Throughout the course of the long war in Afghanistan, Coalition troops have relied on thousands of military working dogs to help keep them safe, and make their jobs easier. The dogs are trained to detect explosives, to find illegal drugs, to search for missing comrades, or target enemy combatants. Not only are they active on the front lines, but behind the lines they serve as therapy dogs, service dogs, and loyal companions. They also share the same risks as the ground troops, suffering injuries and sometimes death on the battlefields. Gathered here are images of these dogs and their handlers in Afghanistan and back home, from over the past several years, part of the ongoing series here on Afghanistan.

Far from the fancy throngs who gather at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance every year, another collection of car enthusiasts strive to cough up the worst cars imaginable. The Concours d'Lemons gathers the Edsels, Yugos and Azteks of yesteryear to give the freaky and foul their day in the sun. Photo: The 1973 Electra-King three-wheeler, the dead evolutionary branch of today's electric cars. (Photo by Robert Kerian/Yahoo Autos)

The 26th annual Visa Pour l’Image, the “Cannes Film Festival” of photojournalism kicks off, filling the French city of Perpignan with more than 3,000 of the world’s best photojournalists and photo editors, along with agencies from around the world. This year’s Visa Pour l’Image showcases 26 exhibitions around the city. Photo: Christians looting a Muslim shop in the “Combattants” district of Bangui. (Photo by Pierre Terdjman/Paris Match)

A giant sculpture of a seven-month-old baby by artist Marc Quinn entitled “Planet” contrasts against the stately grandeur of Chatsworth House and the Derbyshire countryside on 4 September, 2008, Chatsworth, England. The bronze sculpture painted white is part of the Beyond Limits exhibition of modern and contemporary sculpture displayed in the gardens of Chatsworth by Sotherby's. More than 20 works will be on display from 9 September to 2 November 2008. In past years acclaimed artists Damien Hirst, Antony Gormley, Salvador Dali and Henry Moore have had work exhibited. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

A three month-old baby gorilla named Hasani sits in the grass March 11, 2009 at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, California. The newborn gorilla was given the name Hasani. Hasani's father, a twenty seven year-old gorilla named Oscar Jonsey, picked between five color coded cantaloupes representing the five name finalists to come up with the newborn's name that was submitted by Amanda VerPloeg of Oskaloosa, Iowa. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

“The pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis) is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa (the specific name liberiensis means “of Liberia”, as this is where the vast majority live). The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal. It is one of only two extant species in the Hippopotamidae family, the other being its much larger cousin the common hippopotamus”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Monifa, a one month old baby Pygmy Hippopotamus takes a morning bath at Taronga Zoo on November 7, 2008 in Sydney, Australia. Monifa is the first Pygmy Hippopotamus to be born at Taronga Zoo in the past twenty three years. (Photo by Sergio Dionisio/Getty Images)

Postcards for Ants is an ongoing painting project by Cape Town artist Lorraine Loots who has been creating a miniature painting every single day since January 1, 2013. The artist works with paint brushes, pencils, and bare eyes to render superbly detailed paintings scarcely larger than a small coin. After the first year, Loots relaunched the project in a second phase inspired by Cape Town’s designation as World Design Capital 2014.

Image patterning has existed for hundreds of years; however, before Thomas Yang no one has ever thought of putting paint on the bicycle wheels and using it as a patterning tool to create very interesting-looking pictures. Being an avid cyclist and an artist, Thomas Yang has decided to combine the two, creating the 100copies. The name of this project not only alludes to the fact that only one hundred copies of those pictures were going to be made, but also to the fact that the pictures themselves consist of hundreds of repeating shapes. And even though the project is called 100copies, no two pictures are alike due to the nature of their creation, making them truly unique. (Photo by Thomas Yang)