By Rebecca Frankel
Best Defense Chief Canine Correspondent

There's been a lot of exciting war-dog news this month -- Sgt. Rex's adoption moving forward, for one -- but as March comes to a close, not all recent tidings have been so cheery. No fewer than five military working dogs passed away this month (I sincerely hope that aren't any others to add to this list). Each served valiantly in his own way, whether down range or during retirement, and so it feels only right to pay tribute not just to one lost war dog, but to all of them. This week's post may be a lengthy one though the space has certainly been earned.

Rony:

On March 16, a large crowd gathered in the chapel at Hurlburt Field AFB in Florida to pay respects to MWD Rony who, according to Master Sgt. James Miller, was not just your average dog or average military working dog. [And one who] will never be forgotten."

Rony's illustrious seven-year career began in 2004 when he was two years old. After pairing up with Staff Sgt. Robert Calhoun in 2009, the two provided "force protection at Hurlburt Field to countless combat foot patrols and air assault missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. [Rony's] last tour to Kandahar, Afghanistan, included more than 1,000 hours outside the wire."

Calhoun says his partner, who succumbed to "cancer and internal bleeding" earlier this month, was so good at his job that he was a "top-demand asset" on their missions in Afghanistan. When they were hit with enemy fire, Rony held ground alongside him and together they received a bronze star. "Rony saved my life when we went into an abandoned compound, and he found a 155-round before I stepped on the pressure plate ... He's the reason -- he brought us home."

Calhoun delivered an eloquent eulogy on behalf of his beloved canine partner, describing the vet visit that unexpectedly brought the pair to their final moments together.

I had the honor of standing by his side, holding his paw, softly sighing as his heart stopped beating ... I'll always cherish the moments we had together and know for a moment in time we were untouchable. I'd say this to Rony, F547: Thank you for your commitment, loyalty and trust. You will always be in my heart, and I will always love you. Rest in peace, my little warrior."

Lex

In December 2010 we wrote about Lex, the first MWD to be adopted by the family of his fallen handler, 20-year-old Cpl. Dustin Lee. It was just five years ago in March 2007 when Cpl. Lee was fatally wounded in Iraq after a "73 mm" rocket attack. Lex who was hit with shrapnel spray, was also seriously wounded, but he did not leave Lee's side until their fellow Marines got to them. 

The Lee family was unrelenting in their campaign to bring Lex home and in the years since, in their resolve to rehabilitate the new family member -- Lex's wounds (50 shrapnel pieces lodged in his body), the resulting surgeries, and therapy were extensive -- as was their drive to bring Dustin and Lex's story to those who might benefit most. When Lex wasn't receiving hydro-therapy, he was on the road visiting veterans and inspiring the local community in his new home state of Mississippi. One such Lex loyalist is sixth grader, Bentley Burns who not only made him the subject of her American Military Hero school project, but wrote a story about him for a local paper, The Byram Banner, in which she refers to Lex as "an awesome dog."

Lex died just last week, succumbing finally to an "aggressive cancer." It's a tremendous loss for the family as well as the community they've built around Lex. As Lee's mother, Rachel, told reporters this week, "Besides the obvious of being able to touch something Dustin touched, it goes beyond."

Photo: Angels for Lex

Read on

I'm not kidding.

As I write this, my two dogs are rolling around on the floor wrestling. After I finish this we are going for a walk in the woods. They suspect the ayatollah is just giving religious cover to national custom. They also think he probably is a damn cat lover.