HERCULANEUM, MO (KTVI) – A soldier, injured in Afghanistan, is desperately trying to find the army brother who saved his life. The army is giving him the run-around because that fellow soldier is a dog.

Army Specialist Brent Grommet is talking about a German Shepherd named Matty. Together their mission was to search the roads of Afghanistan for improvised explosive devices. But, last spring, when one of them exploded under their truck both Brent and Matty were injured. But, not bad enough to eventually be sent home. That is why he decided to adopt Matty.

Grommet filed all the forms. Then, on the same day Brent was having surgery on his back,he learned the army adopted Matty to someone else. That was last month, and ever since, Brent and his family have been trying to find Matty. They are hoping whoever adopted the dog would be willing to give him or sell him back to Brent. But, the army won’t tell them anything.

What Brent is not running out of is determination. A trait he saw displayed by Matty every day of their mission.

Brent has been filing freedom of information requests and calling Senator Claire McCaskill’s office.  A spokesperson for the senator says her office has been working on the case for several weeks and that they are hoping to have news from the Army very soon.

Brent is determined to find the dog he says saved his life many times so he can give Matty a new life. He says it will include a room just for Matty, full of his favorite thing, tennis balls.