[ SHOWGSD-L ] Beans
- From: "Mo Murkland" <murk@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 18:51:11 -0500
From Iraq to Ohio, Beans the dog finds a home
Lance Cpl. Ryan M. Blaich
Not many people find a best friend in a paper sack half way around the world,
in a country littered with war and terrorists. But, that is what happened when
Marine Cpl. Jeffery A. Boskovitch, a Reserve Marine from Akron, Ohio, decided
to befriend a tiny mutt. For some pocket change and little bit of candy, the
pup became his. It would have been impossible to guess that this friendship
would span half the globe, involve the Commandant of the Marine Corps, a couple
of Army generals and a congressman, and pull the heartstrings of thousands of
Ohio residents.
Boskovitch, a sniper with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, found the puppy
when he decided to inspect a paper bag carried by an Iraqi boy sometime in
June. Inside the bag was a small brown and black dog. He convinced the child to
sell the puppy for a quarter and three jellybeans. The boy agreed and
Boskovitch called the dog Beans.
Boskovitch and other members of the unit took care of the mutt and declared
Beans their unofficial mascot. In a letter to his mother, he wrote, "Beans is
so cool." He emailed photos of Beans to his mother and she began raising money
to get Beans to Ohio.
Although Boskovitch grew up around dogs, he always wanted one of his own.
According to Boskovitch's mother, Kathy Wright, he told his girlfriend he
wanted to get a dog when he got home from Iraq.
"Jeff always wanted a dog . his own dog. He liked big dogs, something he could
wrestle with," said Wright.
However, Boskovitch did not get off the plane with the rest of the members of
3/25 when they returned to Cleveland Oct. 6. The young corporal was killed
Aug.1 in an ambush attack which left five other Marine snipers dead as well.
His wish to get Beans home to Ohio sent his mother on a mission.
"I never meant for Beans to be a replacement for my son. I just felt I had to
honor his request," Wright said.
When the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Michael W. Hagee, visited the
families of the fallen warriors Aug.12 and asked if their was anything he could
do, Wright showed him the picture of her son with Beans.
"'Please help me get this dog home,'" Wright said she plead. "He smiled and
said he would do whatever he possibly could."
Hagee stood by his word and established "Operation Beans." Finding Beans,
however, proved to be more difficult than first imagined. Marines of 3/25 were
hiding Beans.
"Finding Beans took a little while because the boys were hiding her. They were
scared that if she was discovered, they'd have to get rid of her," Wright said.
Wright stayed steadfast, never giving up hope, knowing the dog was there
somewhere. Hagee was determined as well, directing his staff to get everything
worked out.
"If Beans can comfort the mother of a fallen Marine, then it is our pleasure to
help," said Hagee's spokesman.
Referring to Hagee, Wright said, "He was so polite, compassionate and sincere.
I know generals are busy and are used to barking out orders, but he wasn't a
general, he was a gentleman,"
After a month and a half of phone calls and appealing to whoever would listen,
everyone's persistence paid off. Beans was on her way to a new home. The
logistics were all worked out, and the Marines would fund the flight for Beans
to arrive aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., via Spain, or so
everyone thought.
Days before her scheduled flight home, Beans would again face uncertainty.
Orders to fly Beans across the world were not signed and the Army would not
sign a waiver.
Wright, disheartened, called everyone she could think of, including Ohio
Congressman, Dennis J. Kucinich. Once again, her determination proved
triumphant. Beans was soon to be hers . finally.
Wright credits Hagee, his staff, U.S. Army Generals George W. Casey and John P.
Abizaid, and Congressman Kucinich for making her son's wish come true.
"It was a joint effort among the Marines, the Army and even the Air Force,
because Beans flew to North Carolina on a C-5. I just want to thank everyone.
General Hagee, General Casey, General Abizaid, my congressman and all the many
people I don't even know," Wright said.
Beans finally arrived at Cherry Point on Oct. 5. She made a trip to Camp
Lejeune later that evening to spend a final night with her friends in 3/25.
Sgt. Derrick Moore, an Embark Chief from Brook Park, Ohio, volunteered to pick
Beans up at Camp Lejeune and fly back with her.
"I know it means so much to Mrs. Wright. I felt it was an honor to pick up
Beans and deliver Beans to her," said Moore.
Beans arrived in Ohio around 1:30 pm. on Friday.
"It was bittersweet. I knew Jeff wasn't getting off the plane, but I was so
happy to have Beans," Wright said.
Beans was thin and seemed tired, but Wright said she had to take her to visit
Jeffery before anything else.
"I took her to Holy Cross Cemetery where Jeff is buried. That was the first
thing we did. I wanted him to see that she was here. Then I asked Jeff, 'Now
what?'" Wright recalled.
As of Friday, Beans was getting checked out by the vet and taking a break from
all the attention.
"She may have sand ticks or sand fleas. I mainly just wanted her to rest," said
Wright.
Wright says she is not sure if dogs should be a part of a unit or not. She was
sure there were many stories about Beans and her time spent with 3/25. She
heard that Beans was a part of several missions, including alerting the unit to
an ambush attempt.
Whether Beans deserves to pin on a rank is questionable. For now, she said she
was just happy to finally have Beans with her.
"I'm the type of person who follows the rules. If the rules say 'no dogs,' then
I stand by that. I wouldn't want it to cause distractions or diseases. But, the
reality is that people care for loving animals," said Wright.
There are numerous stories left untold by veterans who had reluctantly left
their four-legged friends behind, but not this one. A friendship forged at war
formed a mother's will. The mother's will tested a general's commitment. The
general's commitment had, in the end, honored a warrior's final wish. Welcome
to the United States, Beans.
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