When you’re deployed on the battlefield away from home, it helps to have a reminder of home. Even better if it saves your life.

Sergeant Chris Duke had one remarkable experience with some furry friends in Afghanistan.

After, he made it his mission to return the favor.

The American sergeant felt what most troops feel. Loneliness, uncertainty of the future, and that feeling of missing home.

His mates deployed with him shared this feeling. Those barracks can provide shelter, but they sure as hell aren’t home.

Nonetheless, Chris enlisted to serve his country.

He knew what he was signing up for and the sacrifices that came with it. Still, it’s nice to have a little reminder of home with you in this situation.

Well, he found a piece of home in the form of some local dogs. The pooches took a liking to Chris and his fellow troops.

The dogs provided some much-needed comfort and companionship.

Amidst the barren fields and high tension, the love and warmth of a friendly dog can make those nights easier to bear.

They named the dogs Sasha, Target, and Rufus.

Their paths just so happen to meet during Chris’ deployment. And what makes a better alert system than a loyal dog? This would turn out to be hugely important to Chris and his comrades later on.

We all know how attached you can get to an animal once you name it. It’s just how we are, and feeling a bit of love never hurt anyone. Also, “Sasha”, “Target”, and “Rufus” are very cute names, don’t you think?

On one night when they slept, they awoke to the sound of the dogs barking. These were alarm barks. Something was wrong.

That something turned out to be a suicide bomber who’d snuck into their quarters. Not good. With over 50 men inside the quarters, that was a lot of targets for the bomber.

As luck would have it, dogs’ barking gave them a heads-up.

Chris and his company immediately retreated to a safe distance. The suicide bomber made his move and detonated himself. This could have all ended badly, but it didn’t. None of the men were harmed. Though they were definitely shaken.

The dogs saved the lives of these men, all without expecting anything in return. Besides some companionship, of course.

That’s not to say everyone was unharmed, though. Sasha suffered some critical injuries. The life-saving, loyal pooch wouldn’t make it. She had to be put down.

But no one would ever forget her heroic sacrifice. These men survived because of her.

As for Target and Rufus, Chris didn’t want to just leave them.

The sergeant had to return home the following month. He never stopped thinking of those two remaining dogs who saved his life. He had to bring them home.

So Chris wrote to people who could help. He contacted Hope for the Warriors, a veteran’s assistance group.

“I owe my life to those dogs and my wish is to bring them home and give them the best life I can.” – Sergeant Chris Duke wrote

Word spread about Sergeant Chris Duke’s wish. A Facebook page spawned and contributed to Chris’ request.

With help from the Facebook group, they raised a hefty $21,000 to help the dogs get out of Afghanistan.

Target and Rufus could now have their own forever homes. Another soldier adopted Target, and the dog gets to live in Arizona with a new family.

Meanwhile, Rufus gets to live with the man whose life he saved.

Rufus saved Chris’s life, and it was Chris’s time to return the favor. All in all, it’s a very sweet and happy ending.

Watch Sergeant Chris Duke tell the story down below.

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Source: CBS on YouTube, CBSnews.com