"Dogs of War": Those Daring Dogs that Defy Danger Every Day

Combat PTSD in Canines: What To Do When Fido Freaks and Rover Just Can't "Get Over It."

"These dogs, they're willing to give their lives for you. They don't ask for anything, you know? Some food, some water, little bit of petting. And they're the most reliable person on the planet. You can't get that from anywhere else." - Master Sgt. Eric Haynes

Good doggy. Sniff those bombs. Attack that terrorist. And, if you happen to tremble, and shake and poop more than four doggy-bags full at the sound of a car backfiring, or a bag of popcorn popping years after you've left the battlefield then you, my MBF (Man's Best Friend), are probably suffering from PTSD. 

According to military veterinarians, even Spot can get spooked so bad as the result of his war time experiences—including being exposed to all kinds of ear-deafening explosions—that once back home he'll exhibit classic signs of PTSD, just like his human military counterparts.

Take Gina. A once happy 2-year-old German Shepherd, Gina went to Iraq a playful pup only to return a shivering, shaking, tail-between-the legs mess of a mutt.

Stark Reality: Repeated Deployments Are Taking Its Toll on Soldiers

Stark Industries Halts Production of Super Soldiers

 CEO Tony Stark Reported M.I.A after Missing Military's Quota for more "Fighting Machines."

If you had to "hump a rucksack" one too many times you'd be unfit for duty too.  Huh? Before you think I'm saying something unfitting this blog, let me define my terms.  I certainly need to, because USA Today didn't in yesterday's front-page story about repeated deployments directly contributing to the recent sharp rise in the percentage of soldiers who are unfit for duty.

It's an interesting article and one everyone should read because it illustrates what I've said so many times: soldiers who keep getting re-deployed are not "Iron Men." Translated into cinematic terms, that means they don't have the advantage of being neatly reassembled on a  multi-billion dollar Stark Industries'  "roboman" assembly line. If that were the case, then they'd all be well-oiled Super Soldiers––mighty men of steel who could take the hits and keep on coming.

Think about it. Although precise numbers are not available, between the years 2006 and 2008, bad backs, strained knees and other battle-related ailments increased from 1.4 million cases in the overall military to 1.9 million. In other words, it's pretty hard to "drop and do 20" ( I can do exactly two before I fall on my face) when your knees and/or back haven't fully healed from the wounds you just received during the last deployment.