'That's the dog that kept him safe' | Veteran reunited with military K9 two years after leaving the Army

ARLINGTON, Va. — We are getting uplifted by a heartwarming reunion two years in the making.

It's all about two military veterans and their bond that refused to be broken. But it's probably not what you are thinking.

This reunion was between U.S. Army Sgt. Mike Fletcher and an explosives detection K9 named Dasty. The two were inseparable for four years serving together, including a 10 month deployment sharing a small tent in combat zones in Afghanistan, worldwide with the Secret Service protecting presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden and stationed together at Fort Myer in Arlington.

But when Fletcher left the Army two years ago, Dasty remained on duty. That is, until last week, when Dasty turned 11 and retired after serving eight years of military service.

That's when a nonprofit called American Humane helped fly Dasty from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Green Bay, Wisconsin to live with Mike and his family full time.

"Dasty will be around long enough that my son can remember him and also remember that that's the dog his dad deployed with and that's the dog that kept him safe," Fletcher said.

Inseparable for four years, separated for two, now together forever.

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