On his first deployment to Afghanistan, Byung "BK" Kang’s platoon had many encounters with IED attacks.So, on his second tour, the Marine volunteered to be a handler for an IED detection dog.From 2011 to 2012 BK was partnered with a female black Lab named Blue.During that time, he said that Blue saved his life and the lives of his fellow soldiers so many times that he lost count.Overwhelmed with gratitude, one night in Afghanistan, BK promised the dog that one day he would give her a good home.After their tour ended, Blue was reassigned, but BK never forgot his promise to her.However, despite his and his wife's best efforts, the couple lost track of Blue from 2012 to 2015.In 2017 they located her in Japan. After serving her country for seven and a half years, Blue finally retired at the age of 10.The hero pup, now 11, has been with the Kang family in Lawrenceville, Georgia, since November 2018