Air Force helps Iraqi dog immigrate

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Stephanie Hammer
  • 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFPN) --  A German shepherd of Iraqi descent arrived here May 30 aboard a C-17 Globemaster III after putting his life on the line to guard U.S. special forces.

Fluffy, a dog from northern Iraq with visible scars, will retire at Fort Bragg, N.C., as an honorary military working dog.

When Fluffy first joined Sgt. 1st Class Russell Joyce, a special forces soldier and Fluffy’s trainer, he weighed about 31 pounds and was missing his front two bottom teeth. But after only two weeks, he was put to work.

Fluffy, who takes no apparent offense to his unlikely name, was an “immeasurable success” as a military working dog.

“I asked the Kurdish (fighters) if we could have a dog,” said Joyce. The Kurds brought him “Tariq Aziz,” named after Iraq’s deputy prime minister, but the name did not last long.

“I was joking around, and I said, ‘you know what, I’m going to call him Fluffy. My dog’s name is Fluffy,’” said Joyce. “One person started calling him that, myself, and two people started calling him that; it just stuck.”

The full-breed shepherd began his career learning a few simple commands before becoming a guard and pursuit dog.

“Having a person on roving patrol is a great thing, but adding the sense of smell and the sense of hearing that a dog has really heightened the sense of awareness to early detection,” said Joyce.

“He’s been in harm’s way and shot at more times than anyone on my team,” Joyce said. “He proved himself to be a worthy asset. He means a lot to me because we definitely went through a lot over there together.”

Eager for retirement, Fluffy arrived in the United States escorted by Maj. Jim Pompano from the 615th Air Mobility Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., who happened to be returning home from the area.

Pompano was able to make sure the dog’s transition went smoothly.

“We waited until all the t’s were crossed and the i’s were dotted and we had the proper paperwork, then we got the dog home,” Pompano said. “I just happened to be leaving at the same time, so I decided the best thing I could do was just escort Fluffy (to the United States).”

Although Fluffy did not like the takeoff or landing much, Pompano said he did pretty well on the flight home.

“I talked to Fluffy just like I would talk to anyone else,” he said. “He was pretty well trained, and I didn’t have any problems there.”

Fluffy was greeted on the flightline by his supporters who sent hundreds of e-mails, letters and made phone calls supporting his safe immigration to the United States.

“I think that America as a whole had a big hand in this, and it’s really a gift from the United States to me and a gift to Fluffy to be able to come home,” said Joyce. “This dog really gets the opportunity for a fresh start here.” (Staff Sgt. Marcia Triggs, Army News Service, also contributed to this story.)