ISIS/ISIL, Ferguson, Sarah Palin…
OK, enough “gloomy and doomy” stuff.
Time for two of my most favorite subjects.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert Culbertson greets his son after a six-month deployment on the attack submarine USS New Hampshire, which returned to its homeport on Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., Aug. 13, 2014.
A U.S. sailor hugs his son after arriving in Fleet Activities Yokosuka on the USS Shiloh in Yokosuka, Japan, Aug. 8, 2014. The Shiloh returned from a three-month patrol to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting maritime security operations in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
Lt. Mack Elliot holds his son and his newborn daughter with his wife upon the return of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) to Naval Station Mayport. Carney deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Salt Cebe
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Sean McKenzie, right, holds back Benjamin, a military working dog, from subduing Cpl. Nicholas Newell during bite-work training at the Central Training Area in Okinawa, Japan, Aug. 7, 2014. Bite work trains the dog to subdue a suspect while allowing the handler to maintain control over their dog. McKenzie and Neville are military working dog handlers assigned to 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force
Colli, a military working dog, maintains a bite after Marine Corps Cpl. Paul Kelley, a working dog handler, jumps into the pool during an aquatics aggression class at the training tank on Marine Crops Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., July 14, 2014.
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class John Winjum, a military working dog handler, stands duty at the Port of Djibouti during an inspection of ships, tugboats and the pier on Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, July 7, 2014. Winjum is assigned to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti security forces.
Military Working Dog Dak, looks out a truck in anticipation while his handler Staff Sgt. Joseph Nault, 799th Security Forces Squadron MWD trainer, checks his gear July 18, 2014, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. MWD’s are used as a deterrent and to search for contraband such as drugs and explosives, as well as enemy positions to protect military personnel on the battlefield. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen)
Bonus: Read a related story, “Let me tell you ’bout my best friend.”
All photos and captions: DOD
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.