A welcome home ceremony for local service members included a special guest who flew all the way from Romania to see an Oregon Air National Guardsman from the 142nd Fighter Wing.
While serving in Romania, airmen from the 142nd did volunteer work on the side helping an orphanage and orphan pups.
200 airmen from the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Fighter Wing were recognized for their service today and in the audience was a puppy named Luna.
Luna is named after the town where an Oregon airmen, Staff Sergeant Josh Boelter, found her. She was with a litter of homeless puppies and she had an injured leg.
Staff Sergeant Boelter cared for Luna and wanted to bring her home to Oregon.
A non-profit called Operation Baghdad Pups paid to fly her.
FOX 12 talked with Boelter’s wife about the process to get her to Oregon.
“She had to get her own passport. She has one just like ours, it’s got stamps in there. She had to have all of her shots and micro-chipped and what not. She had to be in quarantine for a minimum of 30 days. She was actually quarantine for two months,” said Sara Boelter.
Sara said they’re grateful for all of the work by the non-profit.
Luna and two other dogs arrived from Romania on Thursday night.
While the 142nd was in Romania, airmen raised more than $3,500 to buy backpacks and toiletries to kids in an orphanage near the airbase.