Heroic Dog from the Army Rangers Loses Life While Saving the Lives of His Fellow Human Soldiers

We don’t deserve dogs.

According to the Stars and Stripes, a report circulated around the internet on Tuesday that told the story of a furry soldier named Maiko who lost his life in the line of duty, saving the lives of the soldiers this good boy was leading into battle.

Maiko, 7, had a successful military career, conducting over 50 direct strike missions for the 75th Ranger Regiment’s 2nd Battalion according to Stars and Stripes.

While conducting a raid against al-Qaida militants in southern Nimruz, Afghanistan, Maiko was leading his fellow Rangers into a military compound when a militant fired at him, wounding him mortally. Due to his sacrifice, however, Rangers were able to locate the militant’s location and avoided being blindsided by gunfire.

According to an unofficial biography released online that about Maiko, “The actions of Maiko directly saved the life of his handler … and other Rangers involved during the clearance.”

“Rest assured, Maiko never backed down from a fight with the enemy, training or combat,” the biography said. “He embodied what it means to be a Ranger.”

While the biography is unofficial, and the Army still isn’t sure who released the information, a spokesman for the 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Ga., has confirmed that the biographical information about Maiko is accurate.

The biography states that while many dogs are trained to perform a variety of tasks while in war zones like Afghanistan, Maiko was special:

While many dogs are trained for a specific task, multi-purpose canines like Maiko are highly skilled and must undergo a rigorous selection process, like the Rangers they assist. Maiko had been trained in patrolling, tracking, bomb detection and apprehension functions and had used these skills on several occasions, including clearing buildings.

“There was not a day that passed where he was not 100 percent committed to giving everything he had, regardless of how hot it was, how long the (operation) was, or how many buildings needed to be cleared,” the biography continued.

“It is an empty kennel, husbands coming home to their wives, kids getting to see their fathers once more, and Rangers getting to live to fight another day,” it said.

Along with SGT Jasso, MPC Maiko was killed in action on 24 November 2018 in Afghanistan. His actions saved the life of his handler and other Rangers. Thank you for your service and sacrifice! pic.twitter.com/gVquyLsHFe

— Morgan in J1 (@usawtfmJ1) December 2, 2018

God bless dogs like Maiko and the troops these dogs work with. Because of Maiko’s sacrifice, some soldiers are going to spend Christmas with their families.

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