Soldier honors late devoted K-9 partner with the hero’s farewell he deserves
Eight years ago now in 2012, Staff Sergeant Kyle Smith’s life was changed forever when he met a dedicated service K-9 named Bodza. Both of them served for the United States Air Force. During their service SSgt. Smith and Bodza went through quite a bit together.
Over time, Smith and Bodza formed a deep bond with one another that would last until the K-9’s passing 5 years later.
Smith was stationed with the K-9 for 189 long, blisteringly cold days in Kyrgyzstan while on security detail in the Central Asia location.
Bodza began working as an explosives detection K-9 with the airforce in 2006.
During that time he saved countless lives by sniffing out active explosives in Kuwait, Iraq, and Kyrgyzstan. Sergeant Smith joined the dedicated K-9 roughly six years later in 2012. Though they didn’t start out serving together, they had many shared experiences that only strengthened their natural bond to each other.
“I loved working with him because he taught me a lot – patience as a young handler, and how to understand that this job isn’t just about you,” Smith explained in an interview with The Dodo.
Though the two were serious about their duties, Smith says that there were plenty of instances where his K-9 partner found the time to goof off.
“Bodza was a goofy and gentle dog. We had horse stables directly beside our obedience yard and when [the horses] were out, no obedience was going to be done. He’d run the fence line continuously,” Smith remembers of Bodza.
Smith, too, was guilty of carving out precious gaps of time to play with the fun-loving K-9.
“He liked to bark at his own shadow, so I’d always mess with him that way – make my hand a shadow on the ground and move it,” Smith continued.
Eventually, Bodza’s time in the service came to an honored end and he was happily retired. The day of the K-9’s retirement may have been the end of his days in service, but it was just the beginning of a whole new life for him.
When Bodza retired, Smith was right there waiting to sign the adoption papers.
“I took him home the same day. He was even more loyal at home. He followed me around everywhere. He would lay his head down flush with the bed and tell me good night, every night,” Smith recalls.
Though the two made many happy memories together, tragedy struck in 2016 when Bodza received a fatal diagnosis.
A visit to the vet revealed that the K-9 had developed degenerative myelopathy, a paralyzing, fatal disease of the spinal cord. Sadly, there is no known cure for the disease, nor any scientifically proven ways to even slow the progression.
“His hind limbs lost their use and he could barely stand up anymore, much less walk. He couldn’t handle the stress on his body and using the restroom was a task,” Smith remembers.
Seeing how much of a struggle life had become for his devoted dog, Smith was forced to make the toughest call of all. It was time to help his best friend cross over the Rainbow bridge.
In late February of 2017, Smith along with nine of his colleagues arrived at El Paso’s Fort Bliss Vet Clinic to bid Bodza farewell.
Before they laid him on the table to be euthanized, they laid a cozy blanket on the floor for Bodza to lie on while Sergeant Smith knelt down to tell his best friend goodbye one last time.
“I was holding Bodza as he passed. It was a rush of so many things. It was just overwhelming. He had a smile on his face as he was getting put to sleep,” Smith says as he relives the moment.
After Bodza drew his last breath, Smith’s heart broke and a flood of emotions came pouring through. Thankfully, he had some serious love and support to help see him through it.
“They let me sob like a baby. They pat me on the back and let me know it was going to be all right. My boss immediately went and grabbed a flag, and draped it over him and let me have a final moment. It was incredible. There was heartache and peace all at once that came over me,” explained Smith.
Though Bodza has passed on from this world, his memory is living strong in Smith’s heart and those that knew him.
“I will never forget how loyal he was. He was selfless – more than any human I’ve ever known. He’s done so much for next to nothing and did it with a smile. I miss him every day,” he said.
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