total strangers, was able to have Nubs shipped to America.

Nubs recently arrived in San Diego and is staying with a friend of Major Dennis, and will stay there until Major Dennis returns soon from his tour of duty in Iraq.

God bless our troops in harms way, AND their dogs!

This story really touched me.

Here's a link to the story as told in the Rocky Mountain News.