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Lex to receive Purple Heart

• Military working dog Lex will receive a commemorative Purple Heart medal Saturday.

Susan McCord

ALBANY — Fallen Albany Marine Cpl. Dustin Lee and his military working dog Lex will be honored Saturday at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

Lex, who gained national attention as the first working dog to be adopted by his handler’s family, will be presented with a commemorative Purple Heart medal, a military award for injuries sustained in battle.

Eight-year-old Lex was allowed to retire early so he could be adopted, in a December ceremony at Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany, by the family of Dustin Lee.

Lee, a Marine Corps K9 handler, was killed March 21 during the same Anbar rocket attack that wounded Lex.

After his adoption, Lex went home to Quitman, Miss., with Lee’s parents, Jerome and Rachel Lee, his sister Madyson, and brother Camryn.

“He’s doing great, and they’re just loving being with him,” Lt. Caleb Eames, MCLB Public Affairs Officer said, of Lex’s new civilian life with the Lees.

“So far, things are going fantastic,” Eames said.

Since the adoption, Jerome Lee, a Mississippi State Trooper, was deployed to Iraq with the 186th Refueling Unit of the Mississippi Air National Guard, Eames said.

The Lee family, who visited MCLB several times while their son was stationed there, are invited guests, along with Lex, at the base’s annual Independence Day celebration, to be held July 3.

The Saturday ceremony also will honor three other military dog handlers killed in action, including Marine Sgt. Adam L. Cann, Air Force Sgt. Jason Norton and Army Cpl. Kory D. Weins and three military working dogs killed in action, Air Force dogs Marco and Arras and Army working dog Cooper.

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