MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- "We were looking for weapons caches, improvised explosive devices and mines. That was our primary job," said Sgt. Neil Fucci, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow dog handler.
While most Marines would try to avoid IEDs and mines, Fucci and his Belgian Malinois, Rambo, were searching specifically for them.
In April 2005, Fucci and Rambo deployed from MCLB Barstow and arrived in Al-Asad, Iraq. In mid-May, Forward Operating Base Camp Gannon became their new home, while abandoned buildings became their new living quarters and training became their new daily routine. They also had a new family - I Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment became their new family.
In June, Fucci and Rambo set out on their first of many raids.
"I didn't really know what to expect," said Fucci. "We would go out at night and search buildings. Rambo and I would sweep the buildings while the assault element would secure it. It was very exciting."
In September, L Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment rotated into Camp Gannon and 3/2 rotated out. Fucci and Rambo had to familiarize the Marines of 3/6 with Rambo's skills.
"Grunts are not used to working with dog teams, so we would do demonstrations and practice work-ups to get them familiar with us and we would could get familiar with the way they worked," Fucci said.
In October, Fucci and Rambo set out on a clearing operation, Operation Iron Fist. During Operation Iron Fist, Marines would make a large sweep of a designated area, clearing everything in their path. After the clearing was complete, battle positions were set up and patrols were done to ensure the area continued to be free from insurgents, Fucci explained.
"Rambo performed really well. It was so hot out there sometimes, I was amazed at how long he was able to work and the quality of work I was getting out of him," Fucci said. During (Operation Iron Fist) we had a total of about 12 finds, just from Rambo."
In November, Fucci and Rambo participated in another similar clearing operation, Operation Steel Curtain, which met a lot of resistance from insurgents.
Operation Steel Curtain was a larger operation with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, a U.S. Army battalion and more than 1000 Iraqi soldiers joining with 3/6 for the sweep, said Fucci.
"It was good to work with the Iraqis, we were two totally different cultures working side by side and being effective," explained Fucci.
After Operation Steel Curtain, there was an obvious positive change in the environment.
"Before the operation, the only people on the streets were insurgents. After we had cleared the area, people came out again, they opened up their shops. Children were playing on the streets and people were coming up to us and thanking us. It was a great feeling," Fucci said.
Toward the end of November, Fucci and Rambo departed Iraq and returned to the U.S.
"I felt like we definitely made a difference over there, and I would enjoy going back," said Fucci. "It was good to get out of (Barstow) and do what we actually train for. We spend so much time training to search for explosives and now I had the opportunity to do it. This type of thing is what I came in the Marine Corps for."