It was a reunion three years in the making for Army Specialist Vance McFarland. Thanks to help from Mission K9 Rescue, McFarland and his former Tactical Explosive Detection Dog were reunited for good.

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Emily Valla, KTVB A small crowd gathered around the meet and greet area at the Boise Airport, waiting for a flight to land. Soon, a United Airlines flight from Denver landed, carrying precious cargo.

U.S. Army Specialist Vance McFarland shifted back and forth, fiddling with a dog toy. He was waiting for the first glance of a special passenger: Ikar, a 5yearold Czech Shepard.

"I hope he remembers me," McFarland said.

The two served together in Afghanistan in 2012.

"Sometimes were good, sometimes were stressful. Having Ikar definitely made it a lot better. Having a dog with you on deployment is almost like having a little bit of home. Other soldiers were jealous, they always wanted to come up and pet Ikar. We made the best of it," said McFarland.

Ikar is a Tactical Explosive Detection Dog (TEDD). McFarland described their deployment as, "We went to Afghanistan and found roadside bombs, IEDs."

When the pair arrived back home in Sept. 2012, they were separated. Ikar was sent to another handler.

But now, thanks to help from Mission K9 Rescue, the duo will never have to be separated again.

For more of the story, click here: http://usat.ly/1h6hwzf