Combat brothers honoring a soldier’s best friend STORY BY FELICIA FRAZAR
R
etired Navy Senior Chief Michael Toussaint wears a Silver Star on his arm. It’s one earned in combat — but it’s not his. It was awarded to his K9 partner Remco, who died on July 9, 2009, protecting Toussaint and their team. Pointing to the tattoo on his forearm of Remco, a Belgian Malinois, and a Silver Star, “that’s only on there because of him. That’s his Silver Star,” he said. Toussaint was a dog handler for most of his military career. He was trained and given the opportunity to work with Navy SEALs, although that’s not where he started. The Guadalupe County resident joined the Navy in 1993 after attempting to enlist in the Marines. Having not completed his high school education, the Marine Corps wouldn’t take him. Toussaint earned a high enough score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, and the Navy accepted him. “I needed to join the military — to do something more positive in my life,” he said. “I later got my education.” He spent the first four years on a ship, after which he made the transition to special operations dog handler. Having a fondness for dogs growing up, Toussaint saw the opportunity to become a canine handler and took it. “I was the guy walking down the 12 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING
