[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 25]
[House]
[Pages 33717-33718]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1930
  HONORING THE U.S. MARINE CORPS' DECISION TO ALLOW FAMILY OF FALLEN 
                 MARINE TO ADOPT SON'S K-9 PARTNER, LEX

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, too often during wartime, 
tragedy takes center stage and heart-warming stories never get told. 
Tonight I would like to share a truly touching story with my colleagues 
in the House and with the American people.
  Corporal Dustin Jerome Lee was a United States Marine Corps working-
dog handler who was killed in action on March 21, 2007, in Fallujah, 
Iraq. Corporal Lee and his canine partner, Lex, a 7-year-old German 
shepherd from Camp Lejeune were a highly trained explosives detection 
team. Lex, who was due for retirement after his combat tour in Iraq, 
suffered shrapnel wounds from the same enemy-fired rocket-propelled 
grenade that took Corporal Lee's life.
  Following Corporal Lee's death, the Lee family began seeking to adopt 
their son's canine companion who was with their son during the last 
moments on Earth. However, after filing the necessary paperwork, 
contacts at Marine Corps Logistic Base Albany indicated that Lex had 
been medically evaluated and, although injured, was fit for duty and 
not yet eligible for adoption.
  I first learned of the Lee family's situation by reading the short 
story, ``My Partner Dustin,'' written by John Burnam, author of ``Dog 
Tags of Courage.''
  Madam Speaker, at this time I will submit the text of the story for 
the Congressional Record.

                           My Partner Dustin

                          (By John C. Burnam)

       I'm a U.S. Marine and the primary element of a two-member 
     team trained to hunt and locate explosives. My partner and I 
     trained as a team for many months honing our expertise to 
     save American lives in the War on Terrorism in Iraq.
       The date is March 21, 2007 and I was on the job in 
     Fallujah, Iraq when an enemy fired Rocket Propelled Grenade 
     (RPG) exploded in our midst. I was blasted to the ground. I'm 
     Stunned. My head is ringing and my body feels numb. My eyes 
     can't quite focus on anything.
       My partner is lying next to me severely wounded and 
     bleeding. I move to him and touch him but he's not 
     responding. I feel sharp pains in my side and back. I'm 
     bleeding but deal with it and concentrate on comforting my 
     partner and protecting him from further harm.
       Everything happened so fast that it caused disorientation 
     and confusion. My senses pick up the lingering smell of burnt 
     powder and smoke from the explosion. I hear lots of American 
     voices and heavy boot-steps hurrying all around us. They 
     reach our location and immediately attend to my partner.

[[Page 33718]]

     And then they carry him away. I'm separated from my partner 
     for the first time. I'm not clear of thought and then I too 
     am carried way but to a different hospital.
       I'm in a building lying on a table with lights above and 
     people talking. Still dazed and confused I hear a strange 
     voice say my name, ``Lex!'' I gesture a slight reflex of 
     acknowledgement. ``Lex! You are going to be okay buddy! Just 
     lay still. We are going to take care of your hurts, so stay 
     calm okay, Lex?'' My eyes dart around the room searching for 
     my partner, but he's not there and no one can interpret my 
     thoughts.
       I'm released from the hospital and well enough to travel so 
     they transfer me from Iraq to a U.S. Marine Corp base in 
     Albany, Georgia. I really miss my partner, Dusty. I know 
     something has happened to him because he would never have 
     left me alone for so long.
       Yes, my name is Lex. I'm a seven year old German shepherd 
     Military Working Dog. My master and loyal partner is Corporal 
     Dustin Jerome Lee, U.S. Marine Corps canine handler from 
     Mississippi. I'm well disciplined to my master's commands and 
     expertly trained to sniff out bombs and explosives. Where's 
     my master, Dusty? Where's Dusty, my partner? No one can 
     understand me but Dusty. Where's Dusty?
       Iraq was to be my last combat tour before retirement. Dusty 
     talked to me all the time about going home and adopting me. I 
     sure do miss my Dusty. He is the best friend I've ever had. I 
     love that crazy Marine from Mississippi!
       No one can measure the love and unconditional loyalty I 
     have for Dusty. I'd sacrifice my own life for him and he 
     knows it. I just wish I could have stopped that RPG or pushed 
     Dusty away from that powerful blast. It all happened in a 
     blink of an eye and I didn't see it coming until it was too 
     late. Now I sit alone in my kennel-run waiting for the day 
     Dusty shows up.
       The U.S. Marines are treating me very well. I get enough 
     food and water and exercise each day. And the Veterinarian 
     comes by to examine my wounds on a regular basis. I just 
     can't sleep well at night. I wake up to every little noise 
     and I think about Dusty. Where can that Marine be?
       The nights are long. The days turn into weeks. Still no 
     Dusty! My wounds are healing and the hair is growing back. 
     The pain still resides in my back but I can walk okay. I have 
     a piece of shrapnel near my spine that the Veterinarians 
     avoided removing for fear of further health complications. 
     I've been fortunate to be declared physically unable to 
     perform in a combat zone.
       One of the dog handlers gave me a real good bath and 
     grooming. I felt so refreshed because I was on my way to meet 
     Dusty's family. Maybe Dusty will be there waiting for me. 
     When I arrived I sensed something was not quite right. Dusty 
     wasn't there and everyone was sad, but very happy to greet 
     me. I then realized that I was attending Dusty's funeral. 
     Everyone showed up to pay their respects.
       Dusty is a real American hero and he was buried with full 
     military honors. I was so proud to have been his last best 
     friend and partner. At one particular moment of total silence 
     during the ceremony, I sniffed a slight scent in the air that 
     was very familiar. It smelled like Dusty. I figured he sent 
     me a signal that he knew I was there! I moaned a sigh of 
     grief that he would only hear and understand.
       I was greeted by the Lee family with joy in their hearts. 
     The picture is of Dustin's mom, Rachel, and me in church. It 
     felt so warm and comfortable to be with my partner's loving 
     family. I wanted to stay but I was escorted away after the 
     funeral and back to Albany, Georgia. What is going to happen 
     to me now?
       Wait a minute! I was due for retirement, right? Why did the 
     military take me to see Dusty's family and not leave me 
     there? I belong with them in Mississippi not here in Georgia. 
     There is something very wrong with this picture!
       The Lee family adopting me would not be too much to ask 
     considering they will never again see their son, grandson, 
     brother, nephew and friend. Adopting me will keep a big part 
     of Dusty's life alive for them and for me too! I will enable 
     Dusty's family to experience what he already knew about me. I 
     loved and protected him everywhere we went and even on the 
     battlefield in Iraq. It's time the U.S. Marine Corps allowed 
     Dustin's family to adopt me. I'm not a young pup anymore, you 
     know! I'm of retirement age and I want to spend the rest of 
     my life with the Lee family. It's where I now belong!

  After learning this story, I spoke with Corporal Lee's father, Jerome 
Lee, by phone on several occasions. Mr. Lee continued to express the 
joy and comfort that caring for Lex would bring to him and his family, 
and he requested my assistance in securing the adoption of Lex.
  After speaking with Mr. Lee, I began contacting the United States 
Marine Corps to communicate and endorse their request. Recently, the 
Marine Corps confirmed to me that the request would be granted and the 
Lee family would be able to retrieve Lex from Marine Corps Logistic 
Base Albany within the next 2 weeks.
  Allowing the Lee family to adopt Lex will not only help lessen the 
family's ongoing grief, but also serve as a fitting thank you to 
parents who gave the ultimate gift of their son for this country.
  I am so grateful to the United States Marine Corps and Commandant 
James Conway for the tremendous gift they have chosen to bestow upon 
Jerome and Rachel Lee.
  I am also very grateful to Brigadier General Michael Regner and Major 
General Robert Dickerson for their role in enabling the adoption to 
proceed.
  Although Lex will never replace their son, caring for Lex will bring 
such joy and comfort to the Lee family, as well as to the dog himself. 
Welcoming Lex into the Lee family will keep a big part of Corporal 
Lee's life alive for their family.
  Lex loved and protected Corporal Lee on the battlefield, and now 
Corporal Lee's family will have the opportunity to love and protect Lex 
in the peaceful surroundings of their home in Mississippi.
  The United States Marine Corps has demonstrated its tremendous 
compassion and understanding by making this adoption a reality for the 
parents of one of our Nation's fallen heroes.
  I close, Madam Speaker, by asking God to please bless the United 
States Marine Corps and all of our men and women in uniform, and may 
God continue to bless America.
  Mr. TAYLOR. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. I yield to the gentleman from 
Mississippi.
  Mr. TAYLOR. The Lee family is from Quitman, Mississippi. The dad is a 
State Trooper. The mom is a public school teacher. I want to thank you 
for doing this. I regret that the request was not made of my office. 
But it just once again proves what a decent Joe you are, Walter. Thank 
you for doing that
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. I appreciate the gentleman. And I will 
tell the gentleman, before he sits down, when I read this story it 
brought tears to my eyes. And I asked Mr. Burnam, who had been in 
Vietnam himself as a dog handler, What should I do, what could I do. He 
said, Do what your heart tells you to do. And my dear friend from 
Mississippi, I didn't even know where this man was in Mississippi. I 
just picked up the phone because Camp Lejeune was in my district. But 
thank you for what you said. And may God continue to bless America.

                          ____________________