感伤的 The Dogs of War# LeisureTime - 读书听歌看电影
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刚看完NG六月份的cover story - The Dogs of War，很有感触。
我一直很喜欢NG的主编Chris Johns，每一期的Editor's Note不止行文精彩，还能让人
感受到他满满的人文情怀。下面是他针对这篇六月份的cover story写的短文：
Layka, the dog pictured on our cover and here, was two when she was sent to
help clear an enemy compound in Afghanistan. During her search she was shot
by enemy forces and took four rounds from an AK-47 at point-blank range.
Despite her injuries, she attacked and subdued the shooter, protecting her
handler, Staff Sgt. Julian McDonald, and other members of the team. It took
seven hours of surgery, including the amputation of a limb, to save her. In
2012 Layka was presented with a medal of heroism and adopted by McDonald,
who now trains dogs and their handlers at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Our cover story, “The Dogs of War,” is about a special bond. Dogs have
been our best friends for at least 14,000 years. The relationship is in our
genes and theirs. When it comes to the dogs of war, the stakes couldn’t be
higher. The penalty for a misstep by either partner can be injury or death.
The U.S. military deploys more than 500 dogs worldwide at any given time.
Each year a few are killed in action.
When Layka bounded out of the van that delivered her to Sergeant McDonald’s
home—a special brace allows her to run as if she’d never lost a leg—she
instantly recognized him, even though they’d been together only a month
before she was shot. “Her excitement brought me to tears,” McDonald says.
“She was the sole reason why I was living and breathing and able to come
home to my son and wife.” —Chris Johns
那篇cover story，The Dogs of War，讲述了一个Marine dog handler, Jose,和他的
partner,Zenit，一只German Shepherd的故事。从一起接受训练如何查出探获IED，再
一起被派到阿富汗走在战场最前线，到Jose踩到IED受重伤两条腿被截肢到膝盖以上，
回国治疗，再经过无数的paperwork和漫长的等待之后，终于成功领养Zenit.
这个不是一个单纯的人与狗珍贵情谊的故事。读到Jose和Zenit走在阿富汗干凅河床，
步步惊心，读者已经隐约知道悲剧马上要发生。战争在这里被缩小到一人一狗的顽强奋
斗，却带来更悲痛深切的体会。文章里说到很多dog handler跟他们的狗产生深厚的感
情，可是军队没有正规的程序让这些狗之后和他们的受伤退伍的handler团聚，让这些
handler饱受煎熬。战争给这些受伤的士兵带来的影响，不管拍了多少电影写了多少小
说，都永远没有人可以真正了解。
这里是文章链接给有兴趣的同学，貌似只要注册帐号就可以阅读。
http://ngm-beta.nationalgeographic.com/2014/06/articles/the-dog
Staff Sgt. Thomas Sager carries the body of Dinomt, a dog killed by an IED
while on patrol in Kandahar. His death spared the lives of nearby soldiers.
“It’s like losing a teammate,” says Major Hux (at left).
我一直很喜欢NG的主编Chris Johns，每一期的Editor's Note不止行文精彩，还能让人
感受到他满满的人文情怀。下面是他针对这篇六月份的cover story写的短文：
Layka, the dog pictured on our cover and here, was two when she was sent to
help clear an enemy compound in Afghanistan. During her search she was shot
by enemy forces and took four rounds from an AK-47 at point-blank range.
Despite her injuries, she attacked and subdued the shooter, protecting her
handler, Staff Sgt. Julian McDonald, and other members of the team. It took
seven hours of surgery, including the amputation of a limb, to save her. In
2012 Layka was presented with a medal of heroism and adopted by McDonald,
who now trains dogs and their handlers at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Our cover story, “The Dogs of War,” is about a special bond. Dogs have
been our best friends for at least 14,000 years. The relationship is in our
genes and theirs. When it comes to the dogs of war, the stakes couldn’t be
higher. The penalty for a misstep by either partner can be injury or death.
The U.S. military deploys more than 500 dogs worldwide at any given time.
Each year a few are killed in action.
When Layka bounded out of the van that delivered her to Sergeant McDonald’s
home—a special brace allows her to run as if she’d never lost a leg—she
instantly recognized him, even though they’d been together only a month
before she was shot. “Her excitement brought me to tears,” McDonald says.
“She was the sole reason why I was living and breathing and able to come
home to my son and wife.” —Chris Johns
那篇cover story，The Dogs of War，讲述了一个Marine dog handler, Jose,和他的
partner,Zenit，一只German Shepherd的故事。从一起接受训练如何查出探获IED，再
一起被派到阿富汗走在战场最前线，到Jose踩到IED受重伤两条腿被截肢到膝盖以上，
回国治疗，再经过无数的paperwork和漫长的等待之后，终于成功领养Zenit.
这个不是一个单纯的人与狗珍贵情谊的故事。读到Jose和Zenit走在阿富汗干凅河床，
步步惊心，读者已经隐约知道悲剧马上要发生。战争在这里被缩小到一人一狗的顽强奋
斗，却带来更悲痛深切的体会。文章里说到很多dog handler跟他们的狗产生深厚的感
情，可是军队没有正规的程序让这些狗之后和他们的受伤退伍的handler团聚，让这些
handler饱受煎熬。战争给这些受伤的士兵带来的影响，不管拍了多少电影写了多少小
说，都永远没有人可以真正了解。
这里是文章链接给有兴趣的同学，貌似只要注册帐号就可以阅读。
http://ngm-beta.nationalgeographic.com/2014/06/articles/the-dog
Staff Sgt. Thomas Sager carries the body of Dinomt, a dog killed by an IED
while on patrol in Kandahar. His death spared the lives of nearby soldiers.
“It’s like losing a teammate,” says Major Hux (at left).
