Jim Brakewood Jr. might look like kind of a scary dude. At 6’2”, loaded with muscles, long, wild hair and a beard to match, he cuts a pretty imposing figure. It’s as if a Viking decided he wasn’t ready for Valhalla just yet and decided to pay Instagram a visit instead. He has a soft spot for dogs, though. In particular, his Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Amora. Jim has seen war. In two tours in Iraq, he has been in battle, he has been wounded, and he has lost friends. During …
Six months into his deployment to Afghanistan, Spc. Alec Alcoser grabbed his dog’s leash and left the barracks. It was a mission day, and Alcoser and his partner, a German Shepherd named Alex, were reporting to duty. They’d been working together for months and already had a close bond. They slept in the same bed, enjoyed their free time together, and always had each other’s backs. On that day, their friendship was put to the ultimate test. Rounding a street corner, Alcoser and Alex saw a local Afghan walking toward …
