What they wentX go through

Craig and Fred
A Marine, A Stray Dog, and How They Rescued Each Other
by Craig Grossi

so often people write fiction that jumps in time, alternating between chapters with "then" versus "now." And just as often, I complain about it.  But--here, it works.

Craig and his faithful mutt Fred met in Afghanistan. So that's half of the story--how they bonded, traveled together, and even patrolled together until a lucky escape made it clear that it was way too dangerous to walk around in the dark looking for enemy combatants with an energetic dog for a companion. And eventually--against all regulations--Fred got shipped back to the States.

But now they're traveling around the United States and trying to adjust back to living someplace where loud noises don't mean artillery fire; strangers don't need to be watched in case they pull out a gun or detonate themselves; thunder and lightning are just a pleasant show in the sky.

It's a great memoir starring some great people. And dogs. Of course, dogs are always great.