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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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4

Soldier KIA, But Adopted Puppy Comes to America

He took in stray in Iraqi war zone

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(Newser) – An Army major killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq has left a canine legacy—Laia, a stray puppy who made it back to America, the Los Angeles Times reports. Working on a transition team, Steven Hutchison found the dog loafing around his vehicle after a meeting. “Maj. Hutchison was hooked,” Sgt. Andrew Hunt says. "She slept in his bed with him at night and napped under his bed during the day.”

Adopting Laia in a war zone wasn't Hutchison's only quirky act. A Vietnam vet, he signed up to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq despite his liberal politics; he had a PhD in psychology; he jogged around the Iraq base in purple "short shorts" despite official warnings; and he was 60 years old. Hunt, Hutchison's comrade, plans to visit Laia at her new home in Michigan. "Like Maj. Hutchison, you cannot tell Laia what to do."

Maj. Steven Hutchison, center, is seen in Afghanistan with colleagues.
Maj. Steven Hutchison, center, is seen in Afghanistan with colleagues.   (AP Photo)
An American soldier stands guard watched by a dog during a routine patrol in the neighborhood of Dora in Baghdad, Iraq.
An American soldier stands guard watched by a dog during a routine patrol in the neighborhood of Dora in Baghdad, Iraq.   (AP Photo)
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4 comments
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BlueAyez
Aug 8, 09 5:19 PM CDT
He lived life on his own terms. Reply
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+3
armywife
Aug 8, 09 7:24 PM CDT
i'm a little irked by the casual mention that he signed up for the war 'despite his liberal politics' - as if liberals arent patriotic or dont want to serve. my husband and i are both liberals who thought the iraq war was poorly planned and unneccessary, but my husband, who might describe himself as a militant pacifist, has served two tours there. liberals are every bit as patriotic as their conservative counterparts, and i'm getting tired of the recent public perception otherwise. Reply
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+6
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Deebles
Aug 8, 09 7:47 PM CDT
Interesting point armywife. It is odd that they would mention that he was fighting for his country despite being a liberal. I think this is mentioned because in an all-volunteer Army you tend to get the nutters. The fact that evangelics have taken over the military should be a huge concern for all. Tanks with crosses, soldiers wearing anti-Muslim gear is just horrid and why if you start a war, then everyone needs to fight it not just the crusading nuts. My husband class of 81--not the other, class of 73--have no connection to the school that they once treasured and respected. It is all religious nut cases. That's why they, in Iraq , were surprised that a liberal PhD would die for country instead of the religion that consumes them. As for the dog--only a good man has a dog.
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+2
Reader60610265
Aug 8, 09 7:47 PM CDT
I don't blame you ,if he has the hair to guard the walls. who cares what his politics are. Reply
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+2
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