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.

An American Marine readies to land on Guadalcanal during the five-month struggle for the island between late 1942 and early 1943. Three thousand miles south of Tokyo, Guadalcanal was a major shipping point for military supplies. The Allied victory there in February, 1943, marked a major turning point in the war after a string of Japanese victories in the Pacific. (Photo by Joe Scherschel/Time & Life Pictures)

Residents of the Korean port of Inchon surrender to American troops. (Photo by Bert Hardy/Getty Images). 1950

A view of an entrance to the concrete case surrounding the pressure vessel of the reactor is seen inside the decommissioned Unit Six of the Greifswald nuclear power station outside Lubmin August 5, 2014. Unit Six was a part of East Germany's largest nuclear power plant that was nearly completed in 1990, when the country's re-unification halted construction. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Fans dressed as Darth Vader and Chewbacca take a boat trip to the Skelligs on May 4, 2018 in Portmagee, Ireland. The first ever Star Wars festival is taking place against the backdrop of the famous Skellig Michael island which was used extensively in Episode VII and Episode VIII of the popular science fiction saga. The small fishing village of Portmagee, which is closest to the location, has seen a boom in tourism following the latest films. The vilage will host a Star Wars drive-in and a Star Wars themed Irish dancing competition over the weekend. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

The body of one of several U.S. soldiers who were executed after being captured by North Korean troops just south of Seoul in early July 1950. (Photo by AP Photo)

Audrey Mata from Washington D.C in the U.S. dressed as Princess Leia, comes face to face with a replica of R2-D2 at the 'For The Love of The Force' Star Wars fan convention in Manchester, northern England, December 4, 2015. (Photo by Phil Noble/Reuters)

A U.S. Marine leads training on a shooting range in France in an undated photo taken during the First World War. (Photo by Reuters/Courtesy Library of Congress)