David Herrera and his IED detection dog Kash were once partners in Afghanistan.
A former IED Detection dog immediately recognized his former Marine Corps handler, despite being blind and having been apart from him for more than six years.
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David Herrera, 29, of Oceanside, Calif., shared the touching video of the first time he saw Kash N060 since their deployment in Afghanistan.
“He came up to me and started rubbing his head against me,” Herrera told InsideEdition.com. “At first, he was looked a little hesitant, but it made sense.
"He was trying to smell who was there, and once he knew it was me, he was so excited. I didn’t even know he was blind until afterwards."
Herrera explained he was assigned to Kash, who was 2 years old at the time, in May 2010. They first trained together in Hartsville, S.C., before they were deployed to Afghanistan.
“We’re in clearance, so our main job is to make sure there’s no bombs in the roads,” he explained.
He recalled one particular day when he was leading his team of 30 men on a hillside in a check for IEDs. Herrera said he then suddenly noticed Kash trying to get his attention.
“He started jumping around,” Herrera said. “I turned around and there was an IED right there. I was able to get him away.”
Herrera said that was one of many times Kash saved his life and the lives of his teammates.
When they returned from deployment in 2011, the pair was separated and Kash was sent back to train with a new handler.
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Years later, Herrera said he heard from an old friend that Kash was in retirement, and had been adopted by a handler in Texas.
During a trip to visit his family in Texas, Herrera said he wanted to reach out to reunite with Kash.
“I’m just glad I got to see him again after so long,” he said. “We had so many great times out there.”
Watch: Airman Drapes American Flag Over Former Military Dog Partner's Body After He Is Put Down
