Retired Army bomb detection dog reunites with Central Florida soldier

Robi adopted by U.S. Army Staff Sgt Charles Ogin and family

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Its was the moment U.S. Army Staff Sgt Charles Ogin had been waiting for Wednesday when he was reunited with his beloved dog Rrobiek, known as "Robi."

Robi, a 9-year-old Belgian Malinois, served as a patrol explosive detection dog in Iraq and Syria with Ogin. The two were inseparable and spent four years together serving our country.

"He's easily distracted like me," Ogin said. "We both have a touch of A.D.D but he's a big big baby."

Ogin said he trained with Robi and served multiple missions while serving overseas and even went to Kenya for a Secret Service mission for President Barack Obama.

In 2017, the pair were split up.

Robi was taken to a U.S. Army post in Washington where he suffered a knee injury. He was then transferred to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.

"I worked with a whole bunch of units ... (I) can't talk about most of it but it was fun we loved our job we loved our life and I missed him when I had to give him up," Ogin said. "I cried like a baby."

With the help of the American Humane organization, Robi was escorted to Central Florida where he was officially adopted by the Ogin family.

"It doesn't feel real," Ogin said after reunion. "I don't know why it doesn't feel real but its awesome!"


About the Author:

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

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