For Jerome and Rachel Lee, Lex represents the last living vestige of their son, U.S. Marine Cpl. Dustin Jerome Lee, who was killed in Iraq on March 21.
The German Shepherd was seriously injured in the rocket propelled grenade attack that killed Lee. He has since recovered and despite the family dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s with the U.S. Marine Corps, Lex is still being kept at the home of the 3rd Recon Battalion, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force in Albany, Ga. Marine Corps officials say Lex is to help train other dogs to do the work he did in Iraq.
“The Lee family can all understand how much of an asset Lex will be in training other dogs and their handlers but how long until the damage Lex suffered in the blast catches up to him,” said Lee Rich, a family member and spokesman who is at the forefront of the adoption campaign. “Lex deserves a nice home to retire to and a family who will love and take care of him. He is practically part of the family now.”
Dustin Lee’s family members are not strangers to handling K-9s. Dustin’s mother, Rachel Lee, has trained with search and rescue K-9s. That is undoubtedly where Dustin Lee received his love of dogs.
Rich said despite Dustin Lee’s parents filling out all the paperwork required by the Marine Corps in adopting Lex, the door has still been shut on their requests. He said this has been a very emotional time for them.
“Jerome and Rachel cannot get Dustin back,” Rich said. “They gave him to the Marine Corps to fight terrorism and unfortunately he died. But by adopting Lex, the pain of the loss of their son would ease somewhat.”
After seven months of filling out forms, sending e-mails and contacting all the necessary people, the Lee family has been told Lex would not be available for adoption for two more years.
“This news just floored the family,” Rich said. “There is no way for me to describe how heart broken they have been since being told this.”
If you would like to sign a petition to get Lex home or to voice your support, you can log on to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/retire-military-working-dog-lex.
Local News
Related Photos
Discussion
Waiting to come home
Attempts to adopt son’s war dog unsuccessful so far
- Local News
-
-
Local law enforcement officials honored
State Rep. Greg Snowden said he remembered as a child looking up to those "men in blue."
He said police officers in uniform were larger than life, riding in their patrol cars and carrying guns to protect and serve the population. Today, he said he is still in great admiration of the men and women who put their lives on the line every day so that citizens can feel safe. -
MPD probes vehicle crash
Evidence of a mother's desperate attempt to save her children from harm were spread all over a car lot — and could be seen on her as well in the form of bruises, cuts and scrapes.
Tuesday night, a vehicle with three children inside crashed through a plate glass showroom floor window damaging four new cars and totaling the vehicle the children were in. -
Skeleton found in residence
Members of the forensics team of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) were called to a dilapidated home in Chunky to probe the discovery of a skeleton.
-
Police search for robbery suspects
Two men who reportedly robbed a woman at gunpoint in the parking lot of a local bank are still being sought.
Mike Vick, public information officer with the Meridian Police Department, said the two men approached a woman about 8 p.m. Tuesday at the ATM of Regions Bank on North Hills Street. Vick said one of the suspects was armed with a handgun and after taking an undetermined amount of cash and the victim's car keys, the two suspects fled on foot. -
City cuts payment to Watkins
The Meridian City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to cut their monthly payment to David Watkins, project developer of Meridian's new police station, by $9,999 until work resumes on the project.
The order, made during the Meridian City Council meeting Tuesday morning, included a mutual agreement between the councilmen and Watkins to reduce the project developer's monthly consultant fee of $10,000 to $1, effective Tuesday. -
Crews work on gasoline pipeline
If you hear a loud, booming sound early today, between 4 a.m.-10 a.m., there is no cause for alarm.
Workers with Plantation Pipeline will be performing maintenance work on their 30-foot gasoline pipeline in the Meridian area to accommodate the widening of Highway 493. The location of the work activity will be at Highway 493 North and Oak Hill Baptist Church, just inside the city limits. -
Team Spirit
-
High Honor
The flowers and balloons Crestwood Elementary School Principal Kimberly Kendrick received at school Monday were not an early Valentines' Day gift.
Kendrick has been named Meridian Public School District's 2012 Administrator of the Year – an announcement that both surprised and wowed the 17-year veteran educator when made by MPSD Superintendent Dr. Alvin Taylor. -
Master Dance Class
-
Digital system promises better communication
Hopefully in the near future you won't hear someone in the emergency services ask over the radio, "Can you hear me now?"
A digital communications system, one which is being pushed by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), is a few months away and, in some cases, is already in the testing phase in Lauderdale County. - More Local News Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
