Lost Mountain Group

05/03/2026

A huge THANK YOU to the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office for the incredible gift you’ve made possible through a recent Lost Mountain Group pairing! Because of your generosity, a Carroll County veteran has gained more than just a companion- rather a bond, a battle buddy, and a new chapter filled with purpose and connection.

Moments like these remind us what community is all about! Showing up, giving back, and making a real difference where it matters most. We are beyond grateful to have partners like you riding alongside us on this mission.

Sheriff Sesker and the Anne Arundel County Sheriff’s Office would like to wish K9 Rocco a happy retirement.

Rocco is a 3.5-year-old German Shepherd from the Slovak Republic who was trained for dual purposes: as both a patrol canine and an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) canine. For the past two years, he has served at the Anne Arundel County Sheriff’s Office until his recent medical retirement.

Rocco has been adopted by a retired U.S. Army veteran from the Cold War era and his wife. This pairing was facilitated by the Lost Mountain Group.

While we will miss seeing Rocco at work, we know he has earned this well-deserved retirement. Happy retirement, Rocco!

04/11/2026

Congratulations to Matthew and Sandi on their adoption of retired (LEO) Working Dog Rocco and officially joining the Lost Mountain Group Family! And a HUGE THANK YOU to A/Sgt. Ryan Costin and the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office for this opportunity to bring these two battle buddies together!

Rocco is a 3.5 year old German Shepherd from the Slovak Republic and was dual purposed trained as a patrol canine as well as an EOD canine along side his handler A/Sgt. R. Costin. For the last two years, he as been working as an EOD canine until his recent medical retirement.

Matthew is a US Army Veteran from the Cold War Era and spent some time in Korea. He is retired and along with his wife reside in Carroll County, MD ... perfect for LMG collaborations!!

When the AACoSO reached out to me about Rocco, I already had the perfect pairing in mind... of course, Rocco had to agree.

Over the past week, we have held several meet and greets, introducing Rocco to the Veteran, the Veterans wife, a new home, yard, and feline house companion.

Here's to another successful "Battle Buddy Pairing"-- #52 for Lost Mountain Group-- and to continuing to test the theory of "Who Rescued Who!" while spreading lots of love and cheer!

🇺🇲🐾❤️🐾🇺🇲🐾❤️🐾🇺🇲

12/10/2025

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10/01/2025

The End of an Era- the last multi purpose canines (MPCs) were retired from the Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command after the closure of the K-9 program in September.

Happy Retirement Buzi, Jakob, ReXs, Rik, Tessie and Thor!

Thank you for your service!
🇺🇸♥️🐾

09/11/2025

After 9/11, search and rescue dogs worked day and night at Ground Zero. They were trained to find survivors in disasters. But in the rubble of the World Trade Center, there were very few survivors to find.

As the days went on, the dogs started to look confused. Some got depressed. They were used to finding people. And now, they weren’t. Handlers noticed this and decided to help.

Sometimes, they staged fake rescues. A firefighter or handler would hide in the debris. The dog would find them. They’d act like it was a real rescue. This gave the dog a sense of success. It lifted their spirits.

These dogs were not just working hard. They were emotionally affected too. They were part of the team. And they needed support, just like everyone else.

References:
Artifacts Tell the Story of 9/11 Rescue and Recovery Dogs – 9/11 Memorial & Museum
Godsend: The vets and volunteers who cared for 9/11 rescue dogs – ABC News
9/11 Was Hard On Responders – And Rescue Dogs – Central Florida Public Media
Remembering Heroic 9/11 Dogs – Dogster

Post content credit to the original publisher (unknown)

07/14/2025

Please join Lost Mountain Group in congratulating Carroll County Commissioner Ed Rothstein, who has been appointed by Governor Wes Moore as the next Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs and Military Families.

Secretary-designate Rothstein brings over 30 years of military experience, leadership, and a lifelong commitment to serving veterans and military families across Maryland and beyond to the position that he will assume effective August 1st.

Below, Rothstein is pictured with LMG's Tsara following a Carroll County Veterans Advisory Council meeting.

07/04/2025

Wishing you and yours a very Happy 4th of July from Lost Mountain Group and our furry friends!

01/28/2025

Argos, the faithful dog of Odysseus, remains one of the most iconic symbols of loyalty in ancient literature.

Its story comes from Homer's Odyssey, an eighth-century BC epic poem that chronicles Odyssey's long and perilous journey as he attempts to return home after the Trojan War. After 20 years of absence filled with battles, shipwrecks and constant death threats, Odyssey finally returns to Ithaca, his homeland, but in disguise. No one recognizes him, not even his family or closest friends. But there is a soul that does.

Argos, his old dog, neglected and weak, lying on a pile of dirt, sees him from afar. Her ears stand up, her tail wags softly. Despite being too weak to stand, she finds the strength to recognize the only one she had waited for all those years.

This short but powerful scene appears in Corner 17 of The Odyssey and has remained as one of the most moving moments in all of literature. Argos, forgotten by all but still clinging to hope, finally sees his master once again. And with that small, quiet moment of joy, let go of life, dying in peace.

It is a testament to the eternal love of dogs: they never forget, never stop hoping, and never stop loving. Argos loyalty is timeless, reminding us that even in the earliest stories, the bond between humans and dogs already seemed sacred.

For anyone who has ever loved a dog, this scene touches the heart deeply. It's not about greatness or heroism, it's about the quiet power of devotion.

Credits: Engie ena Alvarez

01/17/2025

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A VETERAN IN HER OWN RIGHT — When veterans of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry dedicated their monument on Oak Ridge at Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) in 1890, it included a statue of the regiment’s mascot “Sallie.” Sitting below the figure of a skirmishing soldier, she remains at rest guarding the members of her unit. Sallie participated in a number of other battles with the 11th Pennsylvania but was eventually killed at Hatcher’s Run (Virginia) on February 6, 1865. It was said that even while being close to the action and under some heavy fire, soldiers chose to bury her on location.

📸 Photo by Matthew Holzman

11/11/2024

Happy Veterans Day to ALL who have served... including our four legged fury friends from Lost Mountain Group!