Service, Companionship, Healing
From the unforgiving skies over Vietnam to the perilous battlefields of modern warfare, two symbols of courage and unwavering loyalty emerge: the UH-1 Huey helicopter and the Belgian Malinois. And there is one name that embodies the spirit of both — Torque.
Torque, a Belgian Malinois, is not just any dog. As one of only a handful of dogs in the U.S. trained to detect electronic storage devices such as cell phones and SD cards, she lends her unique skills to investigators working to apprehend child sexual predators and traffickers. She also has a very special side job as an official crew member for EMU 309, the Vietnam War-era Huey helicopter fully restored to its combat configuration by the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization EMU, Inc.
Torque’s incredible journey began at a young age. She was less than a year old when she began soaring the skies in EMU 309, and today she holds the World Record for The Dog with the Most Flights in a Huey Helicopter. But Torque is not just along for the ride. Her calm and stoic presence provides solace to many veterans grappling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during exposure therapy flights, a primary mission of EMU, Inc.
The iconic Huey helicopter was instrumental in evacuating wounded troops from the battlefields of Vietnam, piloted by young heroes through monsoons, fog, smoke, and enemy fire. While soldiers’ physical injuries were obvious, their emotional scars were not always apparent until they returned home. Just as soldiers transported off the battlefield owe their lives to these great metal birds engineered to save, Torque selflessly answers the call to help many veterans reclaim and heal the psychological scars they brought home from the battlefield. The therapy flights offered by EMU, Inc. give veterans an opportunity to heal past trauma and reconnect with their battle buddies in an aircraft that served as a literal lifeline in Vietnam.
Accompanying these veterans in flight, Torque offers the kind of companionship and connection that only a dog can provide. Unwavering in her stance next to the veterans in the Huey, she doesn’t question why they need her help or what is troubling them. Torque passes no judgment as they connect to the memories of their soldiering past.
Many Veterans returned home with serious trauma from war. PTSD drastically changed their lives and way too many have taken their lives battling this force alone. It's amazing to watch the radical impact Torque makes in the life of a Veteran suffering from PTSD.
Torque’s presence in this Vietnam War era Huey tells another story, too — that of the more than 4,000 loyal U.S. War Dogs who served as patrol and detection dogs during the Vietnam War. These brave dogs were credited with saving an estimated 10,000 American lives, yet their contribution has been largely forgotten. Fewer than 200 of them returned home. Some 325 died in the line of duty, while around 600 others succumbed to tropical disease. At the end of the war, the rest were either killed or left behind on official orders. It is no surprise that some of the most haunted veterans of the Vietnam War are dog handlers who were cruelly ordered to leave their faithful companions behind.
Torque and EMU, Inc. can’t alter any of the many tragedies of the Vietnam War, but both have found a higher purpose in helping veterans come to terms with them. When Torque flies with EMU 309, she not only serves as a reminder of how important America's military working dogs are, she also serves as a therapy dog, bringing comfort to those who need it most.
