Recon's New Chew Toy

Recon, the ICPA Dog

Recon was adopted by a group of armed forces members on assignment in Afghanistan. With the help of ICPA volunteers and donors, Recon was able to reunite with his adopted family back here in the US after their assignment was over. Also, he is very cute!

More About Recon.

Special thanks to commenter John for pointing this out and Mrs. Q for making the video! Good to see Recon is doing well.

Conference sessions will include:

• Trade Compliance Implications of Simplified EU Law
• Confronted with an Audit: The Do’s and Don’ts
• Customs Classification –The Latest Developments in EU Law
• The Impact of the AEO Legislation: Lessons Learned from the Pilot Project & Implementations in Other Member States
• Compliance with EU Sanctions
• Export Control Fundamentals for Trade Compliance Managers
• Introduction to Customs Valuation and Transfer Pricing
• VAT Implications of Transfer Pricing & Customs Adjustments
• Centralized Clearing
• Rules of Origin
• IT Challenges in Effective Export Control Compliance
• Conducting Effective Internal Audits: Best Practices
• Tariff Engineering: Developments, Issues & Opportunities
• Risk Determination for Export Compliance
• EU Trade Compliance Share Forum: Overview & Proceedings

For more information on the conference, or to register, please visit http://icpainc.org/conferences/eu/.

The Story of Recon: http://puppy.earthserve.com

Recon is a rescued stray from Kabul, Afghanistan. Life as a stray is especially hard there, as the local culture does not welcome animals into the home and strays are left to fend for themselves.

Recon was taken in by his new family – a platoon of US Soldiers stationed in the area as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. After withstanding injuries & homesickness, these guys needed some comfort and Recon provided just that.

From Recon’s adopted family:

Myself and 2 other of my platoon members were wounded in a grenade attack on a busy street in Asadabad back on June 9th, see the video on you tube “Asadabad Grenade Attack“.

We had 4 of our guys MEDEVACED to the states, way back in May from an IED and have lost 4 killed from my unit alone.

This one dog has brought our team together for a common cause and we are forever in everyone’s debt that will take a part in bringing him home. We are all Infantrymen and we have been through some tough times here but all of my guys melt like kids when it comes to Recon. That dog sleeps with a different guy every night, it’s crazy just watching him wake up in a different bunk every morning.

We wanted to take him on some missions but Afghans don’t like dogs and it would hamper what I’m doing so I actually leave a guy back everyday, for his rest and relaxation too, to play with Recon and hang out with him so he’s not in danger because down here at my new base we live with the Afghans and they’ll kill him if he gets loose. We just want to bring Recon “home” with our unit when we rotate out after the first of the year.

After some quick fundraising, the ICPA has arranged a trip home for Recon, through a charity organization supported by the International Human Society. Recon’s adopted family is now in the process of returning to the US – and Recon’s coming with!

First stop for Recon was the Tigger House, a shelter for strays founded by Pamela Constable, a foreign correspondent for the Washington Post in Afghanistan:

Recon at the Tigger House

More about Tigger House, courtesy of SFDog.org and PARSA:

Tigger House now has an all-Afghan staff of seven, including a part-time vet, and facilities to shelter up to 15 dogs and 25 cats. It offers vaccines and vet care, at no charge in most cases, for any cat or dog. It arranges for neutering and spaying, and works to find loving homes for each animal. The project also works quietly to help foster a culture of animal care and compassion in a country where most people are too poor to have pets and many are raised to believe that all animals are unclean, especially dogs, and should not be kept in the home.

Recon: Ready to Fly

Next, Recon was ready for his big trip: All the way to JFK International Airport in New York City. He got his own crate and boarded the plane. And I’m sure all of his customs documents were in perfect order… now what HS Number is required for “Dog, Furry & Adorable?”

Recon's New Chew Toy

At last, Recon arrived in New York and was picked up by a friendly ICPA volunteer… well, volunteer’s sister! He received a new chew toy as a welcoming gift to the US.

But the journey wasn’t over. After recovering and playing with two new collie friends, Recon tackled the second leg of his trip with another ICPA volunteer who drove from South Carolina, to New Jersey to pick up Recon. This amazing volunteer then drove Recon from New Jersey to Augusta, GA where Recon was reunited with one of the soldiers from Recon’s adopted platoon.

• For more Recon photos, visit the Recon Gallery.
• Donate here to cover Recon’s transportation cost!