People affected by Hurricane Maria bathe in water piped from a creek in the mountains, in Naranjito, Puerto Rico, Thursday, September 28, 2017. Residents of the area drive to the pipes to bathe because they were left without water supplies by the damage caused by Hurricane Maria. The pipe was set up by a neighbor who ran it from a creek in his property to the side of the road in order to help those left without water. (Photo by Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo)

Flames from the County fire burn above Cache Creek Casino Resort on Saturday, June 30, 2018, in Capay, Calif. (Photo by Noah Berger/AP Photo)

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.

Star Wars enthusiasts wear costumes resembling what they say are three “Chew's Angels” during the 2015 Comic-Con International Convention in San Diego, California July 10, 2015. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Cars float up from a car garage in a mixture of storm water and gasoline in lower Manhattan as workers begin the process of pumping out the mess. (Photo by Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/MCT)

An Indonesian student protester runs after he caught fire while throwing a molotov cocktail towards police during a protest against the new president's decision to hike fuel prices this week in Makassar, South Sulawesi Province November 19, 2014. (Photo by Yusuf Ahmad/Reuters)

The NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 21 mission began on July 21 as an international crew of aquanauts splashed down to the undersea Aquarius Reef Base, located 62 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The NEEMO 21 crew will perform research both inside and outside the habitat during a 16-day simulated space mission. During simulated spacewalks carried out underwater, they will evaluate tools and mission operation techniques that could be used in future space missions, including journeys to Mars. (Photo by Karl Shreeves/NASA)

Kristina Elekes, 23, races on her ski during the Bikini Race contest held at Arena Platos Paltinis winter resort, near Sibiu city, 275 Km north from Bucharest, Romania, 06 March 2016. Bikini Race is a timed show on the slopes, at the fourth edition, for women dressed only in swimmsuits and some winter accessories. (Photo by Mihaela Bobar/EPA)