Nubs - Brian Dennis [2]
Nubs watched Brian climb into Boss, ordering his team back to the Command Outpost just half a mile away.
“I know we’re not supposed to have dogs at the outpost,” Brian said to his men. “But if he follows us, what can we do?”
When the Humvees began to roll, Nubs trotted right behind them until they reached the Command Outpost.
Starving and exhausted from his ordeal, Nubs wolfed down pancakes, eggs, and sausages the Marines brought him. He made dog-angels, rolling over and over in the freshly fallen snow. A few days later, he found a brand-new doghouse, built just for him.
Nubs liked living at the Command Outpost with Brian’s men and all the other soldiers. He proudly wore a collar the Marines had fashioned from woven bracelets sent to them from schoolchildren back home. He cheered up his new friends, collecting belly rubs and making them laugh. And, even though he had his own doghouse, most nights Nubs curled up in the barracks with Brian and his team.
But everything was about to change.
FROM: BRIAN DENNIS This all came to a crashing halt when two soldiers, who were not a part of our team, reported us. We were given four days to “get rid of the dog, or else.”
SUBJECT: NUBS CAN’T STAY
DATE: JANUARY 2008
That night I sat down and talked to my Marines. We knew that if we took Nubs to the fort he would come back to us. This made the decision easy for me—Nubs was going to America. This dog who had been through a lifetime of fighting, war, and abuse was going to have a nice sunny life and would never be cold again.
Nubs sat close by as Brian e-mailed his family and friends back home, and he supervised the men as they put up flyers to raise the money needed for his journey.
“We were given four days to ‘get rid of the dog, or else.’”
SAVE NUBS FUND!
We are trying to evacuate Nubs to the States via Jordan. It is going to cost upwards of $2,000 to do this. If you want to help “Save Nubs,” bring a small cash donation by the BTT 3/5/2 COC. Any bit will help and will be much appreciated. You can even come visit him in San Diego when we get him there. This dog found us after walking nearly 70 miles in the desert and we are going to help him; he is an awesome dog.
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
BORDER TRANSITION TEAM 3/5/2
II MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE (FWD)
FROM: BORDER TRANSITION TEAM 3/5/2 TEAM LEADER
TO: JORDANIAN BORDER AUTHORITIES
SUBJ: PASSPORT/TRAVEL DOCUMENT IN THE CASE OF NUBS DENNIS (A PRIVATELY OWNED DOG BELONGING TO A U.S. CITIZEN)
1. This paperwork constitutes the passport and travel documentation for one privately owned dog named Nubs Dennis. He is 2 years old and weighs 14 KG. Below is his picture. His U.S. identification number is 323-6371. His final destination will be San Diego, California, United States of America.
B.P. DENNIS
MAJ USMC
Nubs was the first to hear the good news. Family and friends wanted to help!
Nubs posed for his passport photo. He took three baths in three days to get ready for his trip. That was tiring!
On the last day, Brian packed Nubs’s brown blanket and his favorite super-hero toy. Brian made a leash for him out of rope. Nubs didn’t play with anyone as he usually did. Instead, he sat quietly in a corner.
When it was time to go, Brian scooped him up and put him in Boss. Together they drove to No Man’s Land, the zone between Iraq and Jordan. There, they met the brother of Brian’s interpreter, who had agreed to help get Nubs from Jordan to the States. He was escorted by a Jordanian official.
“Be good, buddy.”
Nubs rested in Brian’s arms as he was carried to a Land Rover. He felt Brian’s breath tickle his ear. “Be good, buddy; don’t cause any trouble. These guys’ll take good care of you. I’ll see you in a couple of months. I promise.”
FROM: BRIAN DENNIS I had my interpreter call his brother every 30 minutes. I wanted to know when Nubs was headed out, on the highway to Amman. I