On Foreign Soil
For Tracy McKithern, US. Army Reserve Sgt. and combat photographer, venturing overseas became an opportune time to make a new friend.
One day, soldiers stationed in Erbil, Iraq, came across a malnourished stray puppy. The dog takes a liking to the camp and quickly befriends the soldiers. Little did the dog know that eventually she would find her way stateside.
It was at the Kurdistan Training Coordination Center where McKithern had her first encounter with Erby, whose name’s origin I’ll explain later. According to McKithern, Erby appears hungry and is a gentle and sweet dog.
A New Comrade
McKithern and company take the disheveled Erby in, naming her Erby Kasima. The name combines the name of the Iraqi city (Erbil) with an Arabic name. In English, the two names translate to beauty and elegance.
McKithern accompanies combat soldiers, documenting missions between April 2017 and January 2018. During this time, the faithful Erby waits, greeting them each time they come back.
However, once McKithern’s overseas stint came to an end, she began to wonder if her new friend Erby could return home with her. So McKithern posted an image of herself with Erby on Facebook, hoping she might find a solution.
Puppy Rescue Mission, a non-profit organization, came to the rescue. It would cost a total of $4500 to cover Erby’s trip. This amount would also include Erby’s registration and health examinations.
When McKithern finally went home to Florida, she recruited the help of fellow soldiers to ensure Erby’s trip back. She also started an Instagram page. As it turns out, Erby would arrive just a few weeks after McKithern.
Image: erby_of_iraq
But the date for Erby’s return coincides with the start of a new mission for McKithern, where she will be stationed in Wisconsin for over two months, putting a slight delay in her plans.
McKithern won’t have to wait too long though. As she left Wisconsin on March 11 with her husband, they picked up Erby from JFK airport. Erby would ride along on the drive back to Tampa.
Sometimes in this world, we encounter kindred spirits in the most unlikely of places.
Credits to foxnews.com