The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt James R. Ide, 32, of Festus, Mo., died Aug. 29 at Hyderabad, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 230th Military Police Company, 95th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Sembach, Germany.
Fallen Army Sgt’s Bomb-Sniffing Dog Retires to Her Master’s Family
32 year old Army Staff Sgt James R. Ide V died from wounds suffered August 29 in Hyderabad, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. His bomb-sniffing dog and constant companion, Ddaphne, has now been adopted by Sgt Ide’s wife and children. Sgt Ide can now R.I.P. knowing Ddaphne is going to be where she should be for the rest of her days. His family can take comfort in being forever near the partner who was with him until the very end.
By Kathleen Berger
Festus, MO (KSDK) –
A Festus family who lost a loved one in the war in Afghanistan got to meet one of his partners.
On Thursday morning, the Ide family met Ddaphne, a Belgian Malinois dog, who was a bomb-sniffing dog paired with Army Staff Sgt James R. Ide, 32, when he was killed in Afghanistan when his unit came under attack by insurgents.
After Sgt Ide’s death, his family asked to adopt Ddaphne once her mission wrapped. Mandy Ide lost her husband in Afghanistan, but was determined not to lose the one who was always by his side.
The children immediately bonded with Ddaphne and enjoyed playing ball together.
“She was kind of like a second child, kind of my husband’s mistress,” said Mandy. “It’s a part of him. It’s something almost like he created. It was always Jimmy and Ddaphne, to receive that is such an honor.”
After being in Germany for seven months, a military escort brings Daphne home. She’s with Staff Sgt Jimmy Ide’s children: two-year-old Jas, and eight-year-old Trinity, to love and to protect. Army Staff Sgt Ide trained Ddaphne to be a bomb sniffing dog. But Mandy says Ddaphne was never the same after witnessing the violence that killed her husband. She says Ddaphne suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, forced into early retirement.
Sgt 1st Class Skipper Green helped Ddaphne transition from being a military dog to a family dog.
“Have us all just start playing a game of football, let her just hang out and watch and make sure she understands she doesn’t always have to be on guard. That she doesn’t have to always be ready to go and do something, that she can just relax and be a dog,” said Green.
And be a playmate.
“It’s kind of like she’s my sister,” said Trinity Ide.
Mandy believes Ddaphne knows they are part of Jimmy.
“I’m kind of worried about it. Like around his gear, the things that were his. It might make her sad. But it’s something we can deal with,” said Mandy.
Mandy says adopting Ddaphne hasn’t been easy. She says at first the Army didn’t want to give her up. But with Daphne needing medication to manage her anxiety after Afghanistan-retirement became the only real option.
