Eric Bonner is a former military K9 handler, one of the most dangerous jobs there is in a combat zone. In Vietnam, the “walkers” trained their dogs so well that they would go on alert when they heard the sound of the wind vibrating a trip wire. It is estimated that the dogs of ‘Nam saved more than 10,000 lives. In Iraq, the dogs sniffed out bombs, bodies, insurgents, and more. They pulled Entry Checkpoint (ECP) duty with their handlers in 130 degree heat, and had to wear special boots in order to keep their paws from getting burned while standing on the nearly melting pavement. My favorite dog in Iraq was named Python, which was fitting, because if he liked you, he would want to get as close to you as possible, and seeing as he was really big, it could feel like a “big squeeze.”
Apparently the woman who is running for President does not share my belief about the “coolness” of these dogs, the ones who put themselves in harm’s way for us. And, now that Eric is no longer in the military, he has the freedom to speak more freely about a would-be CNC. He made a Facebook post about why he is not going to vote for her, and made it clear that it was not about politics, it was about good manners and gratitude. His post is shown below, and has been sanitized in some spots, for reasons that will be apparent. It is also being shown exactly as he posted it.
“I’m not Voting for Clinton.
It has nothing to do with her views. It really doesn’t even matter about all the laws she broke. It’s because She actually talked to me once. Almost a sentence. But first, some background. Being a K9 handler in the Military I got to do a few details involving Distinguished Visitors. Mostly Generals, DOD Officials, and Secretaries of Defense. I was lucky enough to pull two awesome details. George W Bush, and Obama.
GW looked at me, said “Man, who’d you p— off” high fived me, and continued on. I was climbing down from a catwalk I stood on for 4 hours with nothing but Dust and a radio to keep me company. The radio died early on. It was pretty sweet.
Obama, as he was walking out to his plane in Turkey, said “What the hell kind of dog is that?!” In reference to Suli.
One of my Last details was for Hillary when she was Secretary of State. She was in Turkey for whatever reason. I helped with sweeps of her DV Quarters and staff vehicles. Her words to me? “Get that F-ing dog away from me.” Then she turns to her Security Detail and berates them up and down about why that animal was in her quarters. For the next 20 minutes while I sit there waiting to be released she lays into her detail, slamming the door in their faces when she’s done. The Detail lead walks over apologizes and releases me. I apologize to him for getting him in trouble. His words “Happens every day, Brother”
Hillary doesn’t care about anyone but Hillary.”
There is something that I learned about soldiers when I was in Iraq. They have a sense of who in leadership has their back, whether it is a politician, and officer, or the contractor that is cleaning out the outhouses. They know who will serve them so that they can serve others, and as far as security is concerned, K9 handlers and their canine fellow soldiers will stand resolute at their post in the face of such verbal abuse, entitlement, and ingratitude. If I were a dog, I think the chances are good that I would have bared my fangs and emitted a growl. But, God made me a woman, and this woman is not voting for the other one because she treated one of our finest like he was a dog.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
