Rob Maitland of Australia collects a ball from the ocean during warm-up for the Water Polo by the Sea match between Australia and the United States of America at at Bondi Icebergs on Bondi Beach on January 4, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Two F-15E Strike Eagles wait to receive fuel from a KC-135R Stratotanker during exercise Red Flag 15-1 on their way to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jauary 23, 2015. The F-15s are assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing. U.S. (Photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron J. Jenne/Reuters)

A rescued malnourished sea lion is manually fed a fish at Sea World in San Diego, California March 17, 2015. Animal rescue centers in California are being inundated with stranded, starving sea lion pups, raising the possibility that the facilities could soon be overwhelmed, the federal agency coordinating the rescue said. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

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.

A United aircraft rolls over the highway to its parking position after landing at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, February 15, 2024. (Photo by Michael Probst/AP Photo)

Canada's Charity Williams, left, is tackled by United States' Alex Sedrick, center, and Naya Tapper during a Vancouver Sevens women's rugby match Saturday, February 24, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Photo by Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP Photo)

Women atop a boat take a group photo as the U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron’s Blue Angels perform in the skies over Annapolis, Maryland, on May 22, 2024. (Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

South Africa's Boipelo Awuah gets acquainted with the street skateboarding course during a women's practice session ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (Photo by Frank Franklin II/AP Photo)