Saving Private Hammer
It all started when a stray kitten was born under the living quarters of the U.S. Army 3rd Brigade Combat Team, stationed in Balad, Iraq.
At that point, the homeless kitten had neither rank nor name, and few prospects for a happy future.
But the small tabby soon found his way into the hearts of the soldiers of the unit, and earned the moniker of "Private Hammer." Now, the kitten is on his way to becoming a household name.
When Private Hammer's unit learned that it was leaving Iraq, and that it would have to leave its cat behind to an uncertain fate, Staff Sgt. Rick Bousfield took action.
Bousfield wrote to Washington D.C.-based Alley Cat Allies, pleading for help for Private Hammer.
"He has been quite a [morale] booster for us, because we consider him one of our own troops," Bousfield wrote. "[I]t would be a wonderful boost for the men to see the cat that has won [their] hearts...free like the Iraqi people."
If the unit were forced to abandon the cat when they left the country, Bousfield worried, the animal would soon be killed by Iraq's large population of wild dogs.
This situation was new to Alley Cat Allies, according to executive director Donna Wilcox, but they thought they had to try to do something. After much searching, Wilcox found a tiny organization called Military Mascots, which works to bring dogs and cats befriended by military personnel to the United States.
With Alley Cat Allies fronting the money for expenses, and Military Mascots handling the arrangements, Private Hammer was safely transported to Denver, Colorado, to live with Bousfield and his family - including their five other cats.
Although Private Hammer actually arrived in the United States in April, there was no publicity for his rescue then. But now the unassuming kitten has suddenly become a national celebrity, with his story appearing in media across the nation.
Wilcox hopes that the attention might help bring in some donations to Military Mascots so the group can help other animals. Although Alley Cat Allies paid $2,500 for this transport, she says she is referring all additional requests for such transports to Military Mascots.
