His long tour of duty done, military dog, Bleck, deserved a loving retirement. Not so easy when you’ve trained to be a fighter all tour life — and, a bad reputation precedes you.
Bleck’s original kennel master knew how difficult Bleck was to handle. Still, he believed that Staff Sergeant Thomas Watkins, a novice dog handler, was up to the challenge.
“We just connected right off the bat,” Watkins told WHAS11, ABC News affiliate in Lexington, KY. “We understood each other.”
Watkins’ and Bleck’s chemistry blossomed in training and, later, in the field.“It’s such a beautiful experience, especially when you get a dog that has issues and you connect with that dog and you get that dog where they need to be.”
During the two-and-a-half years Watkins and Bleck were deployed together on secret service missions worldwide, Bleck never stepped out of behavioral line. But, duty station assignments aren’t permanent. When Watkins was transferred to another unit, Bleck’s poor conduct relapsed. His future in the armed services — and beyond — grew bleak.
Then, an organization dedicated to rehabilitating military working dogs turned the tables. Project K9 Hero hatched a warm reality from a pipe dream: Staff Sergeant Watkins, now retired, had the chance to adopt his old buddy.
“I’m so thankful for those guys out there; that they were able to take him in and hold him until I could truly get to a place where I could care for him and allow him to just be a dog in retirement,” Watkins said.
On reunion day, Watkins was flooded with mixed emotions about whether or not Bleck would recognize him and how he’d react. Any concerns were quashed when the two saw each other for the first time in more than three years.
The reunion was recorded live on Good Morning America (GMA3) on November 10. Escorted on leash by Project K9 Hero founder, Jason Johnson, Bleck pulled toward Watkins’ voice calling out to him. Bleck’s bushy, black tail swashed the air. “Hey buddy!” Watkins offered a treat which he took softly from his palm. “Good boy!” he said, patting his head.
“I’m overwhelmed. It looks like he hasn’t skipped a beat,” Watkins told reporter, Stephanie Ramos, a major in the U.S. Army reserve. “He’s happy. He looks healthy. And I’m just glad to be here right now.”
Johnson said that Bleck was scheduled to be euthanized after his service because he wasn’t safe to adopt. Project K9 Hero worked with Bleck for 18 months at its Lexington facility. “They raised their paw to serve our country and Project K9 Hero is there to protect them after they’ve protected us.”
Watkins’ and Bleck’s reunion was sweetened by a generous gift of lifetime veterinary care and food provided by Project K9 Hero. “I never thought this would happen the way it did, Watkins said. “I’m very grateful.”