Navy Dog: A Dog's Days in the US Navy

* First off, get the hardcover version of this book which has 20 great photos inside. (I returned the Kindle edition after discovering it had no pics.)* On May 10, 2015 - the San Diego Union-Tribune published a long story about "Jenna" - a regal Shiba Inu who's the eponymous "Navy Dog" in this book. It was the first time I'd heard of her.* Eight years later - Jenna finally gets the full book-length treatment. The result is an excellent, wildly raucous / funny and poignant work, a landmark in terms of dispelling / confirming clichés about life at sea - while underlining how a dog - this dog - helped bond soldiers from disparate backgrounds - during several tours serving the U.S.* Jenna is the only dog in the modern era to serve on any ship in the U.S. Armed Services, namely the U.S.S. Vandegrift, a frigate the author commanded. While conventional thinking discourages live mascots aboard military vessels - "Navy Dog" depicts how it happened - and - how Jenna became the heart and soul of the ship itself.* "Navy Dog" is an eye-opener for those who have never donned a military uniform - but who are touched by the men and women who do. Jenna was a stray Shiba Inu found in a dog shelter in Japan - who, from 1998 to 2003 - became a fixture for the Vandegrift's crew of 225 men. Notable is how Jenna's presence - never receives formal authorization from the Pentagon.----* A running theme in the book is the impact of protocols, not just among sailors - but their impact on a mascot like Jenna. A cloud constantly hangs over her fate, a fear that someone personally offended - will report her and have her permanently removed from the ship.* Typical of Shiba Inus - Jenna prefers affection "from a distance." (She is not an overly affectionate golden retriever.) But she is neither sad nor lonely. She does her own thing like she owns the place, moving with purpose. But she wasn't "low maintenance" either. Sailors howled when they heard the call, "Jenna spill in the radio P-way (passageway)" - a signal to whomever had the duty - had to go "clean up."* The book is structured to allow Jenna - through her eyes and the author's - to tell a bigger, sometimes harrowing story about life for young soldiers on a ship thousands of miles from home. If your ideas about that life come from old movies, flush 'em down the toilet. What happens here is better.* "Navy Dog" shows how in real life - being aboard a military ship is as scary as it is tedious, requiring perfection at every turn from soldiers with disparate strengths and weaknesses - weaknesses which sometimes require correction, if not outright punishment, e.g., see the chapter about what it's like to be called to attend a "Captain's Mast." Jenna is as much an observer as an active player during the sometimes wild events depicted. Too beautiful to "blend into the scenery" - her striking looks could serve as a warm-blanket ambassador - softening the locals in some ports - but not others, e.g., in one case, officers had to post a $10K bond on her behalf to ensure she wouldn't break free during a shore quarantine.----* Despite Jenna's curiosity and puzzlement - I'm not sure she fully understood the giant role she played on the ship - how she was the "glue" who kept the crew together, becoming the object of everyone's affection, a bright spot among lonely soldiers stuck on the other side of the world. I'd like to think Jenna knew her role in boosting morale - and knew she was loved. Because the love that others felt for her - is on every page. I wonder if some of the crew would say they wouldn't have made it without her. (Or they might say they would have - but it would have been a lot less fun.)* Amid rollicking moments of merriment and mirth - the stakes are ALWAYS high in "Navy Dog," e.g. docking a multi-ton ship requires "navigating / coasting" for miles in advance (no brakes). It means taking part in war simulations which can turn deadly - and - can spook the heck out of even regal dogs like Jenna. It means encountering ships with other flags - playing "games of chicken" with you, waiting for you to blink. It means playing nice with diplomats overseas in environments fraught with risk, with or without an ambassador dog. Even letting soldiers blow off steam via nutty - (and sometimes gross) - tom-foolery - has consequences.* In sum, "Navy Dog" is an emotionally moving and compelling tribute - to how the Navy works at the ship level among soldiers who sacrifice themselves by spending many months at sea - and - to how a four-legged creature named Jenna - helped them get through it all - as a full-fledged "unofficial" member of the crew. Fabulously entertaining, Grade A.

Captain Kusumoto (ret) writes a brilliant saga of “Seaman Jenna,” a rescue dog aboard his ship, USS Vandegrift, where she boosted the sailors’ morale and kept the “Dog Watch.” How did the crew manage to keep a dog aboard for five years? What did the chain of command above Captain Kusumoto think about having a dog on one of their Navy’s ships? How did Jenna worm her way into the heart of the wife of the Chief of Naval Operations? (The “Top Dog” of the Navy.) Not only will readers find the answers to these questions, but they will also learn A LOT about the Navy. Kusumoto works fascinating details about how a Navy ship operates through Jenna’s eyes, without lecturing on these details. I especially loved the Navy vernacular woven in to describe Jenna’s behavior and attributes. Following are examples as Jenna ages. “Jenna was losing her sea legs” and “Jenna was ready to go ashore.” Although I am a Navy veteran, one does not have to have “shipped out” to appreciate this brilliant, poignant, and often humorous book. Bravo Zulu, Captain Kusumoto!

Unique story & very well written. Enjoyed reading it!

Neal Kusumoto’s “Navy Dog” tells a great tale of how a four-legged companion lifted a ship’s morale following a change of homeport and brought a crew together in their common caring for this special canine. Seaman Jenna appeared as the right dog for the right crew at the right time. The story is both heartwarming and educational, giving readers a peak into some of the hazards, challenges, and pleasures of Navy life. Highly recommended to those who would like a glimpse into life at sea, those wishing to reminisce about the good old Navy days, and anyone who enjoys a well-written story about the human/animal bond.

I remember it like it was yesterday. "George Ensign away, mess decks." It puts pride in your heart and a lump in your throat.

This is a Heart filled story written, beautifully. The kind of book that makes people realize how amazing the Navy is. Jenna was an amazing dog. I couldn’t believe she could walk up and down ladders and do everything she did. It was a great experience and this is a great book. Highly recommended.

This true story about Jenna being on a US Navy ship is pretty incredible.

Hats off to Neal Kusumoto for his awesome job accounting the days on the U.S. Navy ship, USS Vandegrift (FFG-48) through the eyes of our love furry mascot, Jenna. I loved it and couldn't put the book down-most likely, because I was part of the Vandegrift crew, 1998-2001. HOOYAH, Jenna!!