Original subtitles

Narrator: CHOPPER, ALL 90 POUNDS OF HIM,

LOOKS THE PART OF AN ALL-AMERICAN DOG.

HE'S A CHAMP AT TUG OF WAR AND A GREAT FAMILY PET,

JUST LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHER DOGS.

HE'S EVEN LEARNED TO SURF.

Man: WOO HOO HOO HOO!

Narrator: BUT CHOPPER HAS A SECRET IDENTITY.

HE'S A STEALTH WARRIOR,

ONE OF THE PENTAGON'S SPECIAL OPERATORS.

AFTER 9/11, U.S. NAVY SEALS FOUND A NEW KIND OF RECRUIT.

CHOPPER WAS RAW POTENTIAL,

BUT WITH THE RIGHT TRAINING AND GEAR,

HE COULD JUMP INTO BATTLEFIELDS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.

FOR FOUR YEARS, HE AND TREVOR MAROSHEK,

A DECORATED NAVY SEAL, WERE AN ELITE FIGHTING TEAM.

WITH AN UNSHAKABLE BOND, EACH SAVED THE OTHER'S LIFE.

Trevor Maroshek: HAD CHOPPER NOT BEEN THERE,

I WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD FOR SURE.

Narrator: IN 2007, THE NAVY SEALS STARTED

THEIR OWN UNIQUELY DESIGNED CANINE PROGRAM.

TREVOR MAROSHEK WAS ONE OF ITS PIONEERS.

THEIR GOAL: FOR MILITARY WORKING DOGS

TO DO EVERYTHING NAVY SEALS DO.

Trevor: WE BASICALLY WENT TO ALL THE WORLD'S BEST

CANINE TRAINING SCENARIOS WE COULD

TO JUST PULL THE BEST COMPONENTS OUT OF IT

AND SEE HOW IT MAY APPLY TO OUR JOB.

Stewart Hilliard: SPECIAL FORCES DOGS HAVE A DIFFERENT MISSION.

MUCH MORE IS EXPECTED FROM THEM.

THEY HAVE TO BE MORE POWERFUL, BRAVER,

MORE PHYSICALLY ENDURING.

THEY ARE THE CREME DE LA CREME,

THE MOST EXTREMELY FIT AND MOTIVATED DOGS.

Narrator: SEAL DOGS ARE CHOSEN FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE ENDURANCE

AND SUPER-HIGH DRIVES.

ABOUT 1% OF DOGS MAKE THE CUT.

Hilliard: WHAT WE LOOK FOR FIRST

IS WE LOOK FOR THE DOG'S DESIRE TO WORK,

WHICH IS REALLY BASED ULTIMATELY ON THEIR GENETICS

AND THEIR INSTINCT TO ENGAGE IN BEHAVIORS LIKE HUNTING,

LIKE FIGHTING, LIKE SEARCHING, ET CETERA.

SO A DOG LIKE THIS

HAS TREMENDOUSLY STRONG VITAL INSTINCTS.

SHE LOVES TO EAT, SHE LOVES TO RUN,

SHE LOVES TO CHASE THINGS, SHE LOVES TO STRUGGLE,

SHE LOVES TO HOLD THINGS IN HER MOUTH,

SHE DOESN'T WANT TO GIVE THINGS UP

WHEN THEY'RE IN HER MOUTH.

IF YOU CHALLENGE HER, IF YOU TRY TO FRIGHTEN HER,

SHE FIGHTS BACK REFLEXIVELY AND WITH PLEASURE.

SHE LIKES IT.

Narrator: AND THAT WAS EXACTLY CHOPPER'S PROFILE.

IN MAY 2007, THE NAVY LET TREVOR CHOOSE HIS PARTNER,

A CHOICE BETWEEN CHOPPER'S RAW POTENTIAL

OR OTHER PROVEN PEDIGREES.

Trevor: THERE WAS A BELGIAN MALINOIS, THERE WAS A DUTCH SHEPHERD,

AND THEN THERE WAS THIS GIGANTIC BLACK FUR MISSILE MONSTER

THAT WAS SPINNING, KIND OF INVERTEDLY SPINNING THIS WAY,

LIKE THEY DO IN THE CARTOONS, YOU KNOW, THE ACME CARTOONS,

AND IT WAS CHOPPER.

Narrator: TREVOR CHOSE CHOPPER, A GERMAN SHEPHERD,

BECAUSE HE WAS THE SCARIEST DOG HE'D EVER SEEN.

Trevor: WANT TO GO FOR A SWIM? GO FOR A SWIM?

Narrator: ON THE WAY BACK FROM THE KENNEL,

THE TWO CAME TO A QUICK UNDERSTANDING.

Trevor: I LOOKED OVER AT HIM, MADE EYE CONTACT WITH CHOPPER,

AND WE HAD A "HERE'S THE DEAL" SPEECH.

WE'RE GOING TO BE PARTNERS,

AND YOU'RE GOOD TO ME, I'LL BE GOOD TO YOU.

YOU ATTACK ME, I'LL ATTACK YOU,

AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF OUR RELATIONSHIP.

Narrator: TREVOR HAD HIS PARTNER,

BUT THE ROAD AHEAD WOULD BE FRAUGHT

WITH STRUGGLE, UNCERTAINTY AND MORTAL DANGER.

AND TREVOR WONDERED IF EITHER OF THEM HAD THE RIGHT STUFF.

TREVOR GREW UP IN THE BEACH TOWN OF SAN CLEMENTE

ON THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST.

Trevor: OH, I WAS A WATER BABY THROUGH AND THROUGH,

AND MY DAD REALLY ENCOURAGED IT.

Narrator: HE LEARNED TO SWIM AT AGE 3 AND WAS SURFING AT 5.

Nick Maroshek: 5 OR 6, YEAH,

AND THEN WE GOT HIM HIS FIRST SURFBOARD,

AND AWAY HE WENT.

Barbara Maroshek: YEAH, ANYTHING TO DO WITH WATER, HE LOVED IT.

Narrator: BUT AS A TEENAGER,

TREVOR MOVED FROM THE WATER TO TROUBLE.

Trevor: WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I WAS AN ABSOLUTE PUNK.

I WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS

THAT YOUR PARENTS DIDN'T WANT YOU TO HANG OUT WITH.

Nick: AROUND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL,

HE STARTED GETTING INVOLVED WITH SKATEBOARDING,

AND SURFING BECAME A BIGGER THING FOR HIM.

THEN HE STARTED BEING ATTRACTED

TO THE MORE COLORFUL PEOPLE THAT WERE AT THE SCHOOL.

Barbara: HE ALWAYS SORT OF FLIRTED ON THE EDGE OF DANGEROUS THINGS,

YOU KNOW, AND GETTING DRAWN INTO THINGS HE SHOULDN'T BE DOING.

Narrator: BUT 9/11 CHANGED TREVOR'S LIFE.

Trevor: THE DAY THAT 9/11 HAPPENED,

I HAD AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE OF HEART.

AND ABOUT A MONTH LATER MY BROTHER JOINED,

AND THEN I HAD AN OVERWHELMING URGE IN MY HEART

TO, YOU KNOW, DO MY PART.

Narrator: LIKE SO MANY BEFORE HIM, TREVOR DECIDED TO ENLIST.

Trevor: I PRETTY MUCH FIGURED THAT I WAS GOING TO DIE,

AND I'D ALREADY ACCEPTED THAT.

AND WHEN I JOINED THE SERVICE, I WAS THERE TO DO TWO THINGS:

A] TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT MY BROTHER

AND RESCUE HIM IF HE EVER GOT SHOT DOWN,

AS WEIRD AS THAT SOUNDS,

AND SACRIFICE MY LIFE FOR THE GREATER GOOD.

Narrator: FROM THE START,

TREVOR DIDN'T JUST WANT TO JOIN THE MILITARY,

HE WANTED THE ULTIMATE TEST.

IT BEGAN HERE IN 2003,

AT THE NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS BASE IN CORONADO, CALIFORNIA.

THE BASIC UNDERWATER DEMOLITION SEALS TRAINING--

BUDS FOR SHORT--

MIGHT BE THE TOUGHEST TRAINING ON EARTH.

THE FEW WHO PULL THROUGH BECOME U.S. NAVY SEALS,

ONE OF THE MOST ELITE MILITARY FORCES ON THE PLANET.

THE GRUELING 6-MONTH BUDS COURSE

TESTS MEN TO THEIR ABSOLUTE LIMITS.

Trevor: GOING INTO BUDS, WHICH IS BASICALLY GLADIATOR SCHOOL,

I KNEW THAT THEY WEREN'T THERE TO KILL ME,

THEY WERE THERE TO BREAK ME DOWN AND TO TRAIN ME,

AND SO IT DIDN'T MATTER.

SO FOR ME GOING INTO BUDS WAS LIKE BRING IT,

YOU CAN'T HURT ME.

Narrator: MORE THAN 70% OF THOSE WHO SIGN UP FOR BUDS WASH OUT.

BUT THOSE WHO SURVIVE GET THE MISSIONS THAT MAKE HISTORY.

FROM GETTING OSAMA BIN LADEN

TO TAKING OUT PIRATES IN SOMALIA,

NAVY SEALS GET IT DONE.

THOSE WHO ENDURE BECOME EXPERTS IN COMBAT DIVING,

FAST ROPING, MARKSMANSHIP, AND FREE FALLING.

Trevor: BUDS IS 5% PHYSICAL AND 95% MENTAL.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT UP HERE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE TRAINING.

I'VE SEEN GUYS WHO LOOK LIKE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

AND COMPLETELY QUIT THE FIRST DAY,

AND I'VE SEEN GUYS WHO YOU LOOK AT AND GO,

"THERE'S NO WAY THAT GUY WOULD MAKE IT,"

AND HE'S AT THE TOP TIER FIRST TIME EVERY TIME.

AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE IT UP HERE.

Lloyd: WHEN IT GETS TOUGH AND YOU GET COLD AND YOU GET SANDY,

WELL, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY PUSHUPS YOU CAN DO,

THE COLD DOESN'T GO AWAY, THE PAIN DOESN'T GO AWAY.

IT'S JUST, IT'S THE MINDSET THAT OVERTAKES EVERYTHING.

AND IT'S THE WILLINGNESS NOT TO QUIT.

Joe Biden: THE FINEST WARRIORS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD

ARE THE UNITED STATES SPECIAL FORCES.

Man: GET DOWN, IN THE MUD!

Biden: THERE ARE NO GROUP OF WARRIORS

THAT HAVE BEEN AS EFFECTIVE AS OUR SPECIAL OPERATORS,

AND AMONG THOSE ARE THE SEALS.

THESE GUYS, WELL, I MEAN, THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

[CHANTING]

Officer: BOOYAH! SEALS: BOOYAH!

Officer: BOOYAH! SEALS: BOOYAH!

Biden: AND WATCHING THE SEALS

AND HOW THEY USE THEIR DOGS AS WELL

IS ASTOUNDING.

Narrator: SEAL DOGS ARE THE LATEST EVOLUTION

IN CANINE COMMANDOS,

BUT MILITARY DOGS HAVE OFFICIALLY BEEN USED

BY U.S. FORCES SINCE WORLD WAR TWO.

IN 1948, PARATROOP DOGS WERE TRAINED IN THE ARCTIC

TO RESCUE PLANE CRASH VICTIMS.

DECADES EARLIER, A BULL TERRIER NAMED SERGEANT STUBBY

BRAVED 17 WORLD WAR ONE BATTLES.

HE LEARNED TO RECOGNIZE THE SMELL OF DEADLY POISONOUS GAS

AND SOUND THE ALARM,

GIVING SOLDIERS TIME TO GRAB THEIR GAS MASKS.

MILITARY MASCOTS LIKE STUBBY

ROUTINELY STAYED NEXT TO WOUNDED SOLDIERS

UNTIL HELP ARRIVED,

OFTEN BARKING TO HELP MEDICS FIND THE INJURED WARRIORS.

STUBBY RETURNED HOME A HERO FOR HIS SERVICE,

LEADING PARADES AND HOBNOBBING WITH PRESIDENTS.

IN RETIREMENT, HE BECAME A FOOTBALL MASCOT

AT WASHINGTON, D.C.'S GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY.

IN APRIL 2004, TREVOR HAD NEVER HEARD OF STUBBY

OR ANY OTHER MILITARY DOG.

AND WITH TWO WEEKS LEFT IN TRAINING,

HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT FATE WAS ABOUT TO MOVE HIM

FROM WARRIOR TO TARGET.

ON APRIL 14, 2004, TREVOR FOUND HIMSELF

IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME.

HE'S ON HIS WAY TO MEET FRIENDS BACK HOME

WHEN HE WALKS INTO A STREET FIGHT

OUTSIDE A LOCAL BAR.

AS HE TRIES TO BREAK IT UP,

HE'S HIT IN THE HEAD AND KNOCKED OUT.

Trevor: THERE WAS SOME MARINES

THAT WERE HAVING AN ALTERCATION WITH A CIVILIAN.

I WALKED UP AND WAS HIT WITH A BLUNT OBJECT.

Narrator: HE'S RUSHED TO MISSION HOSPITAL.

Trevor: THEY TOLD ME I HAD A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY,

DUE TO BLUNT TRAUMA.

AND I HAD BASICALLY A DOUBLE BRAIN CONTUSION

AND A BASAL SKULL FRACTURE,

AND I HAD BRAIN FLUIDS AND BLOOD COMING OUT OF MY LEFT EAR.

WELL, THE MOMENT I CAME TO,

THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH WERE,

"OH, MY GOD, WHAT TIME IS IT? I HAVE TO GET BACK TO TRAINING."

Narrator: TREVOR'S DOCTORS HAD A DIFFERENT PLAN FOR HIM.

Trevor: THEY TOLD ME, WELL, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW

YOU'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS.

DON'T PLAN ON BEING IN THE MILITARY.

THAT'S OVER.

AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BE A NAVY SEAL.

I FEEL BAD FOR ANYONE IN MY WAY

IF I'VE GOT TARGET LOCK ON A GOAL

BECAUSE I'M GETTING IT, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

AND THAT SAME DRIVE APPLIED

GOING THROUGH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.

IT WAS AGAIN, JUST LIKE QUITTING IN BUDS ISN'T AN OPTION.

THIS INJURY IS NOT AN OPTION.

STRAIGHT UP.

FLAT OUT.

Narrator: IN OCTOBER 2004, AFTER MONTHS OF GRUELING THERAPY,

AGAINST ALL ODDS AND MEDICAL EVIDENCE,

TREVOR GRADUATED, AND RECEIVED HIS NAVY SEAL TRIDENT PIN.

Trevor: THE DAY I RECEIVED MY TRIDENT

WAS ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE

AND ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL.

Nick: I MEAN, AFTER ALL THAT HE'D BEEN THROUGH

AND TO BE THERE AT HIS, WHAT AN HONOR

TO WATCH NAVY SEALS RECEIVE THEIR TRIDENT.

Barbara: YEAH, WE WERE SO PROUD OF HIM.

IT WAS AN AMAZING DAY.

Nick: YEP.

Narrator: IN APRIL 2005, TREVOR DEPLOYED

ON HIS FIRST MISSION TO IRAQ.

EIGHT MONTHS LATER, THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED:

TREVOR'S HUMVEE WAS BLOWN UP BY A ROADSIDE BOMB.

Trevor: THE EXPLOSION COMES IN

AND IT SUCKS ALL THE OXYGEN OUT OF THE VEHICLE,

AND OBVIOUSLY THE SHOCK WAVE ITSELF

ROCKS EVERYBODY AND EVERYTHING.

BECAUSE OF MY HEAD INJURY, WELL,

I HAD FELT A LOT OF THE SAME SYMPTOMS I HAD HAD

WHEN I FIRST GOT INJURED.

Narrator: TRAGICALLY, TREVOR SUFFERED

A SECOND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY FROM THE EXPLOSION.

WITH THE TRAUMA OF TWO TBIs, AND STILL WANTING TO SERVE,

HE FOUND A NEW DIRECTION IN THE NAVY SEAL DOG PROGRAM.

AT THE HEIGHT OF THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN,

THE U.S. DEPLOYED MORE THAN 600 MILITARY WORKING DOGS

IN COMBAT ZONES.

OF THESE CANINE COMMANDOS, FEWER THAN 20 WERE SEAL DOGS.

NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE DOGS ARE SPECIFICALLY SELECTED

FROM TWO HERDING BREEDS--

GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS...

AND BELGIAN MALINOIS.

Hilliard: I THINK MOST EXPERTS WOULD AGREE

THAT THE HALLMARKS OF A REALLY GOOD GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG

ARE STEADY NERVES AND STABLE CHARACTER.

AND WHAT IS SOMETIMES LACKING IN THE GERMAN SHEPHERD

IS INTENSITY OF DRIVE.

THE MALINOIS, THE STRENGTH IS INTENSITY OF DRIVE,

AND THEN WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET IS NERVE STABILITY.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY NERVE STABILITY

IS A DOG WHO CAN GET ON A HELICOPTER

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND BE FLOWN SOMEPLACE

AND GET OUT IN A REALLY, REALLY STRESSFUL SITUATION

AND STILL DO HIS JOB.

Narrator: BELGIAN MALINOIS ARE MORE COMPACT,

LESS PRONE TO HEATSTROKE, AND EASIER TO CARRY.

Lloyd: GERMAN SHEPHERDS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN

JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE SO MUCH BIGGER.

A LOT OF THE TIMES WE HAVE TO GO UP AND OVER A BUILDING,

CARRY THEM UP LADDERS, RAPPEL OUT OF HELICOPTERS,

FAST ROPE, TAKE THEM UP HIGH-ANGLED MOUNTAIN TERRAIN.

Narrator: BUT TREVOR SENSED SOMETHING SPECIAL

IN HIS GERMAN SHEPHERD PARTNER.

CHOPPER WAS WORTH THE EXTRA WEIGHT TREVOR HAD TO CARRY.

MOST SPECIAL OPS CANINES ARE PURCHASED ABROAD.

CHOPPER WAS BORN IN JULY 2005 IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC.

HIS PRICE TAG: $13,000.

Hilliard: THE REASON THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE DOGS COME FROM OVERSEAS

IS THAT THEY'RE COMING FROM LARGER POPULATIONS

OF WORKING DOGS

THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THIS KIND OF SERVICE.

Narrator: CHOPPER SPENT HIS FIRST TWO YEARS

IN EUROPEAN SPORT TRAINING...

HONING HIS PREY AND FIGHT DRIVES.

Trevor: SO HE'S BEEN TRAINED SINCE HE WAS BORN TO FIGHT,

YOU KNOW, SIX-FOOT MEN.

YEAH, IN THE BITE SUIT, OF COURSE,

BUT YOU KNOW, EVEN IN THE SPORT THEY ARE TRAINED TO ENGAGE THEM

AND FIGHT A GROWN MAN AND WIN.

THEY LEARN HOW TO CONTROL A HUMAN BEING.

Narrator: TREVOR WORKED WITH CHOPPER FOR A YEAR

BEFORE THEY EVER DEPLOYED,

EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT TRAINING METHODS,

UNTIL THEY FOUND THE RIGHT MATCH.

Trevor: POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT.

AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS CALLED CLICKER TRAINING

USING, YOU KNOW, TREATS AND REWARDS AND TENNIS BALLS.

THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE WE SKYROCKETED.

IT WAS PHENOMENAL.

WE TRAIN DOGS OFF OF TWO MAJOR DRIVES:

THE PLAY DRIVE AND THEIR PREY DRIVE.

AND THE PREY DRIVE FAR EXCEEDS THE PLAY DRIVE.

AND SO, GETTING THE BITE

IS THE BEST REWARD HE COULD EVER GET.

TO HIM, IT'S JUST A BIG GAME.

UNTIL HE FEELS ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY THREATENED,

TO HIM IT'S JUST, "OH, I GET TO BITE SOMEBODY.

I GET TO BITE SOMEBODY."

AND THAT'S HIS WHOLE WORLD.

Narrator: IN DECEMBER 2008, CHOPPER'S WHOLE WORLD CHANGED

WHEN HE AND TREVOR WERE CLEARED

FOR THEIR FIRST MISSION OVERSEAS ON THE BATTLEFIELDS OF IRAQ.

IT WOULD BE THE FIRST TEST

OF CHOPPER'S ABILITY TO PERFORM IN REAL-LIFE COMBAT,

AND EVEN TREVOR WASN'T SURE HOW IT WOULD GO.

THEIR FIRST MISSION WAS HUMANITARIAN,

TO WIN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF LOCALS.

Trevor: YOU KNOW, HAND THEM BLANKETS,

GIVE THEM FOOD, HELP THEM OUT,

MAYBE EVEN MONEY TO REBUILD STUFF.

Narrator: TREVOR AND CHOPPER WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURITY.

ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE MISSION TREVOR NOTICED A SUSPICIOUS MAN.

Trevor: THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD AN OBJECT IN THEIR HAND,

WHICH AT THE TIME APPEARED TO BE A GUN.

AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS MY VERY FIRST MISSION,

AND I'M LIKE, OH, MY GOD, WHAT DO I DO,

AND ACTUALLY I HAD A RACE OF NERVOUSNESS GO THROUGH ME

AND ANXIETY OF LIKE, OKAY,

NOW IT'S TIME TO PROVIDE SOME ACTION.

Narrator: TREVOR SENT CHOPPER OUT TO ATTACK THE POTENTIAL ENEMIES,

BUT REALIZED MIDSTREAM THAT CHOPPER'S TARGET

WAS A HARMLESS SHEEP HERDER.

Trevor: WHAT WAS IN HIS HAND WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THEIR STAFFS

THAT THEY USE FOR SHEEP HERDING.

SO I HAD TO RECALL CHOPPER.

AND I WAS...

HAD TO USE MY RECALL FOR THE FIRST TIME,

WHICH WAS YOU KNOW, "CHOPPER, HIER."

Narrator: TREVOR'S COMMAND STOPPED CHOPPER IN HIS TRACKS.

Trevor: AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE VERY FIRST WARM AND FUZZY

THAT I HAD THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, MY DOG IS WORKING FOR ME,

WE'RE A GOOD TEAM.

Narrator: CHOPPER PASSED HIS FIRST TEST,

BUT THE PATH FORWARD WOULD BE LITTERED WITH HIDDEN ENEMIES.

BY 2008,

IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES, OR IEDs,

WERE THE SIGNATURE WEAPON OF IRAQI INSURGENTS,

AND THE NUMBER 1 KILLER OF COALITION FORCES.

THEY WERE CHEAP, EASY TO USE,

AND VERY EFFECTIVE AT SOFT TARGETS,

LIKE HUMVEES, TRUCKS AND FOOT PATROLS.

Man: WHOA!

Narrator: THE HOMEMADE EXPLOSIVES

WERE EASILY HIDDEN UNDER ROADSIDE DEBRIS,

OFTEN IN ANIMAL CARCASSES OR BOXES,

AND COULD BE DETONATED REMOTELY BY CELL PHONES

OR EVEN A CHILD'S REMOTE-CONTROLLED TOY.

IF CHOPPER COULDN'T DELIVER AND CONSISTENTLY DETECT DEADLY IEDs,

SOLDIERS WOULD DIE.

DOGS' NOSES ARE UP TO 100,000 TIMES MORE SENSITIVE TO SMELL

THAN HUMANS'.

THIS DOG IS ALERTING HIS HANDLER TO IMMINENT DANGER.

Biden: THEY'RE BETTER AT DETECTING BURIED EXPLOSIVES,

THESE IEDs AND BURIED BOMBS, THAN ANY MACHINERY WE HAVE.

[EXPLOSION]

Hilliard: THERE IS NO PRESENT TECHNOLOGY

THAT IS MORE COST-EFFICIENT, MORE ADAPTABLE,

MORE VERSATILE, MORE FUNCTIONAL, THAN AN ANIMAL LIKE THIS,

WITH THE RIGHT QUALITIES OF CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY

AND WORKING APTITUDE THAT IS PROPERLY TRAINED,

SO THIS IS A LITTLE LIFESAVER SITTING RIGHT HERE.

Narrator: CHOPPER TURNED OUT TO BE A LIFESAVER, TOO,

PROVING HIS VALUE AGAIN AND AGAIN

BY ALERTING TREVOR TO SCORES OF IEDs IN IRAQ.

Biden: THESE DOGS HAVE SAVED HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF LIVES.

THEY'RE AMAZING ANIMALS,

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HOME TODAY, HEALTHY,

BECAUSE OF A DOG.

Narrator: BUT IT TAKES MONTHS OF WORK

TO TRANSFORM A DOG INTO A LIFESAVER,

AND FOR SPECIAL OPERATORS LIKE CHOPPER,

HAVING THE RIGHT GEAR IS ESSENTIAL.

Trevor: THE WHOLE IDEA WITH CANINES

IS YOU WANT TO KEEP THEM AS LIGHTWEIGHT AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE

BECAUSE YOU'RE COUNTING ON HIS SPEED AND HIS ACCURACY.

Narrator: GERMAN SHEPHERDS CAN RUN TWICE AS FAST AS HUMANS.

Trevor: IT'S LOAD-BEARING,

SO ANYTIME I WOULD FAST ROPE, RAPPEL, DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT,

THIS IS WHAT I CAN CLIP HIM INTO,

AND I KNOW THAT IT WILL HOLD HIS BODY WEIGHT CONNECTED TO ME.

CHOPPY.

GOOD BOY.

ANOTHER ONE IN THERE, GOOD BOY.

SO HE KNOWS THE DEAL. HE POPS RIGHT ON.

NOW THE KIND OF COOL THING ABOUT PUTTING HIS VEST ON ALSO

IS THIS IS SORT OF THE BEGINNING OF HIS SWITCH,

THEN HE KNOWS HE'S WORKING,

SO THESE ARE "DOGGLES," AND THEY'RE PHENOMENAL.

Narrator: HELICOPTERS OFTEN MEAN BLOWING DEBRIS,

SO EYE PROTECTION IS MANDATORY FOR EVERYONE ON THE TEAM.

Trevor: IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN WEAR ALL THE TIME,

AND THE DOGS DEFINITELY DON'T LIKE WEARING 'EM,

BUT AS FAR AS THE PROTECTION,

THIS WOULD KEEP HIM FROM GETTING INJURED WHEN A HELICOPTER LANDS

OR IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF DUST STORM OR SAND STORM,

THIS PROTECTS HIM.

Narrator: LIKE MOST SEAL DOG HANDLERS,

TREVOR GIVES HIS VERBAL COMMANDS IN DUTCH, NOT ENGLISH.

BUT SOMETIMES HE HAS TO "GO DARK"

AND RELY ONLY ON HAND AND BODY GESTURES.

CHOPPER GETS IT ALL.

[BARKING]

SEAL DOG TACTICAL GEAR IS SHROUDED IN SECRECY...

BUT WE KNOW STATE-OF-THE-ART CANINE GEAR EXISTS

AND IS READILY AVAILABLE FROM COMMERICAL SUPPLIERS...

INCLUDING CUSTOM-FIT, BULLET-PROOF BODY ARMOR,

A SOPHISTICATED HIGH-DEFINITION CAMERA

THAT AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHES TO NIGHT VISION IN LOW LIGHT,

ALLOWING HANDLERS TO SEE WHAT THEIR DOGS ARE SEEING.

A SPEAKER AND MICROPHONE, SO HANDLERS CAN RELAY COMMANDS

FROM MORE THAN FOUR FOOTBALL FIELDS AWAY,

WITH A SIGNAL STRONG ENOUGH TO PENETRATE THROUGH CONCRETE.

AND SPECIALLY DESIGNED DOGGLES,

WITH NIGHT VISION AND INFRARED CAPABILITIES.

THE ENTIRE CUSTOM CANINE GEAR COMES AT A BIG PRICE--

MORE THAN $20,000.

IN WAR, WHAT SETS SEAL DOGS APART

IS THEIR ABILITY TO TACKLE MULTIPLE JOBS.

[GUNFIRE]

MOST MILITARY WORKING DOGS

ARE TRAINED IN ONE OR TWO SPECIALTIES.

SEAL DOGS, KNOWN AS MULTI-PURPOSE CANINES,

ARE TRAINED IN FIVE--

EXPLOSIVE DETECTION,

TRACKING,

LASER TARGET ACQUISITION,

SIXTH SENSE,

AND BITE WORK.

CHOPPER MASTERED ALL FIVE,

BUT ON ONE EXERCISE, SOMETHING WENT TERRIBLY WRONG.

Trevor: I GOT TO EXPERIENCE ONLY ONCE WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE

WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO BITE ME FOR REAL,

AND IT WAS VERY, VERY SCARY.

Narrator: ON COMMAND, CHOPPER ATTACKED,

BUT WHEN TREVOR TRIED TO PULL HIM OFF THE TARGET,

IN A FLASH, CHOPPER LUNGED FOR TREVOR.

Trevor: I SAW HIM, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE HE LOOKED UP AT ME,

LOOKED AT MY HAND WHILE HE WAS ON THE BITE,

AND AS SOON AS HE DISENGAGED THE BITE SUIT, HE ENGAGED ME

AND WENT RIGHT AFTER MY LEFT HAND,

AND HE NAILED ME.

Narrator: CHOPPER CAN BITE WITH A FORCE OF 900 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH--

ENOUGH TO CRUSH BONE.

TREVOR HAD JUST SECONDS TO CORRECT HIM

AND AVOID PERMANENT INJURY.

Trevor: I THREW HIM IN THE CAR AND LOCKED HIM UP

AND I WAS ACTUALLY EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT,

I WAS PISSED THAT HE HAD TRIED TO BITE ME,

BUT AFTER THAT I ESTABLISHED DOMINANCE.

Narrator: IT WAS THE ONLY TIME CHOPPER MADE THAT MISTAKE.

LIKE TREVOR AND CHOPPER, LLOYD AND HIS SEAL DOG SEEM

PERFECTLY MATCHED.

LLOYD WAS A NAVY SEAL FOR CLOSE TO TWO DECADES.

HE'S BEEN ON DOZENS OF CLASSIFIED MISSIONS.

BOTH HIS IDENTITY, AS WELL AS HIS DOG'S, ARE PROTECTED.

LLOYD'S BELGIAN MALINOIS

WAS THE FIRST WEST COAST SEAL DOG TO SERVE OVERSEAS.

THE BOND THEY'VE FORGED IS PALPABLE.

Lloyd: IT IS AN AMAZING BOND THAT WE HAVE.

IT'LL PROBABLY NEVER EVER BE DUPLICATED IN MY LIFE.

WE'VE-- THE MISSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND

SLEEPING IN THE MOUNTAINS AND CUDDLING TOGETHER TRYING TO

KEEP WARM AND FINDING FOOD.

HE'S NOT A DOG TO ME, HE'S FAMILY.

HE SAVED MY LIFE, HE SAVED THE LIFE OF MY TEAM GUYS.

HE'S BEEN THERE AND HE'S ALWAYS PERFORMED HARDER AND BETTER THAN

ANYBODY I'VE EVER KNOWN IN MY LIFE.

Narrator: SEAL DOGS BRING TALENTS TO THE FIGHT THAT

SOLIDERS CAN'T...

AND OFFER A LESS LETHAL FORCE.

THEY'RE TRAINED TO ATTACK AND HOLD,

NOT KILL THE ENEMY.

Lloyd: SO WE CAN ACTUALLY CATCH A GUY, INTERROGATE HIM,

ASK HIM QUESTIONS,

WHERE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DOGS

IT MAY BE A SHOT THAT WE'D HAVE TO TAKE,

AND THEN OUR INTEL ACTUALLY ENDS THERE.

Narrator: SPEED AND AGILITY HELP SEAL DOGS DEFEAT THE ENEMY

BUT IT'S THEIR SENSE OF SMELL THAT HELPS THEM

PREVENT AMBUSHES.

[EXPLOSION]

CHOPPER'S LIFE IS ON THE LINE EVERY SINGLE DAY HE'S WORKING,

AND TREVOR IS PAINFULLY AWARE OF THE RISKS.

42 U.S. MILITARY DOGS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ACTION

IN AFGHANISTAN SINCE 2001.

Trevor: OUR JOB IS ABOUT SACRIFICE,

AND UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY I HAVE TO LOOK AT CHOPPER AND MYSELF

IS WE'RE TOOLS.

SO, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, AS MUCH AS I LOVED HIM,

HE COULD EASILY HAVE STEPPED ON A PRESSURE PLATE...

[EXPLOSION]

AND I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE IT BEEN HIM THAN, YOU KNOW,

4 TO 60 OF MY GUYS.

AND THAT'S WHY HE WAS THERE. THAT'S HIS JOB.

[GUNFIRE]

OF COURSE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED

IF HE HAD GOTTEN BLOWN UP OR SHOT OR KILLED,

BUT AS FAR AS AN HONORABLE WAY TO DIE,

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD DEATH.

CHOPPER'S ACTUALLY SAVED US, I WOULD SAY,

AT LEAST SEVERAL HUNDRED TIMES

FROM IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVES FROM THE ENEMY.

[EXPLOSION]

Narrator: TREVOR HAS SAVED CHOPPER FROM ENEMIES AS WELL.

IRAQ IS OVERRUN WITH STRAY DOGS,

AND MOST ARE INFECTED WITH THE FATAL RABIES VIRUS.

TRANSMISSION IS A VERY REAL THREAT,

ESPECIALLY FOR MILITARY WORKING DOGS LIKE CHOPPER.

TOWARD THE END OF THEIR DEPLOYMENT,

ONE OF CHOPPER'S PATROLS TURNED DEADLY

WHEN HE WAS AMBUSHED BY A PACK OF WILD DOGS.

Trevor: I TURNED AROUND,

AND THESE DOGS WERE ATTACKING CHOPPER.

WELL, HE'S TRAINED NOT TO ENGAGE OTHER ANIMALS.

SO HE WAS LOOKING AT ME.

SO I HAD TO TURN AROUND AND UNFORTUNATELY SHOOT ONE OF THEM,

AND IT SCARED THE REST OF THE PACK AWAY.

AND, YOU KNOW...

SO HIM AND I HAVE BOTH EXPERIENCED WHAT IT'S LIKE

TO SAVE EACH OTHER'S LIFE.

Narrator: CHOPPER'S EXCEPTIONAL VALUE ON THE BATTLEFIELD

WASN'T LIMITED TO FINDING IEDs--

HE ALSO HAD AN UNCANNY SENSE OF OTHER DANGERS.

Trevor: DOGS HAVE A SIXTH SENSE ABOUT THEM.

THEY CAN SENSE EITHER FEAR OR AGGRESSION OR, YOU KNOW,

WHEN SOMETHING'S ROTTEN IN DENMARK, DOGS KNOW.

Narrator: CHOPPER'S SIXTH SENSE WOULD PROVE CRITICAL

THE DAY HE SAVED TREVOR'S LIFE IN AFGHANISTAN.

THREE YEARS INTO THE FIGHT,

CHOPPER HAD SNIFFED OUT HUNDREDS OF IEDs,

BUT HE ALSO HAD THE POWER TO COMFORT SOLDIERS

WHO WERE UNDER RELENTLESS PRESSURE.

Lloyd: WHEN YOU'RE DEPLOYED, IT'S NICE TO HAVE A DOG.

IT'S KIND OF AN AMERICAN THING, AND GUYS JUST FEEL AT HOME.

Trevor: WHEN GUYS ARE OVERSEAS, THEY'RE BUMMED,

THEY'RE MISSING THEIR FAMILIES, THEY'RE HOMESICK.

EVEN THE HARDEST GUY ON THE PLANET,

EVERYONE HAS A ROUGH DAY, AND HAVING A DOG COME UP,

AND YOU COULD SEE THE REACTIONS AND THEIR EYES LIGHT UP

AS SOON AS CHOPPER CAME INTO THE ROOM.

IT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY

TO KIND OF LOSE THEMSELVES A LITTLE BIT

AND FORGET WHERE THEY'RE AT.

Narrator: THE EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY TO BOTH PROVIDE QUIET COMFORT

AND BE A LIFESAVING TEAM MEMBER

MADE CHOPPER INVALUABLE MONTH AFTER MONTH.

IN THE FALL OF 2009, TREVOR AND CHOPPER WERE WORKING

IN ONE OF AFGHANISTAN'S MOST DANGEROUS PLACES

WHEN A ROUTINE MISSION TURNED DEADLY.

WHEN TREVOR'S TEAM RECEIVED INTEL

THAT TALIBAN SOLDIERS HAD BEEN SIGHTED

MOVING TOWARD THEIR BASE,

HE VOLUNTEERED TO CHECK IT OUT.

Trevor: MYSELF AND ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL ROGERED UP AND LEFT IMMEDIATELY

AND WENT RIGHT DIRECTLY OUTSIDE OF OUR COMPOUND.

WE USED A TEXTBOOK METHOD OF SEARCHING,

WHICH IS A BOX METHOD, WHERE WE JUST COME OUT IN A BOX

AND HAVE OVERLAPPING SEARCH AREAS,

JUST TO ENSURE THAT WE COVER THE ENTIRE AREA.

Narrator: AS THEY CAME AROUND A CORNER,

THEY SPOTTED AN ABANDONED MOTORCYCLE.

Trevor: AND AS SOON WE SAW THE MOTORCYCLE...

[CLICKING]

WE INITIALLY WENT, "OH, MY GOD."

Narrator: IN WAR-TORN AFGHANISTAN,

ANYTHING COULD BE RIGGED TO BLOW,

SO TREVOR AND HIS TEAMMATE FIRST LOOKED FOR LEAD WIRES,

AND THEN HAD CHOPPER SEARCH THE BIKE.

[CLICKING]

Trevor: CHOPPER.

IT FELT WARM, LIKE IT HAD JUST BEEN ABANDONED RECENTLY

WITHIN THE LAST FEW MINUTES.

CHOPPER, HIER.

Narrator: ON A HUNCH, GUESSING THE ENEMIES WERE NEARBY,

TREVOR DECIDED TO CAST CHOPPER OUT TO FIND THEM.

CHOPPER WOULD FOLLOW HIS NOSE AND INSTINCTS

AND ATTACK IF NECESSARY.

Trevor: HE TOOK ONE BIG WHIFF

AND JUST BOLTED LIKE A LIGHTNING BOLT

RIGHT INTO THE BUSHES.

[BARKING]

[MAN SCREAMING]

Narrator: CHOPPER FOUND NOT ONE BUT TWO ENEMIES

AND ATTACKED THEM BOTH.

Trevor: WE KIND OF CAME UP LIKE A COUPLE OF SPIDERS

AND STOOD BY TO WAIT.

WE JUST SAT THERE,

AND THEN ONE OF THE GUYS POPPED OUT OF THE BUSHES,

NOT REALIZING THAT WE WERE EVEN THERE.

AND AS SOON AS HE DID, HE JUST WAS LIKE,

CHOPPER HAD HIM BY THE RIBCAGE, ACTUALLY,

AND HE CAME UP AND THEN JUST TOOK ONE LOOK UP AT US,

AND IT WAS TSHOO...

[GUNFIRE]

WE SHOT HIM.

HE HAD AN AK DANGLING FROM HIM AS WELL, TOO.

THEY OBVIOUSLY DID NOT SEE CHOPPER COMING

OR HEAR HIM OR ANYTHING.

HE JUST CAME IN LIKE A LIGHTNING BOLT,

NAILED THEM, AND COMPLETELY CAUGHT THEM OFF GUARD,

WHICH ALLOWED US JUST TO GET THE QUICK DROP ON THEM

TO ENGAGE THEM.

WE SAW BITE MARKS ON BOTH OF THEM IN MULTIPLE PLACES,

ALL OVER THEIR BODY, ACTUALLY.

HAD CHOPPER NOT BEEN THERE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD FOR SURE.

AND THEY WERE ARMED TO THE HILT,

AND IT WAS AN OBVIOUS AMBUSH SITUATION.

Narrator: THE SEAL TEAMS LATER DISCOVERED

THEIR COMPOUND WAS SITTING

ON SEVERAL HUNDRED POUNDS OF HIDDEN EXPLOSIVES

PLANTED BY THE ENEMY BEFORE THEY ARRIVED.

TREVOR BELIEVES THE TWO TALIBAN SOLDIERS HE TOOK OUT

WERE TRYING TO DETONATE THESE BOMBS.

Trevor: THEY HAD, WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE

MOVING TO A LEAD WIRE

THAT THEY WERE GOING TO USE TO BLOW EVERYBODY UP.

THE END GAME, AFTER THE SITUATION HAD OCCURRED,

CHOPPER POTENTIALLY SAVED ABOUT 70 PEOPLE,

60 OF THEM BEING NAVY SEALS AND VARIOUS SPEC OPS GUYS

WHO WERE WITH US,

IN ADDITION TO ABOUT A DOZEN TOWNSPEOPLE.

Narrator: BY 2009, THERE WERE MORE THAN A DOZEN SEAL DOGS

DEPLOYED IN THE WARS.

IN MAY 2011, ONE OF THEM BECAME FAMOUS AROUND THE WORLD.

OPERATION NEPTUNE'S SPEAR,

THE MISSION TO FIND AND KILL OSAMA BIN LADEN,

IS STILL CLASSIFIED.

BUT WE KNOW A SEAL DOG, NAMED CAIRO,

WAS WITH THE TEAM THAT NIGHT.

BY MOST ACCOUNTS, CAIRO'S JOB

WAS TO LOOK FOR ESCAPE TUNNELS AND IEDs

ON THE OUTSIDE PERIMETER OF THE COMPOUND.

PRESIDENT OBAMA, VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN,

ADMIRAL MULLEN AND OTHERS WATCHED THE MISSION

VIA LIVE VIDEO FEED

SHOT FROM A DRONE FLYING 15,000 FEET ABOVE ABBOTTABAD.

Biden: WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE ROUTINE,

WATCHING WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE BIN LADEN RAID.

THE ADMIRAL'S PULSE ACTUALLY WENT DOWN, NOT UP.

I MEAN, THESE GUYS ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW,

THE TOUGHER IT IS, THE COOLER THEY ARE.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST REALLY AN AMAZING, AMAZING MAN OR WOMAN

THAT HAS THAT CAPACITY.

THE AVERAGE AGES OF SEAL TEAM 6 THAT GOT BIN LADEN,

I'M GUESSING,

THEY WERE PROBABLY 35, 36 YEARS OLD.

THE ONE THING EVERYBODY FAILS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND,

THEY'RE REALLY SMART.

THEY'RE NOT JUST PHYSICALLY INCREDIBLY CAPABLE,

THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY SMART.

President Obama: A SMALL TEAM OF AMERICANS CARRIED OUT THE OPERATION

WITH EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE AND CAPABILITY.

AFTER A FIREFIGHT,

THEY KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN AND TOOK CUSTODY OF HIS BODY.

Narrator: THEIR TALENT, SKILL, AND PREPARATION PAID OFF.

ALL MEMBERS OF SEAL TEAM 6, INCLUDING CAIRO,

MADE IT HOME SAFELY.

BUT THESE SPECIAL OPERATORS ARE NOW ON MULTIPLE ENEMY HIT LISTS.

AND TERRORISTS ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND

THE VALUE OF DOGS LIKE CAIRO.

IN FEBRUARY 2014, TALIBAN FORCES RELEASED A VIDEO

OF A BELGIAN MALINOIS THEY CAPTURED IN A FIREFIGHT

IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN.

BRITISH MEDIA REPORTED THAT THE DOG BELONGED

TO BRITISH SPECIAL FORCES.

THIS MAY BE THE FIRST CASE OF A SPECIAL OPS DOG

BEING HELD HOSTAGE.

THE DOG'S WHEREABOUTS ARE CURRENTLY UNKNOWN.

THE IDENTITIES OF BOTH ACTIVE SEAL TEAMS

AND INCREASINGLY, ACTIVE SEAL DOGS,

ARE CLOSELY GUARDED FOR OBVIOUS SECURITY REASONS.

Biden: THE PRESIDENT AND I WENT DOWN TO SEE THE NAVY SEALS

WHO HAD DONE, THE SEAL TEAM 6 THAT HAD GOTTEN BIN LADEN.

WE WENT DOWN TO FORT CAMPBELL TO MEET WITH THEM.

IT WAS OFF THE RECORD BECAUSE THEIR FACES COULDN'T BE SHOWN.

AND THE PRESIDENT AND I,

THEY GAVE US A FULL, DETAILED BRIEF,

AND WE MET THEM ALL.

THE PRESIDENT AND I HAD QUESTIONS.

THEY SAID, "ANY MORE?"

I SAID, ONE LAST QUESTION:

I SAID MY DOG CHAMP ASKED ME TO ASK YOU THE QUESTION.

AND THEY ALL LAUGHED.

AND I SAID, "WAS IT A SHEPHERD OR A BELGIAN?"

THEY SAID, "BELGIAN."

I SAID, I'M NOT GOING BACK AND TELLING HIM.

I'M NOT TELLING HIM.

Narrator: TREVOR MAROSHEK DEPLOYED FOUR TIMES

DURING HIS 7-YEAR NAVY CAREER,

WITH MISSIONS IN IRAQ, THE PHILIPPINES,

AND AFGHANISTAN.

CHOPPER WAS WITH HIM FOR TWO OF THOSE TOURS.

EACH HAD SAVED THE OTHER'S LIFE,

AND IN THE PROCESS, DEVELOPED A LIFELONG BOND.

BUT THEIR YEARS OF COMBAT HAD TAKEN A TOLL,

AND TREVOR BEGAN EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS

OF POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

Trevor: I CAN'T SLEEP FOR THE LIFE OF ME,

I TRY THE BEST I CAN.

I WAKE UP WITH COLD SWEATS AND HAVE TREMORS

AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, DAYDREAMS, NIGHTMARES, ALL THAT.

Narrator: RE-ENTERING CIVILIAN LIFE IS TOUGH FOR ANY SOLDIER.

FOR TREVOR,

COPING WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES AND PTSD,

IT WAS ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING.

Trevor: YOU CAN'T DO A DECADE OF AGGRESSION

AND TEN YEARS AT WAR AND BE UNSCATHED.

GETTING SHELLED FOR SIX MONTHS STRAIGHT

OR GETTING SHOT AT OR

PICKING UP SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS WHO GOT BLOWN UP

AND PUTTING THEIR BODY PARTS IN, YOU KNOW, BODY BAGS,

I DO SUFFER FROM POST TRAUMATIC STRESS,

BATTLE STRESS, ANXIETY, NERVOUSNESS,

AND IT'S GOING TO BE WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

Narrator: IN 2011, TREVOR SOUGHT HELP

AT THE NATIONAL INTREPID CENTER OF EXCELLENCE,

OR NICOE FOR SHORT,

AT THE WALTER REED MEDICAL CENTER IN BETHESDA, MARYLAND.

NICOE OFFERS SPECIALIZED TREATMENT FOR VETS

WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS,

SUCH AS PTSD.

THEY SEE SERVICE MEMBERS

WHO HAVE EITHER PLATEAUED IN THEIR RECOVERY

OR AREN'T GETTING BETTER THROUGH CONVENTIONAL MEANS.

TREVOR'S PLAN INCLUDED THERAPY WITH DR. ROBERT KOFFMAN,

A PSYCHIATRIST AND FELLOW NAVY MAN.

Robert Koffman: EVERYONE WHO SERVES IN UNIFORM

SERVES BY DESIRE AND DOES SO AT A COST, UNFORTUNATELY.

SOMETIMES THAT COST IS DEAR,

BUT THAT COST IS NEVER WITHOUT A LOT OF TRANSITION.

AND PEOPLE WHO COME BACK FROM WAR COME BACK DIFFERENTLY.

Narrator: BOTH CHOPPER AND TREVOR'S WIFE, RUJ,

ACCOMPANIED HIM TO NICOE.

Koffman: HAVING A GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM IS ACTUALLY THE BEST MEDICINE

FOR SOMEONE WHEN THEY COME BACK FROM COMBAT

OR FROM A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE.

Ruj Maroshek: NICOE WAS A PLACE WHERE TREVOR OPENED UP TO ME

FOR THE FIRST TIME.

IT WAS A CENTER THAT ACTUALLY BROUGHT US TOGETHER

BECAUSE IT GAVE ME INSIGHT

AS TO WHAT A PERSON WITH TBI IS GOING THROUGH

AND UNDERSTAND NOT TO TAKE THINGS

OR FRUSTRATIONS PERSONALLY.

Trevor: THE BEST THING THAT I HAVE GOING FOR ME

ISN'T MEDICATION, THERE'S NO PILLS.

IT'S MY DOG.

IT'S MY DOG.

Koffman: I'VE SEEN SERVICE DOGS AND THERAPY DOGS DO WORK

THAT NO HUMAN THERAPIST COULD DO.

Narrator: DR. KOFFMAN RECENTLY ADDED AN UNCONVENTIONAL CO-THERAPIST

TO HIS PRACTICE, REAR ADMIRAL RON.

Koffman: COME ON, GET YOUR LEASH.

RON IS AN IMMEDIATE ICE-BREAKER.

IN FACT, I HAVE WARRIORS COME IN TO MY OFFICE

JUST TO SEE RON, AND, OH, BY THE WAY,

THEY'LL TALK WITH ME.

HE IS ABLE TO SENSE

WHEN SOMEBODY IS HAVING AN ANXIOUS REACTION

OR EXPERIENCING A LOT OF ANXIETY OR PANIC.

HE'LL LAY AT THEIR FEET AND JUST REMAIN THERE UNTIL THEY GET UP.

HE'S ALSO BEEN TRAINED, IF SOMEBODY NEEDS A KLEENEX,

TO FETCH A BOX OF KLEENEX AND BRING IT OVER TO THEM.

STIGMA IN THE RECEIPT OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE

IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES

THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

TOO MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE AFRAID THAT THEY WILL BE SINGLED OUT

OR THEY WILL BE EXEMPT FROM CERTAIN LICENSES

OR FOLLOW-ON JOBS IF THEY SEEK CARE.

AND REALLY, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

Man: GOOD BOY.

Narrator: SOLDIERS ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES SUFFERING FROM PTSD.

WAR DOGS ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE MENTAL STRESS OF COMBAT, TOO.

Narrator: THEY'RE TREATED BY VETERINARIANS HERE,

AT HOLLAND MILITARY WORKING DOG HOSPITAL,

ON THE CAMPUS OF LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE

IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

WHEN MILITARY CANINES NEED

EITHER PRIMARY OR SPECIALIZED CARE,

THEY COME TO HOLLAND FOR BOTH COMPLICATED SURGERIES

AND EMOTIONAL HEALING.

IT'S THE WALTER REED FOR SOLDIER DOGS,

THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.

THE HOSPITAL HAS A STAFF OF HIGHLY SPECIALIZED VETS,

INCLUDING THE COUNTRY'S TOP EXPERT IN CANINE PTSD.

Walter Burghardt: WORKING WITH CANINE PTSD

IS REALLY A UNIQUELY MILITARY TYPE OF PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: ABOUT 5% OF COMBAT DOGS ARE DEVELOPING CANINE PTSD.

Burghardt: SO WE WERE SEEING DOGS WHO WERE SHOWING AVOIDANCE OF,

OR ATTEMPTS TO GET AWAY FROM CERTAIN AREAS OR SOUNDS

OR GROUPS OF PEOPLE.

Narrator: THIS DOG SUDDENLY BECAME SKITTISH

AROUND NON-U.S. SOLDIERS.

Burghardt: WE'RE SEEING DOGS THAT SHOWED OVER-RESPONSIVENESS

TO THINGS IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT,

THEY JUST WERE KIND OF JITTERY, BEING HYPER-VIGILANT

AND OVERLY RESPONSIVE TO THINGS

THAT HADN'T AFFECTED THEM IN THE PAST.

Narrator: MANY DOGS SIMPLY STOP

DOING THE JOBS THEY WERE TRAINED TO DO.

DR. BURGHARDT AND HIS COLLEAGUES IN COMBAT ZONES

TREAT CANINE PTSD WITH ANTI-ANXIETY MEDICATIONS,

DESENSITIZATION AND COUNTER CONDITIONING.

Burghardt: WITH TREATMENT, WE CAN PROBABLY REHABILITATE

ABOUT 50% OF THE DOGS,

AND THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD NUMBER WITH A PROBLEM OF ITS SORT.

Narrator: THE REST RETURN TO CIVILIAN LIFE

AND ARE ADOPTED OUT, USUALLY BY THEIR HANDLERS.

AFTER SEVEN YEARS AND FOUR TOURS ON THE FRONT LINES,

TREVOR DECIDED TO RETIRE FROM THE NAVY IN 2011.

NOW TREVOR AND RUJ ARE STARTING A NEW CHAPTER

BY OPENING THEIR OWN TACTICAL EQUIPMENT BUSINESS.

THEY'LL SPECIALIZE IN MILITARY GEAR FOR NAVY SEALS

AND CUSTOM CANINE GEAR FOR SEAL DOGS.

Trevor: LET'S PUT UP THE MOST IMPORTANT PORTION

OF THIS...OF OUR BUSINESS.

I'VE GOT ANOTHER PIECE OF TAPE RIGHT HERE.

THIS SHOULD HOLD IT PRETTY WELL.

I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO FALL AND TOUCH THE GROUND.

SO AT LEAST WHEN PEOPLE WALK IN, THEY KNOW WHO WE STAND FOR.

OH, THIS IS AWESOME.

Narrator: TREVOR'S ALSO CREATED HIS OWN NON-PROFIT,

THE SEAL DOG FOUNDATION,

TO HELP VETS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES AND PTSD

GET THERAPY DOGS.

Trevor: THE MOST REWARDING PORTION FOR ME

IS TO CONTINUE TO LIVE THAT LIFE OF SERVICE

AND, YOU KNOW, TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

Koffman: I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF TREVOR.

IN FACT, THIS NEW MISSION

THAT HE HAS TO HELP HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS

IS COMMENDABLE.

I TOLD TREVOR A LINE FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT,

AND THAT GOES SOMETHING LIKE, "HE WHO SAVES A LIFE,

IT'S AS IF HE HAS SAVED AN ENTIRE WORLD."

I THINK TREVOR'S GONNA SAVE A LOT OF WORLDS.

Narrator: RECENTLY, TREVOR AND RUJ WELCOMED A NEW ADDITION--

THOR, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE CHOPPER'S SON.

THOR HAS NEVER BRAVED THE BATTLEFIELD,

BUT TREVOR PLANS TO GIVE HIM AN ADVENTURE OF HIS OWN.

NAVY SEALS LEARN TO PARACHUTE JUMP HERE,

AT TACTICAL AIR OPERATIONS OUTSIDE OF SAN DIEGO.

ONLY SEAL DOGS TRAINED ON THE EAST COAST LEARN TO JUMP.

IT'S SOMETHING CHOPPER NEVER EXPERIENCED

AS A WEST COAST SEAL DOG.

NOW HIS SON THOR WILL HAVE THAT CHANCE.

AND HOW HE RESPONDS WILL BE ONE MEASURE

OF WHETHER HE COULD HAVE A CAREER ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

HE'LL FREE FALL IN HIS OWN CUSTOM-BUILT HARNESS.

Man: YEAH, QUITE THE TALENTED PUP.

Narrator: THOR WILL JUMP TANDEM WITH JAY STOKES,

A FORMER ARMY GREEN BERET

AND INSTRUCTOR AT TACTICAL AIR OPERATIONS.

JAY IS THE MOST EXPERIENCED FREE FALL TEACHER IN THE WORLD,

WITH MORE THAN 22,000 JUMPS UNDER HIS BELT.

BUT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME HE'S JUMPED WITH A DOG.

Man: YOU ARE SET TO JET. YES, YOU ARE. JUMP DOG.

Trevor: YOU ACTUALLY GET TO ONE-UP YOUR DAD.

COME ON, PUP.

ALRIGHT, I'LL SEE YOU WHEN YOU HIT THE GROUND.

Narrator: JAY AND THOR WILL JUMP FROM AN ALTITUDE OF 13,000 FEET

AND FALL TO EARTH AT 115 MILES PER HOUR.

Trevor: I SEE THEM, THEY'RE RIGHT OVER THAT RIDGE,

RIGHT THERE, RIGHT NOW DOING THEIR PASS.

OH, I SEE HIM, HE'S WITH THOR.

THEY'RE DOING ALRIGHT, THEY'RE SPINNING AROUND.

[LAUGHS]

I DON'T SEE ANY PANIC.

THOR JUST KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A LIMP BISCUIT, RELAXING.

GOOD BOY. WOO HOO HOO!

GOOD BOY!

YEAH, BUDDY!

WOO!

GOOD BOY.

I GOT YA, BUDDY.

I GOT YA, I GOT YA.

GOOD DOG. GOOD BOY. IS THAT FUN OR WHAT?

HOW WAS THAT? YEAH!

ROUND TWO? WANT TO DO IT AGAIN?

THAT WAS AWESOME. HUH?

Jay Stokes: HE WAS A GOOD PUP.

Trevor: HE WAS A GOOD PUP, HUH? AWESOME.

ALRIGHT, LET'S GO SEE YOUR DAD.

THERE'S YOUR DAD, THERE'S YOUR DAD!

OH! HOO HOO HOO!

GOOD BOY! GOOD BOYS!

AW!

MOST DOGS DON'T EVER GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO FREE FALL,

SO HE JUST EXPERIENCED ACTUALLY WHAT MOST PEOPLE IN GENERAL

DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO.

GOOD BOYS.

MY TWO LITTLE HEROES.

I'M SO PROUD OF YOU GUYS.

Narrator: CHOPPER'S COME A LONG WAY

FROM HIS FIRST DAYS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC.

HE'S SURVIVED TWO WAR ZONES

AND SAVED THE LIVES OF PEOPLE HE NEVER KNEW.

CHOPPER SERVED OUT OF LOVE AND LOYALTY TO TREVOR.

AND NOW, HE CONTINUES TO SERVE, IN HIS OWN WAY, BACK HOME.

Trevor: I AM OBLIGATED TO CARE FOR HIM UNTIL HE PASSES AWAY

AND MAKE HIS LIFE AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE.

IT'S THE LEAST I COULD DO

FOR THE SERVICE HE'S DONE FOR OUR COUNTRY.

Ruj: CHOPPER IS THE MOST LOVING, CARING, HAPPY, MISCHIEVOUS,

PROTECTIVE DOG I HAVE EVER MET.

AND HE HAS HIS OWN SENSE OF HUMOR,

AND I DO BELIEVE HE LAUGHS.

DOGS LAUGH.

Trevor: WOO!

GOOD DOG.

HUH, HUH? YOU WANT TO GET BACK ON?

YOU WANT TO DO ANOTHER ONE?

Narrator: CHOPPER'S THE PERFECT COMPANION FOR A NAVY SEAL.

Trevor: HE'S THERE FOR ME, YOU KNOW?

AND HE ALWAYS HAS BEEN.

HE DOESN'T CRITICIZE, DOESN'T YELL AT ME,

DOESN'T EVEN PET ME AND TELL ME, "HEY, EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE OK"

AND POOH-POOH ME AND PATRONIZE ME.

HE JUST SITS THERE AND HE LISTENS, YOU KNOW?

HE'S A HERO.

IF ANYONE EVER HAS A QUESTION IF DOGS HAVE A SOUL,

THE ANSWER IS YES THEY DO.

I CAN'T EXPLAIN THE BOND BETWEEN A DOG AND A MAN.

ALL I CAN SAY IS HE'S A PART OF ME.