The story of former U.S. Navy SEAL Will Chesney, the dog Cario and what they went through to cut the top SEAL team. He details the mental and physical stresses of SEAL training, noting that only 20% of candidates graduate. After his early deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, he returned impressed with two military working dogs. Since he loved dogs, he became a canine handler and was assigned Cairo, a Belgian Malinois with a hard work ethic and easygoing demeanor.

Will and Cario forged a bond in training and on the battlefield that grew into a loving friendship and lifelong commitment.

Cairo was shot twice while flushing out a pair of insurgents and participating in the 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. Cario was the only dog chosen to be with the special ops SEAL team the night of the raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

In a later mission, Chesney suffered a brain injury from a grenade, leading to his retirement. Cario was critical in helping Chesney make the transition and saved his life in battle and his recovery.

Chesney shows nothing but respect for those he worked with and the institutions of the military. This story will give you added reference to the relationship humans and animals can share—a well-done important story.

Brent M. Jones

Brent writes with quiet confidence and curiosity, exploring communication, reinvention, and what truly matters. His reflections invite readers to slow down, reconsider their stories, and reconnect with the values that guide them. Through books, essays, and his What Matters Substack Articles and Notes, he offers writing that doesn’t shout—but still speaks clearly.