The canine corps at Fire Support Base Jamie now totals five, with the recent addition of Duke, an FND (Funny New Dog) from the battalion rear at Tay Ninh. Duke, about 12 inches of brown and white spots, faces a tough three months on-the-job training before becoming an accepted member of the corps.

His tutors will be Smoky, the newest old guy; Tootsie, in the precarious position of being the only lady in the group; Heinie, currently on R&R in Tay Ninh and Doc, the senior citizen and somewhat of a loner.

Most of the dogs were gifts from Vietnamese working in Tay Ninh, where there always seems to be a new litter of pups. Self-proclaimed dogmaster is Sergeant John Zmijewski, a wireman at FSB Jamie.

"All of them are mongrels, but there is a difference between them and American dogs. All of these have their tails sticking out and one ear stands up, while the other flops down," he said.

To most people, though, a dog is a dog, and to the dogs on the firebase their new home is a playground. And whatever they do seems to amuse the Skytroopers.

Recently, Smoky was sitting outside when the skies clouded up and rain began to fall - the first time for him. He sat there momentarily, then turned toward the men watching him. His sulking face seemed to ask, "What's happening here?"

Tootsie occasionally saunters into the TOC during the nightly briefings, but Doc seems to be the only one that thinks about the war. His nightly post is on the bunker line, and as anyone who has wandered too close without identifying themselves can testify, he takes his job seriously.