Starring Kate Mara as the titular US Marine corporal, 2017’s Megan Leavey chronicles the service of its titular character and Rex, the military working dog Leavey was paired with. In the fashion of other biographical dramas, Megan Leavey centers on the work the duo performed in the Military Police K9 Unit, though it does hint at what happened to Megan Leavey and Rex after they served two deployments in Iraq together. Rex, a German Shepherd trained to sniff out bombs, joined Leavey in Fallujah in 2005, but it was the pair’s service in Ramadi that really changed their lives.

Megan Leavey underscores the all-important bond between Megan and Rex…

During the 2006 deployment, both Corporal Leavey and “Sergeant Rex” were injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated near them. In the aftermath of the life-threatening event, Leavey was awarded the Purple Heart — a military decoration awarded by the US president to soldiers who were wounded or killed while serving. From beginning to end, Megan Leavey‘s cast of characters and emotional story underscore the all-important bond between Megan and Rex. In fact, Megan gained special permission to adopt Rex after he retired from service in 2012, allowing the pair to further cement their remarkable bond.

Megan Leavey Received The Genesis Legacy Medal In 2019

The Marine Also Received A Purple Heart For Her Service

In addition to receiving the coveted Purple Heart, Megan Leavey received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a “V” device, which denotes her heroism in the face of combat. However, the US Marine Corps veteran and Military Police K9 handler has been awarded other decorations in light of her noble actions. In 2019, Leavey received the Genesis Legacy Medal from the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. The award honors both Purple Heart recipients and civilians who demonstrate exemplary service, either to the US or the military’s vets.

Corporal Megan Leavey and Rex were instrumental in military operations in Iraq.

Sworn into the Marine Corps in 2003, Leavey first met Rex at Camp Pendleton in October 2004, as the movie depicts. “I felt more confident with my dog,” Leavey said. “You have to entrust your life [to] him” (via PurpleHeartMission.org). Tasked with detecting bombs and other roadside IEDs, Corporal Megan Leavey and Rex were instrumental in military operations in Iraq. In 2007, Leavey was honorably discharged from the US Marine Corps, and found work with a private security firm and a new bomb-sniffing canine partner, Patriot. Together, the duo performed safety checks in popular New York City areas.

Rex The Dog Died Of Old Age In December 2012 & Had A Dog Park Dedicated To Him

“Sergeant Rex” Was Retired By The Marine Corps At Camp Pendleton’s K-9 Unit

After being paired with Megan Leavey at Camp Pendleton in 2004, Rex (E168) served two deployments alongside his human handler. In the wake of the corporal’s honorable discharge from the Marines, she tried to adopt Rex, but he was still required to serve. By 2011, Rex developed facial palsy, which rendered him unable to perform his duties as a bomb-sniffing canine. The military working dog’s official retirement from the Marine Corps occurred in 2012 at Camp Pendleton’s K-9 unit. In a full-circle moment, Leavey, thanks to several New York politicians, reunited with Rex where they first met.

The canine only got to spend 8 months of his civilian life with Leavey…

Although Megan Leavey was finally able to adopt Rex, her canine companion didn’t live much longer. On December 22, 2012, Rex passed away of old age at Leavey’s Rockland County, New York home. Before Rex passed away, he and Megan were honored at high-profile events, including a New York Yankees game. Sadly, the canine only got to spend 8 months of his civilian life with Leavey before he died at the age of 11, but, during that time, Rex enjoyed time with Leavey’s other pets and his best (human) friend (via CBS News).

The Real Megan Leavey Makes A Brief Cameo In The 2017 Movie

Leavey Appears As A Drill Instructor In The Movie

Involved in the making of the 2017 film about her service, Megan Leavey even had a cameo appearance in the Kate Mara film. While Mara’s character is training, the new recruit faces the scrutiny of a drill sergeant. Wearing a red t-shirt, the real-life Leavey is easy to spot during the sequence, and is dubbed “Female Drill Instructor #3” in the movie’s credits. An uplifting drama about the bond between Rex and the Marine, Megan Leavey does right by its real-life subjects and honors their singular story.