I left this place a thousand times in my mind,
but I never actually went anywhere.
What was the final straw?
I had nothing.
There's the unsupportive family.
No, I don't give a crap if that's what she wants.
She's not gonna sit in my goddamn house and do nothing!
The dead-end job.
Jungle Ru went up and down
On a big adventure
Then getting fired from the dead-end job for being hungover.
Yeah...
This isn't working. I get it.
Megan, it's just, you don't really connect with people very well.
I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this.
No, no, no, it's fine.
Really.
In the end, you don't leave because you have somewhere to go.
You leave because there's nothing keeping you there.
All I know is that after my best friend died,
there was nothing left for me here.
I checked out of life completely.
And I realized if I didn't leave now,
I wasn't gonna be far behind him.
Due to heightened security measures,
please keep bags with you at all times.
All unaccompanied luggage will be confiscated.
- Hello? - Yeah.
Uh, what is this pamphlet for the Marines that I found in your dresser?
I think there's some pot left in the sock drawer if you keep digging.
Yeah, don't be a wise ass, this is my house.
And just so you know, running away isn't gonna solve anything,
'cause that's all you've ever done... Hang up that phone!
Let's go!
Let's go, move, move, move.
Let's go, faster, come on, move, move.
Tuck in that shirt! My shirt?
Tuck your shirt in!
Fix your hair!
Get in line, move! Let's go, move.
You have taken the first step in becoming a member
of the world's finest fighting force,
the United States Marine Corps.
Tens of thousands of Marines have begun outstanding service
for our country starting right here.
You will continue that proud tradition. Do you understand?
Aye-aye, sir!
Say it like you mean it.
- Do you understand? - Yes, sir!
Right now, right now.
When I tell you to move, you better move!
Marine Corps!
You're an embarrassment!
I said three, step up.
Get off my wall.
I can make it!
Get off my rope and get to the back of the line.
Get those arms straight, Leavey!
Get those arms straight!
I want straight arms!
You're gonna die out there, you hear me?
- Have fun at the graduation. - You're a failure.
Get out of my face.
Ready, front.
Platoon 5004,
dismissed!
Aye-aye, ma'am!
Megan?
Hello!
Hi. Hi. We made it.
Well, you didn't. You actually missed it, but...
Ah! You look like a little toy soldier.
Great, thanks.
You missed it, the whole ceremony, but that's okay.
Really? Yeah, it's over.
Jim... He really wanted to see you graduate.
Geez, you'd think with all the taxes we give to the military,
they'd come up with some kind of street sign situation.
Hey, sport. Hey.
Honey, we missed it.
We missed it? Mmm-hmm.
Can you do it again for us?
The United States will not and cannot run that risk
to the American people.
Leaving Saddam Hussein in possession of weapons of mass destruction
for a few more months and years is not an option...
Well, you don't look terrible.
Thanks.
No, I mean, I thought they were gonna make you all G.I. Jane,
you know. No hair...
Hey, could we get the check, please? Yeah.
You got it. I just don't know
why you wanna do this.
Yeah, I know you don't.
So, no one else came today?
No, Dad couldn't get off work, so lay off.
I'm not talking bad about him,
although he does owe me two grand in alimony.
You slept with his best friend.
Megan... So I think you're even.
Megan...
Look, if...
If something bad was to happen, God forbid, are we on the list?
I mean, just so that we would get notified?
Yeah, you're on the list.
Okay, so then, like, with your father?
You wanna know how much you make if I kick?
Megan, don't be a shit, no, that's...
I just, I don't know how this works.
Thank you so much for coming, Mom.
Honey, I'm asking you because I don't...
Thank you for coming.
No, thanks for coming. I didn't expect...
Bye, I love you. Okay, bye, thank you.
Love you!
It's not like we drove 400 hours to get here.
Give Iraq one last chance.
Jones, is tobacco use permitted in a government vehicle?
No, Master Sergeant.
Is your patrol car a government vehicle?
Yes, Master Sergeant.
Do we tolerate screw-ups, losers, or laggards?
No, Master Sergeant.
Do we know the meaning of the words won't, can't, or late?
No, Master Sergeant.
We have three new joins assigned to the patrol section.
Privates Timmins, Lopez, and Leavey, welcome aboard.
I trust you're gonna make us all proud.
Whoo! It was so embarrassing.
Are we not doing it with salt or anything?
No, no. Seriously?
This is, like, hard core, okay.
Yeah!
I love this song.
No!
I need another drink. What do you say you and I...
Back off. Hey, hey, hey.
You're my hero.
Huh? What?
No, I prefer the term "bleeder." How much further...
I love that. My feet are killing me.
That is so disgusting.
Who even wears stilettos to duty station?
Screw you, I'm like Wonder Woman.
Oh, yeah.
What! Oh!
I should have been a baseball player.
Oh, my God.
We're gonna get in trouble. Hold on.
What are you doing? Oh, God.
Oh, wow, that's hot. I like that sock look.
You didn't have anything for lunch.
What is that?
You're gonna make me pee myself,
seriously, I'm gonna piss myself.
Stop analyzing my puke. I'm gonna piss myself.
I'm gonna go pee. Hold onto that.
- Megan, we gotta hurry! - I'll be quick.
Hey! Actually, let's...
What's going on?
Just turn around and walk.
We're good, we're good, it's all good.
Oh, they got her. It's all good.
Um, I'm almost done.
What's your problem, Leavey?
Master Sergeant, I'm sorry...
Shut up. Don't mess with me, it brings out my Irish.
Why are you here in the Marines?
You don't know, do you? Well, I do.
You think you're the first entitled brat
with a chip on her shoulder who's come through my ranks?
This institution is for heroes, not little punks
all screwed up in the head
because their mommies and daddies didn't love them enough.
But you're in my corps now,
and I will not see you disrespect the men and women
who made the Marines great!
Do you understand?
Yes, Master Sergeant.
One more hiccup and I'll see you kicked out of here,
do you copy me? Yes, Master Sergeant.
All right, you're on EMI, shit detail,
until further notice, so get some rest.
You're gonna need it. Go on, get out of here.
Gunny Martin, meet PFC Leavey.
She's yours for the day.
Leavey...
Welcome.
Gross.
Ahh!
Ew!
Ugh!
Yeah, Cindy, I bet you think that's really funny, huh?
Disgusting.
Who's this?
Rex?
Hey, you handsome boy.
Shit.
Okay!
You done in here?
Uh, almost, I've got two left.
Good, we need you outside.
Sit, sit.
You found it, you found it, good boy. Come here, come here.
Come here. Sit down, come here.
This guy loves having his belly rubbed.
What's he sniffing out?
Explosives.
We go in before the convoy, sniff out IEDs, make sure no one gets hurt.
You guys on the front lines?
Sometimes we're in front of the front lines.
Zeus here is a beast, aren't ya?
Is he yours?
No, he belongs to the Corps, but he's mine for now.
What are you here for, training?
No, I'm cleaning out the kennels for a week.
How do you get to do that?
Leavey, you up.
I'm up?
Attack!
Get him!
Ow!
Out!
You grab her? Yeah, I got her.
Hey, Cindy.
Okay, Lance Corporal Walters, you be the handler.
You're still the decoy!
Let's give Cindy a break.
Oh, no, I'm good. Sucks, huh?
Yeah.
You know, I usually take the pants off, just keep the top on.
Really?
Dogs know to aim for the jacket.
Thanks.
Rex, heel. Heel, Rex.
Oh... Shit.
Okay, this one, you approach.
You listen to his spiel and then start to run, okay?
If Rex attacks, you call him off.
Sir, I would like to see some ID.
Sir, I'm gonna search you, and if you try to run away
or make any sudden aggressive moves,
my dog is trained to attack you.
Get him, get him. Get him.
Ah! Get him off!
Get him off! Out, Rex, out.
Out, Rex, out!
Up.
Good boy, good boy.
Oh, gee.
You think I'm afraid of you?
Okay.
I am afraid of you.
But don't think I can't make you afraid of me, too.
- That's right, I'm a badass... - Leavey...
You back for more, huh?
Gunny, how do I become a dog handler?
You? Yeah.
What do I have to do exactly?
For starters, you need to stop screwing up.
Then, you'll need an expert rifle score,
above 90% on all your exams, a first class PFT,
and you know who gets those things?
People who aren't full of shit.
Gunny, I've been dealing with a lot of shit the past few days,
and I can assure you, I am not full of it.
Well, that would surprise me, because unless I heard wrong,
you were just found pissing outside the Provost Marshal's office.
The Provost Marshal?
And that's definitely the act of a full-of-shit person, don't you think?
Yes, Gunny.
Crap.
Gene Monahan, the Yankees' veteran trainer, is out.
Looks like one of the doctors in attendance is out.
Cease fire, cease fire, unload, all clear.
There's lives in your hands.
Yes, sir. And you are the alpha.
It comes from you, bring it from here, so he knows you mean it.
So, you want us to run it again?
So we gonna keep running this till we get it right.
You're gonna save lives out there.
And the Red Sox come pouring out of their dugout,
the Yankees out of theirs.
They've all met out near the pitcher's mound in a scrum.
Meanwhile...
Why does your run always seem to end up here?
Does it? I hadn't noticed.
Hey, I've got a PFT in a couple of weeks.
Just wondering,
you got any openings coming up?
Good talk.
Out of the gate, there's a fly ball deep to left,
it's on its way, there it goes,
and the Yankees are going to the World Series!
Cease fire, cease fire, unload, all clear.
Shooters, your prep time has ended
with a magazine of five rounds.
I finished the morning reports.
I need the trainer's schedule, too.
When do you need it by? 1400.
On it, Gunny. Enter.
PFC Leavey,
why am I not surprised to see you in here today?
Yeah, I heard you got first class on your PFT,
and you shot expert.
Gunny, do you have a dog for me? No.
Did I excuse you?
But I do got a can, though.
What you say there, Mason?
Think she ready for a can?
I think so, Gunny.
Carry on.
Let's get to work.
Hey, cute dog.
What's his name?
I mean, her name.
I haven't named her yet, I'm waiting for us to bond.
Don't forgot to use your praise voice.
Good can, good can.
At least my can listens to me.
Hey, she listens to me. You listen to me, right, baby?
Come on, come on.
You hear that?
Huh?
Come on. You hear that?
Morning.
Morning, Gunny.
Any DUIs last night?
No, Gunny.
Good. It's gonna be a good day.
We gonna train harder than ever before.
Walters, what was you doing last night?
Playing Halo, Gunny.
That's what you do all the time?
You shipping out in three weeks.
You better be ready to fight when it's time to fight.
Mason. Yes, Gunny.
Are you still a virgin?
No, Gunny.
Are you sure about that? Because you look like one.
Bennett, did you talk to your wife last night?
No, Gunny. You think I give a damn?
Coletta, you wipe that smile off your face. Yes, Gunny.
Now, on a serious note,
I have somebody that just came back from Iraq.
He wants to talk to y'all about the experience,
so you'll know what it is.
He's been where you're going,
and the things that he tells you will save lives
and save limbs.
This is Sergeant Andrew Dean.
Sergeant, take the floor. Thank you, Gunny.
- Morning. - Morning, Sergeant.
Are you ready for war?
Yes, Sergeant.
Everything you've prepared for,
every lesson you've learnt,
everything you think you know
will just go to shit the moment you're in country.
These homemade bombs are full of crap
that our dogs have never sniffed.
You get caught in a sandstorm, the dogs will be confused,
and they won't be able to detect the odor cones.
You're about to be running through shit's creek, literally.
With 50 pounds on your back,
a dog on a leash,
trying not to smack his head in with your rifle.
And the grunts that you're protecting?
Well, they'll pretty much hate you from day one.
Do this job right, you might save lives.
Do it wrong, and you'll wind up dead.
And no matter how bad I'm making it sound,
I'm not even coming close.
You need to keep them calm.
Lie down, Rex, lie down.
That's looking good.
Down. That's looking good.
Just pull so there are no wrinkles in the gauze.
You need to practice all of this before you deploy.
Okay, let's take off the leashes.
Rex, no, no.
Are you having a problem over there?
No, I got this.
Good boy.
I said take off the leash.
Come on, buddy, just relax.
Good boy, just relax.
You need to muzzle that dog now.
Ahh!
Bad dog!
Shit.
It's gonna happen when it happens.
Gunny, I'm telling you, it's gonna heal in no time.
He broke six bones, Walters.
You wanted to see me, Gunny?
You're getting a dog.
What?
You're giving her my dog.
Wait. He's not your dog.
He's not my dog. He's a Marine Corps dog.
Rex needs an experienced handler.
Are you questioning my authority, Lance Corporal?
She's a Boot. She's only trained a can so far.
Quit whining and act like a goddamn Marine.
You got this? Think faster.
Yeah, I got this.
Good, you're dismissed.
Remember me?
All right, Rex, get in the house.
In the house, now.
You're not gonna get any food unless you listen to me.
I will stand here all day, okay?
Yes.
Good, good.
Good boy, stay.
Stay.
Over here, seek.
Seek, seek.
Seek.
That's time, Leavey.
Damn it.
You found one out of five.
See this guy?
Dead, dead, dead.
Oh, and your dog, yeah, he's dead, too.
And you blew off your legs in the process.
Follow me.
Again, Leavey.
Hey, hey. Hey.
Where are you going?
Following the perimeter. He's pulling towards the desk.
But I thought there was a search pattern.
Forget the search pattern, Leavey.
He's showing a change, all right?
Listen to him. Okay.
Rex, seek. Follow him.
Okay, seek.
That's it, that's it. He's on odor, present higher.
Praise him, Leavey, praise him.
Good boy, good boy, good.
Okay, this is a good detection dog.
There's nothing wrong with him,
so it must be you.
What are you doing wrong?
Everything you feel goes down leash, okay?
Everything.
If you're not confident, then he's not confident.
I could train the heck out of you, Leavey, but...
I can't teach you how to bond, okay?
Okay.
Good work.
Okay, he's just nervous.
These aren't nerves.
Shh!
I've been watching this dog all year.
He's the most aggressive dog I've ever treated.
He can't deploy without this exam. Hey!
I'll have to sedate him.
Rex, calm down, calm down.
Come on.
This door always stays closed, okay?
Hey, Alice, Tucker.
All right, go find Walters
and tell him I want Tucker's cleaned out again.
Yes, Sergeant.
Hey, good girl.
Leavey, wrap his leg. Show him you're not afraid.
Yes, Sergeant.
Rex, sit. I mean...
Lay down.
Rex, lay down.
Stay.
I'm just gonna wrap your paw.
Just...
Here you go.
Good, good.
If you ever get into trouble,
you're gonna want me to know how to do this.
Hey.
I didn't...
I didn't ask for Rex.
I didn't even want him.
Yeah, well, I did want him.
So, don't get him killed.
Hey.
Rex, sit.
Oh, good.
We're shipping out tomorrow.
We are so not ready for this.
But people are counting on us,
and if we do it wrong, people die, so we gotta do it right.
Okay?
Tomorrow, beginning the moment you step off that bird,
you must act, trust your training,
trust your partner, trust yourself.
Hoo-ah!
And remember,
everything you see, hear, taste, and touch
over these next seven months
will remain with you for the rest of your lives.
Make it count.
You okay, Leavey?
Yeah, I just can't find my Ka-Bar.
It was in my stuff and now I... It's behind you.
Thank you.
Look, it's okay to be freaking out right now, all right?
It's normal.
I did, everybody does.
You'll be fine.
You got this.
And I wanna hear about all the asses you kicked
when you come back.
Not if, but when, okay?
Okay.
Good luck.
Thank you.
Rex, shh, quiet, you're fine.
Hour of silence, Leavey. I'll settle for 30 minutes.
I'm sorry.
It works for birds.
Hey, I know.
Hey, it's okay, I know.
You don't know where we're going
or what's gonna happen when we get there.
I know it sucks, but we're in this together, okay?
It's okay. It's okay, buddy, I got you.
We're on final, be on the ground in 10.
Get your gear together, strap in. Get ready for landing.
All right.
Okay, listen up. Where's Marion and Peters?
Sir.
Your vehicles are right over there.
You're going to Camp Perditha.
Leavey, Jones. Yeah.
Your convoy's waiting for you right over there.
You're going to Camp Ramadi. The rest of you, follow me.
Hey, don't forget, no matter how bad it gets,
you could have been out there sniffing bombs with a tin can.
True.
Be safe.
Okay. All right?
Hey, good hunting.
See you later, idiots.
Adios!
At least we got a single, right?
Sometimes it actually pays to be a girl.
Don't be scared.
Hey.
Oh, great.
You wait to get to Iraq to find your inner puppy.
Up, up, up, up.
Good boy, good boy.
Yes, that's a good boy, good boy.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Good boy, good boy, yeah, yeah.
That's a good boy.
Relax, Boot.
It's outgoing, not incoming.
Ain't that right, Chico, huh?
Thanks.
Yeah, yeah.
Settle down. Come on, man.
Let's go.
Yeah, move it along.
Hurry it up, all right?
First day of school, bud.
Wish me luck.
I'm pretty sure they sell loofahs in the gift shop.
Actually, no, they bombed the gift shop.
Well, that's too bad. I like loofahs.
I'm Matt Morales. I'll be your tour guide today.
Megan Leavey. Who's that?
This is Chico. Chico, sit.
I trained Chico to lick the enemy to death.
Nice.
So, where are you from? New York.
Ah, yeah? Me, too.
You're not a Yankees fan, though, right?
Born and bred.
Oh, come on.
Dagger to my heart, really?
Well, I guess we'll never speak again, Megan.
Chico, we don't talk to Yankees fans, right?
Good boy.
This is Corporal Morales.
Morales, Lance Corporal Leavey.
Morales will drop you at the ECP,
then he's off to Sadr City, so you'll be on your own
till we can get another team out there.
Just try and keep your dog from overheating.
Okay.
Last female handler got her panties in a pretzel
'cause we don't allow girls on missions, just checkpoints.
That gonna be a problem with you?
Not at all. Good.
Dismissed.
"Panties in a pretzel."
Hmm.
Thought we weren't talking anymore.
Well, I was talking to myself right there,
but, you know, I'll give you another chance,
and if you mention the Yankees again, we're done.
Staff Sergeant Jarvis is a real charmer, though.
Last week he told me he always liked my people.
My dad's Puerto Rican, my mom's Scandinavian.
Who do you think he was talking about, huh?
The Scandinavians, obviously.
Right, that's what I thought.
Welcome to the capital of shit.
What's with all the dogs?
Strays, full of diseases. Keep 'em away from your dog.
Shoot 'em if you have to.
Here's all you need to know.
Don't search till they're out of the car.
Make sure they open everything.
Remember, Iraqis, they don't like dogs.
It's in their religious teachings,
and they damn sure don't like ours.
There's a bounty on canine handlers
and an even bigger bounty on female canine handlers.
Which means they'll probably wanna kill you.
Well, actually, unless they wanna bone you.
Or they might wanna bone you and then kill you.
And if one of them pulls out a cell phone, boom, you're dead.
Aside from that, it's pretty chill.
Seriously, be smart,
keep your head on a swivel, heightened awareness.
Okay.
Go, go, go, get to the line.
You need to have fun.
No complaints, bro.
See ya.
Hey, keep everybody moving.
Jones, move his truck.
Rex, you want some water?
Bandini, tell that guy to cut his engine.
Turn your engine off.
Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go.
Ask him the reason for traveling today.
I'm heading to Baghdad for business.
You speak English.
Yes, better for business.
Hey! Cut your engine off.
I told you to turn that bike off.
Lift your shirts.
Come on, turn around, come on.
Leavey, clear the car.
Open the trunk please, sir.
Jesus, Bandini.
I told you to turn that bike off.
Get up, get up.
Stand over here. Lift your shirt.
Damn straight, better for business.
Stay back.
You want me to shoot you next time? Pick your bike up.
Don't touch it, though.
No.
Come here.
Clear.
What is his name?
Hey, kid, we ask the questions here.
Sir, could you get in the vehicle and proceed to the checkpoint?
His name is Rex.
Here,
let me give you my card, X-box.
No, no, no.
- Back in your vehicle now. - Rex!
Come on.
What are you doing?
You never tell a Haji your dog's name.
He's just a kid.
Yeah, and I've seen kids not much older
call a dog over with a detonator in hand.
You wanna keep your dog alive? Sort your crap out.
Hey, let's go.
Next.
Keep these people moving. Let's go, let's go!
We'll get better at this, I promise.
Good boy.
- Seek. - You sure?
All right. Oh, what is it?
You did it.
Good boy, good boy, come on, come on.
Seek, come on.
Could be a full suit. Check it out.
Good boy, good boy. Did he find it?
Those guys ever take a break?
- No. - Come here.
I guess so.
Good boy.
You wanna play, boy? You wanna play? Go get it.
Good boy, Rex. Come here, Rex.
Leavey, Recon needs you on a mission, five minutes.
I thought I wasn't allowed to go on missions.
There's no one else. Get your gear.
Yo.
They blew up five of our guys. Let's get in there and smoke them out.
One of you check the road. The house is over here.
I'll take the road. You get the houses.
Okay, hey, sweep the dogs. They might be stuffed with IEDs.
Clear.
I just wish this guy had a couple rugs.
Ask him why so many rugs?
They're prayer rugs. Ask him.
They're a religious family.
They're not enemies of the States.
And they thank Americans for helping
in the fight against insurgents.
Oh, we thank you for your bullshit.
Hey, open this cabinet.
Open it!
Get back.
What's he got? He got something?
We need some room, step back.
Move these rugs.
His sons put 'em there. We don't care.
Move them!
He's not a well man.
Tell habibi we don't care about his health
and he needs to move them. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Move them now.
Today!
Okay, gonna need someone to check that. I got it.
Oh, my God.
Don't move! Don't move!
Hey! Stop!
Stop!
Don't move! Don't move!
Nice work, cleared out quicker than we found it.
All right. More bad luck.
Look at this.
This is you?
Well, it's him.
Well, don't get all big-headed on me now.
Shit, you just saved a bunch of lives.
Outstanding work. Both of you.
Thank you.
Come on, Chico.
Three, two, one.
You cheated!
I won!
I won! I won!
It's okay, they're fine, they're fine.
Yeah, we shook 'em up. Chico.
Oh, you're slick, 'cause I already know what card that is.
There we go, pick up some more.
Keep going, you still don't have it.
Oh, my God. Keep going.
Relax.
He looks like he's actually trying to decide
which of my body parts he wants to eat first.
Yeah, he is.
Oh!
The moment has come. Mmm-hmm.
You set that up.
Totally didn't.
That was good. Thank you.
So, Mets fan,
did you ever play?
I did, high school, third base.
I thought I was actually pretty good,
but college scouts disagreed,
so here I am.
Screw 'em, I'm not really a sit-in-the-classroom kind of guy anyway.
Me neither.
So, what's your story?
Why'd you join?
I wanted to get the fuck away from my life.
That was a downer.
Does it have anything to do with Jesse?
I saw your tattoo.
Um...
Yeah.
I mean, he was my best friend.
We used to spend every weekend at his house.
I mean, not like that. We were...
He was like my brother.
His family was amazing,
unlike mine.
I spent Christmases there,
and one weekend we were drinking and taking pills,
doing stupid high school stuff,
and we took the exact same amount.
I mean, I probably took even more than he did, but...
Well, I woke up. He didn't.
His family keep trying to reach out, but I can't even...
It should have been me, and we all know it.
I gotta get up early.
I'm gonna go to sleep.
- Good night. - Night.
Good boy, good boy.
We need one dog team for a road sweep and surrounding area check.
But you requested two teams.
Things change.
We only have the room for one team.
Hey, it's going down leash. I'll go.
Leavey.
I got this.
Line up!
You heard him, let's go.
Move it.
You're from New York?
Yeah.
Me, too.
My first time in country.
What about him?
Germany.
German shepherd, I like that.
You know what I heard?
I heard the enemy likes to steal the dogs, right?
Strap bombs on them,
send them back to their owner.
Well, since Rex can break someone's arm with his teeth,
I'm not too worried.
Leavey, dog up.
It's okay.
They've been spending a lot of time together.
I'm glad I'm not them.
Stop talking!
Good boy, good boy.
Found something!
Hey, Leavey, does he really need another break?
With all due respect, it's been two hours,
and it's 120 degrees, so yeah, he does.
It's not like he hasn't earned it.
Vehicle approaching.
Guns up.
Rex.
Gomez, warning shot, one round.
He's not slowing.
Stand by to light him up.
Gomez, O'Connor, secure the Haji.
Get on the ground, get on the ground.
Get on the ground.
Get on the ground now, get on the ground.
Lay flat on the ground now.
Put your hands behind your back.
Hands behind your back.
Rex!
Clear!
Leavey, check the vehicle.
Hey, come on, let's go.
Okay, okay.
Rex, Rex!
Rex, no, no, no.
Rex.
I'm not leaving without my dog.
Come on, come on.
Hey!
How did your dog miss that?
You could have got us all killed.
I never seen an IED buried this deep.
You gotta see this.
They must have triggered the bomb from those houses.
I don't know, maybe they were targeting Rex.
No, they were targeting Leavey and Rex.
Let's get those cowards.
Radio Morales, get him and his dog down here now.
No, if we wait for Morales, the spotters will be gone by then.
We can do it. No way, forget it.
Do you see how many IEDs we found today?
How are you gonna make it through the field without us?
God damn it, Leavey, you're injured.
Yeah, because those assholes waited all day watching us.
She's got a concussion, Sergeant.
She may be confused, disoriented.
They almost killed us.
How are you gonna make it through the field and the house without us?
What about your dog? He's injured, too.
He's fine.
We can do this.
Let's go!
I'm gonna check with Air Support.
In the meantime, Gomez, get your team together.
Get in there, check it out, do it fast.
- We'll cover you from here. - Yes, sir.
Go, what are you waiting for? Move, move!
The first house,
150 meters.
It's a little too quiet, but it's up to you.
We don't have all day.
We'll follow you, Leavey.
Let's move out.
He found another one?
Yeah.
It's a pressure plate.
Good boy. Seek.
Okay, Leavey, we're ready for you.
Clear!
- Leavey, you're up. - Seek.
This is a school.
That's messed up.
Seek.
Okay, Leavey.
Whoa, shit...
Looks like they were just here.
Jackpot.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Leavey, Leavey, Leavey!
Hey. It's okay.
It's Gomez. What do you want me to do?
I don't know, something's not right.
He just got blown up, man. I don't know what's going on.
Leavey, I gotta move, I gotta move.
Get down!
Johnson, Johnson!
Move it! Let's move!
We gotta move!
Wait!
Covering, move!
Come on. Let's go.
Johnson!
Go, go, go, go!
Let's go, let's go.
Suppress the fire, let's talk, boys, talk. I wanna hear talk!
Point and shoot, point and shoot.
Move it, move it.
Leavey, Leavey!
Johnson, Johnson, go!
We gotta move!
Go, go, go.
Move!
O'Connor, O'Connor.
Covering. Move!
Move, move!
Move, Johnson!
Covering, move!
Go, Leavey, Leavey, move!
Moving, moving!
We gotta go, let's go, let's go!
Suppressing fire, right flank. Let's move, boys.
Light 'em up.
Let's go, let's go!
Let's go, move it, move it.
Come on, come on, let's go.
Covering!
Shriner, where's Leavey, Gomez?
Johnson, move!
Covering, move!
Leavey, ready?
Come on, let's go, let's go.
Let's go, let's go. Okay.
Hurry up.
Winchester running low on ammo.
- Go, go, go. - Wait.
Let's go, let's go, get in.
Move it, move it, Leavey.
Gomez, come on, get in.
Leavey!
Stop.
I think she didn't make it.
She didn't make it! Hold it right now.
It's okay, it's okay.
I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay.
On the right flank, right there.
She didn't make it.
Hold it. Leavey!
Let's go, let's go. Move it, move it.
- We're leaving. - Wait!
Slow down, slow down, she's not in.
Okay, let's go, let's go.
- Yeah, we got her. - Move, move!
Leavey, you're Medevac ASAP.
Hey, I'll take care of him, okay?
I promise.
Listen to me.
It should have been me, all right?
This is helo zero niner departing Ramadi with one wounded
en route to Baghdad hospital, over.
Okay, Corporal.
Uh, you've got ruptured eardrums, so hearing loss
and even short-term memory loss are gonna be normal,
but you should fully recover.
Where's my dog? He's okay.
He's fine, he's at Blue Diamond.
I need to see him. Oh, no, no.
Uh-uh, Corporal, no, no. Lay down.
He's okay, he's fine.
The important thing is we look after you, make sure you're okay.
And just so you know, they're sending you home
for Christmas, Corporal, three weeks,
then back to Pendleton for training and rehab,
and you'll see your dog when you get back to base, okay?
Uh, we notified her commander, so he's aware of what's going on.
Dad.
I'm glad you're home. You okay?
Mmm-hmm.
You look good.
Okay.
Um...
I gotta work on Christmas.
It's okay, Dad.
You sure? Yeah.
You're okay? Yeah.
She'd probably rather if I didn't...
Yeah. I know.
Go near there, so...
Merry Christmas.
Yeah, Merry Christmas.
I love you. I love you.
Thank God you're okay.
Bye, you.
You're sure you're okay with that?
Yeah, I got it. All right.
Thank you. Yeah.
Merry Christmas.
Hi, baby.
Hey, Mom.
Okay, I am sorry, but I'm just...
What do you mean Rex isn't back yet?
He was supposed to be back a week ago, and every time I call,
someone says that he's gonna be back soon,
he's gonna be back soon.
I'm just a little bit confused.
I'm just telling you what I know, Corporal...
And please, don't call again.
I'll let you know as soon as I have something to report, okay?
Okay, wait just one second. If somebody could just...
This is wonderful, honey. Did you see this, Megan?
Oh! This is wonderful.
Here, honey, this is for you.
Thank you, Mom.
I would have liked to get you more, honey,
but the salon's been slow so...
That's okay.
So, that's the one, honey.
I'm, like, so happy, you can't even imagine.
Just double check with Wilkins, all right?
Yes, sir, will do.
Reynolds?
Hey, I'm Corporal Leavey.
Leavey? Yeah.
Wow.
You do know your phone style is a bit aggressive, right?
Actually, I don't think she does.
Hey. Hey, what's up, Leavey?
Hi. How you doing?
You all right? Yeah, I'm okay.
I heard you got a little rattled up out there.
Everything okay? I'm fine.
When did you get back?
Uh, last week.
I'm just here for a couple days, then I'm going back.
How's Rex? Where is he?
I don't know. I haven't seen him in a while.
Is he okay?
I don't know how he is, but I've been crap without him.
Yeah, yeah, I can't imagine.
I haven't left Bruno for what, 12 hours?
Who's a good boy, Bruno?
Yes, sir, I'll tell her.
Hey, you can go and cuddle, too, if you like.
Rex just pulled up to the gate.
Bruno, Bruno. Bye, sir.
All right.
Hey, hi!
Come here, come here, good boy.
Careful, careful.
Good boy, good, hi, good.
Oh! Good boy.
Okay.
Good boy, good boy, good boy, good boy, good boy.
Good.
Good, good, come on.
Come on, stop, this way.
Rex, come, it's okay.
Hey, what's going on?
They told me I didn't need the bottoms.
Yeah, well that depends on how much you like keeping
both halves of your ass.
Keep them on.
Ha-ha!
You guys are very funny!
Okay, slow down, slow down, slow down,
it's just some flowers, it's okay.
It's...
The crazy part, then they ended up having loofahs,
but they said they couldn't deliver a loofah.
It was sweet, that's really sweet.
I mean, I like flowers, too.
Cool, but the loofah would have been, come on.
That would have been funnier, yeah.
The loofah would have worked, right? Yeah, yeah.
I know. Um...
So, hi.
Hi. Hey.
Wow, you're really strong.
They're like college beds, like dorm room beds.
It's awful. Yeah.
Well, the good news is you probably don't have
to pay for drinks anymore
now that you're a war hero and everything.
You think I'm a hero?
Well, that's the word on the street.
So what have you been up to? What's going on?
Um, mostly just physical therapy. It's the worst.
The nurse is an absolute witch, so that's not fun.
Ai! Yeah.
So, what hurts? Where does it hurt?
Um...
Mostly my head.
My back, my neck,
and I just...
It feels like the bomb blew out my arches.
So everywhere. Mmm-hmm.
Well, no more high heels for you.
I know, so bummed about that.
Hey, let me get your foot.
Let me do some magic.
A massage? Yeah.
Just 'cause you're a hero.
Lucky me.
Heroes get massages.
I should get exploded more often.
Yeah, I should fly back more often.
How's your boy, Rex, doing?
He's good.
He's doing better, it's just slow.
I think that I'm gonna be able to start training with him again
in a couple weeks.
Hmm.
How long do I have you for?
Well, that depends.
How long do you want me for?
I'm a young man, we live into our 80s in my family. Oh!
Yeah, we get divorced in mine.
Mmm.
I could possibly make an exception, though,
if you were all of a sudden, say, a Yankees fan,
went to a lot of Yankees games.
That's a lot, you see, that's a lot to ask for.
Yeah, that's what I thought.
I'm being serious.
Well, so am I.
I don't do the whole forever and ever thing.
Look, trust me, neither do I, usually.
Okay, well, so stop being so serious.
Let's just... Let's just make out.
Inspection, 20 minutes.
This is... Don't say anything.
We could get in trouble, though, right? Yes.
I think we should relocate...
But not now.
Detail, attention.
I'm sorry to inform you that Andrew Dean,
Sergeant Andrew Dean,
was killed by a suicide bomber at 1537 yesterday.
He tried to stop him, but he couldn't in time.
Bruno survived.
They found Bruno lying on top of him.
Andrew Dean was a good Marine,
and he was a very good man.
God bless his soul.
Bruno, up, Bruno, Bruno.
Bruno, here boy, here, up.
Bruno up, Bruno, Bruno, here boy.
Bruno, here, Bruno.
He's looking for him.
He'll never stop.
Sometimes we don't realize,
as much as they our family, we theirs, too.
Come on, come on, come on. Come on, come on, come on.
Come on, baby.
Okay, come on, gonna try again. Let's try again.
Ready? Ready?
Rex, come.
Come on, come on.
I know.
It's okay.
Rex, Rex.
Hey, it's okay.
Rex, come, it's okay, it's okay.
It's okay.
I'm gonna keep you safe.
I don't know what we're gonna do,
but we're not going back there.
So, I've been thinking,
I don't think I'm gonna re-enlist.
How do you feel about that?
You wanna come live with me?
Did you just fart?
That's disgusting.
And now you're falling asleep while I talk to you?
I mean, do you have any plans?
Um...
My plan is just to figure it out as I go along.
The civilian life.
You wanna live that pop life?
Mmm-hmm? What is that?
You're gonna be the fourth member of Destiny's Child?
Not exactly, no.
That wasn't my plan.
Now, I'm gonna give you two weeks,
and you're gonna be bored out your mind.
I bet you'll be back in my office begging for your job back.
Yeah, but I was blown up, so...
Boring sounds really great right now.
I know it's been some rough times recently,
but I just don't want you to rush into something
that you're not ready to get into,
especially when this is something you love.
It is what I love, but I...
Pretty sure I found something, someone that I love even more, and, um...
Well, actually, I was wondering,
I was hoping that you would write me a letter
supporting me to adopt him.
Well, of course I will, Corporal.
You think I'm crazy?
Oh, is that a trick question? Like...
No, I'm being serious.
What, for leaving the Marines?
Yeah.
No, absolutely not.
You did your time.
Hey, when's your tour up?
It was up...
A week ago.
Now, I'm theirs for another 51.
Uh...
Okay, so...
You re-upped?
Yeah, I mean,
what, is that a problem?
Yeah.
That's a problem.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on, Megan.
Megan, what are you doing?
Look, you didn't ask me when you decided
to leave the Marines, and I wouldn't expect you to.
Look, it's your decision. I'm happy...
Don't pretend like you didn't know this would piss me off.
You act like we talked about this.
I mean, how the hell could I know that?
I don't know, but it sucks that you didn't.
He's tender, he's tender.
It's okay.
You want to adopt this animal?
Do you have any idea what you're doing?
He's scared and he's tender, like I said.
Please don't write that.
Are you listening to me?
He's just scared and he hates this muzzle that he's wearing,
and no offense, but he's not a massive fan of being at the vet's either.
I'll see him again in a week.
Okay, but please don't leave that on his chart,
'cause they'll never let me adopt him.
That's the point.
Are you having some sort of like a power trip or something?
Are you not supposed to be helping these animals?
You poked him where he's hurt.
He reacted.
Let's set off 40 pounds of explosives five feet under you
and see how you like being poked afterwards.
Please, I'm begging you. Please take it out of his file!
Where's Rex? No idea.
Hey, Forman. Come on.
What's the deal?
I'm getting him ready.
What do you mean?
They want him in Afghanistan.
What? What are you talking about?
They're redeploying him.
No, no, they took him off active duty.
Well, I guess they changed their minds.
Are you his handler?
I'm sorry.
Hey, jerks. Let's go.
Gunny.
Jesus, Leavey, what are you doing here?
Gunny, I...
I came to say that I am sorry for messing up your office.
Now that's the weakest apology I ever heard.
Rex is not ready to be redeployed.
It's not my call.
The vet disagrees with you.
He's a different dog.
He has changed.
I can't help you.
Please, please just change his classification
so that I can adopt him when he gets back,
if he gets back.
Your concern for the animal is honorable.
You're devoted to him, and I understand that,
and I understand why you're angry.
I'm not angry, I am trying
to give a war hero a home for the last few years of his life.
How would you feel if we had to put Rex down
because he bit the hand of a four-year-old he passes on the street?
Just because the boy was holding a toy gun?
Hmm?
It happens.
I've...
I've looked into the parents' eyes before.
I know what that feels like.
They aren't pets.
They aren't even dogs anymore.
They're warriors,
and they come back with all the same issues we do.
We're not being cruel, we're being intelligent and responsible.
No, no, not to Rex. I'm sorry.
I really am.
Please.
Leavey, just let this one go.
Please. Gunny.
Please.
Look, Leavey, I'm sorry.
Look,
he's being flown out in a couple of days.
If you wanna say goodbye to him, I can arrange that.
Hey.
I'm sorry.
Megan.
Megan, honey.
Megan!
What?
Megan, put some clothes on.
What? Who loves you?
What's going on?
Come over here and meet her.
I didn't name her because I wanted you to, but if you don't call her
Lover Girl, I think you're crazy.
You've gotta be kidding me.
No, I'm not kidding you.
You thought you could just replace him?
Honey, I'm not trying to replace him, I just...
Look, I know you love him, but... Jesus Christ,
Megan, you're a mess. You can't let your whole life
fall apart over some dog.
Some dog?
That dog saved my life.
Go to hell. Hey, now, Megan,
you can't talk to your mother like that.
She is trying to help you.
Get a job, Jim.
We are not finished here.
You cannot come back to my house like some big war hero
and talk to me like that just because you got hurt.
Back off, Mom!
You can screw up your life as much as you want.
You cannot take it out on me.
Go in there right now and apologize to my husband!
Apologize? Yes!
Apologize to this guy?
Yes.
I can't believe you left Dad for this douchebag.
You have no goddamn right to...
You know what... Go be with your father.
I am done! Gladly!
Hey.
Baby.
Son of a bitch.
Don't open it!
Jesus, baby, baby.
It's okay, it's okay. It's just a car.
It's the alarm, sweetie, it's okay.
It's all right.
Hey, what the hell are you doing?
You have any idea how hot it is in there?
How hot it is?
Take care of your animal, asshole.
My animal is fine. What are you, crazy?
Lunatic.
Hi. Hi, yeah, can I talk to Forman?
It's about Rex.
Yeah, I know I keep calling.
Megan, how are you doing?
We haven't heard much from you.
I'm okay, I'm better.
In what ways?
Well, I...
I don't flip out as much when I see or hear certain things.
I still can't quite...
Tolerate any real, um, human interaction.
Even you guys are kind of a drag.
How are you sleeping?
Um...
Just a few bad dreams.
About?
Mmm. Mostly imagining what he's doing.
Just hoping he's not in pain.
He could die any day.
He could be dead right now, and...
What would you say to Rex if he were here right now?
Well, you know he's a dog, right?
This is gonna sound so cheesy, but...
Um...
- Sorry. - It's okay.
I'd probably, um...
I'd thank him for...
Trying to teach me what love is.
What do you mean, trying?
It sounds like he taught you a lot.
Hey. Hey.
Is that dinner?
Well, they always said breakfast is the most important meal.
How was your day?
You go to group?
How was it?
Uh, so, uh, this came for you.
Who is Morales?
Why is he sending you Mets crap?
He's just some guy I used to know.
Yeah, some guy I'm gonna have to be chasing off with a shotgun?
Mm-mm.
Baby,
I know that you feel like you lost everything.
I know what that feels like.
But the thing is, you gotta keep living.
I am living. No, you're not.
This isn't living.
You gotta figure out what it would take
to make it worth it.
Rex would be worth it.
You know what you gotta do?
They won't talk to me. I have abandoned him, I left.
Then you gotta find a way.
There are a few people in life, not many,
that you gotta find a way for.
If you needed something,
I would do whatever it took,
not because I'm any kind of great dad,
but because how I love you is stronger than what I'm not.
I want you to be a person who shows up
for work,
for your friends' funerals,
for life.
I've tried, I failed.
So fail again.
And just keep failing until they're tossing dirt on your corpse.
Baby, all you gotta do is fight,
and you know how to fight.
You're a frickin' Marine.
Right?
I love you.
Can I toss this, please?
Maybe burn it?
Please.
It's disgusting.
Actually, maybe just keep the card.
You don't need it.
I can't wait another three weeks for someone to call me back.
Can I just talk to him for five minutes?
Well, it's actually not. It's an Air Force decision.
The Air Force oversees the canine program.
Well, then, can you tell me exactly where he is?
Okay, look, I know I sound like a stalker here,
but I'm calling for a war hero.
Hello? Corporal Leavey.
It's Sergeant Forman.
I've been getting your messages all week,
figured I better call you back,
seeing as you're the only reason
I still have a complete set of butt cheeks.
Hey, yeah, I have been calling all week.
I guess I just wanted to know, how's Rex?
He'd love to see you.
Wait, what? Rex.
You there? Yeah, uh...
They finally decided to retire him.
I just thought you might want to come to the ceremony.
Yes, I'm...
Does this mean that I can adopt him now?
I don't think so. I'm looking at his file and it says he's unadoptable.
I know what it says, I know, but, uh...
I mean, hasn't he been reassessed?
I have no idea,
but it still says unadoptable on his paperwork,
and, uh...
He's pretty sick, Megan.
How bad is it?
If you're gonna try and do something, I'd do it fast.
All right, then after that, we open.
Senator?
Senator Schumer?
Excuse me, can I just have a moment of your time?
I'm in the middle of something.
I've been calling for weeks.
It's about my partner in Afghanistan.
He's not doing well. He needs your help.
All right, I'll get back to you later.
Uh, his name is Rex. He's a bomb sniffer.
He saved thousands of lives in Iraq.
Here we are in Fallujah. He found all those AK-47s.
And here we are in Ramadi,
and, uh, here he is today.
He's 10 years old, and if I can't adopt him,
then they're gonna put him to sleep.
What did you say your name was?
Uh, Megan, sorry.
Corporal Megan Leavey.
Oh, Very nice to meet you, Corporal.
My pleasure.
Um, sir, sir, excuse... Excuse me!
Sir!
Finn, don't yell at people.
How else am I supposed to get his attention?
You're literally scaring him away.
Just be quiet.
Have a conversation with someone.
Hi, sign my petition to adopt a veteran war dog?
So, what is this for?
This is a petition for me to adopt my Marine war dog.
He's very sick and his retirement ceremony's coming up,
so I'm really hoping I get to bring him home.
You're the Marine? Mmm-hmm.
Thank you.
Thank you for your service.
It's not that hard.
We're live in five, four, three...
Hi, I'm Kristine Johnson.
Today, we're joined by a very special guest.
Thank you, Megan, for being here, and tell us your story.
Why is Rex so important to you?
Well, he's just an amazing animal,
and I want him to be able to live the rest of his life
in a happy home with someone that he knows and loves.
And why can't he?
Um, because a while ago, they thought he was unsafe,
but really, he was just scared,
and probably confused,
probably just as confused and scared as I was at the time.
And you were hit by an explosion together, an IED, isn't that right?
Yeah, in 2006, we were injured in Iraq.
But despite your injuries,
the two of you continued the mission.
That's right. That's amazing.
Oh, thank you.
Now, I read that you have 22...
Twenty-two thousand.
Twenty-two thousand names on your petition.
Yes!
That kind of support, is it helping?
Well, we hope it is, but it's too early to tell.
Good luck, Megan, we're really pulling for you here.
I appreciate it.
Go ahead.
Hold there.
I'm here for the retirement ceremony.
Head to the fields, Corporal.
There you go.
Hey, I know you.
Yeah, you're, uh, that famous war hero, right, that's on TV?
Big-time Mets fan.
What are you doing? Hey.
You're back.
Yeah, yeah.
I'm, uh, here for Chico's retirement,
then I ship back out in two days, Camp Leatherneck.
Can't get enough of that place.
After that, that's it.
Time to come home.
Wow.
So, I hear Rex is retiring today, too.
Yeah, I...
Trying to get signatures, still trying to bring him home.
Are you gonna get in some faces again?
Start a couple brawls, maybe?
Put someone in a choke hold, knock someone out?
Yeah, yeah, if I have to, yeah.
Sorry, I haven't called you back. I...
It's all good.
Look,
it wasn't our time.
At least one Marine gets the girl in the end.
You know, you rattled every chain in the command, right?
I get to be the one to break the big news.
Better take him home before they change their minds.
Rex!
Hey.
Hi.
Welcome home!
What do you think?
You like it?
Sit, good boy, what's that?
- What is that? - What's that?
What about this? You like a football?
You like that, you like that?
Oh, this is your favorite one.
Here's your girlfriend. Here's your girlfriend.
Yeah, yeah.
You've got my hand, you've got my hand.
You don't look so tough right now, war dog.
God, you're spoiled.
There you go.
It's okay.
Don't be scared.
Ladies and gentlemen,
today is Veterans Appreciation Day,
so please join us in welcoming two very special Yankees fans.
Purple Heart recipient Corporal Megan Leavey,
and Sergeant Rex.
Sergeant Rex, Echo 168,
was recognized for his superior performance of duty
while serving as a patrol explosive military working dog.
Go Marines! Yeah! Whoo!
No!
Get this off me!
Sergeant Rex and Corporal Leavey,
through their sacrifice together,
saved countless human lives, and so today,
we thank them.
Famous, baby, you're famous.
Hey, Rex.
Get that toy.
I'll get it for you.
What you barking at?
Hi, buddy.
Good boy.