Rebecca’s War Dog of the Week: risky business in Afghanistan

While Tom Ricks is away from his blog, he has selected a few of his favorite posts to re-run. We will be posting a few every day until he returns. This originally ran on October 1, 2010.

By Rebecca Frankel
Best Defense Chief Canine Correspondent

The suave looking war dog in this photo is wearing doggles — not goggles, doggles — and yes, these are real. Military dogs wear doggles specifically designed to protect the eyes of working dogs from dust and debris. Soldiers rely on the heightened senses of these dogs which far surpass those of a human, and so the dogs’ handlers take the precautionary measures necessary to protect them, keeping a careful watch on their vitals and the care they receive in the field. 

This German Shepherd is wearing his doggles while Chinook helicopters take off during an air assault operation by U.S. soldiers in Parwan province, Afghanistan on May 11.      

U.S. Army/Sgt. Jason Brace/flickr