In this undated photo Joe Steenbeke poses for a photo with Tess at their home in Culver, Ind. The northern Indiana veteran was reunited with the bomb-sniffing dog he served with years ago in Afghanistan. U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski called Steenbeke to inform him that he'll be able to adopt Tess, a Belgian Malinois whose ID number is tattooed on his arm. The South Bend Tribune reports that the Culver man hasn't seen Tess since his tour of Afghanistan ended in 2013, but he's been trying to adopt her ever since. (Becky Malewitz/South Bend Tribune via AP)
The Associated Press
CULVER, Ind. (AP) - An Indiana veteran who adopted the bomb-sniffing dog he served with in Afghanistan says the now 11-year-old canine is settling in for a pampered life in retirement.
Army veteran Joseph Steenbeke had not seen Tess since February 2013 during his return home from Afghanistan. He'd spent years trying to adopt the Belgian Malinois.
Steenbeke and his wife, Stephanie, returned home Saturday night after picking Tess up in Newtown, Connecticut, where she had served with the Connecticut National Guard until her retirement last week.
The playful canine is now getting used to her new home in the northern Indiana town of Culver.
Steenbeke tells the South Bend Tribune that Tess "worked so hard her entire life now she gets to sit back and have fun and live like an eccentric billionaire."
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Information from: South Bend Tribune, http://www.southbendtribune.com
In this undated photo Joe Steenbeke plays with Tess at their home in Culver, Ind. The northern Indiana veteran was reunited with the bomb-sniffing dog he served with years ago in Afghanistan. U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski called Steenbeke to inform him that he'll be able to adopt Tess, a Belgian Malinois whose ID number is tattooed on his arm. The South Bend Tribune reports that the Culver man hasn't seen Tess since his tour of Afghanistan ended in 2013, but he's been trying to adopt her ever since. (Becky Malewitz/South Bend Tribune via AP)
The Associated Press
In this undated photo Joe Steenbeke and his wife Stephanie sit in their living room with Tess at their home in Culver, Ind. The northern Indiana veteran was reunited with the bomb-sniffing dog he served with years ago in Afghanistan. U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski called Steenbeke to inform him that he'll be able to adopt Tess, a Belgian Malinois whose ID number is tattooed on his arm. The South Bend Tribune reports that the Culver man hasn't seen Tess since his tour of Afghanistan ended in 2013, but he's been trying to adopt her ever since. (Becky Malewitz/South Bend Tribune via AP)
The Associated Press
In this undated photo Joe Steenbeke plays with Tess at their home in Culver, Ind. The northern Indiana veteran was reunited with the bomb-sniffing dog he served with years ago in Afghanistan. U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski called Steenbeke to inform him that he'll be able to adopt Tess, a Belgian Malinois whose ID number is tattooed on his arm. The South Bend Tribune reports that the Culver man hasn't seen Tess since his tour of Afghanistan ended in 2013, but he's been trying to adopt her ever since. (Becky Malewitz/South Bend Tribune via AP)
The Associated Press
In this undated photo Joe Steenbeke plays with Tess at their home in Culver, Ind. The northern Indiana veteran was reunited with the bomb-sniffing dog he served with years ago in Afghanistan. U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski called Steenbeke to inform him that he'll be able to adopt Tess, a Belgian Malinois whose ID number is tattooed on his arm. The South Bend Tribune reports that the Culver man hasn't seen Tess since his tour of Afghanistan ended in 2013, but he's been trying to adopt her ever since. (Becky Malewitz/South Bend Tribune via AP)
The Associated Press