"When I came home we let her outside and, at first, she didn't realize I was home," Foraker told ABC News. "Then, she did a double-take and came back to me. That's when she started crying and whimpering. She was so excited."
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Foraker had never been away from the golden retriever up until enlisting, which made it especially warming to see her reaction.
Thirteen-year-old Buddy is nearly deaf and suffers from arthritis, and Foraker worries about her health.
Foraker says she Skypes with Buddy as often as she can while away from home.