DEKALB (AP) — Nero isn't your average veteran.

He served with the U.S. Navy in a bomb detection unit in Iraq and protected more than 3,000 soldiers during his deployment. But what separates Nero from most veterans are his four legs and furry coat.

To fellow Iraq War veteran Danny Scheurer, Nero is more than a German shepherd. He is a hero. Both Scheurer and Nero were injured in the line of duty in Iraq. As a result, Scheurer receives roughly $1,000 a month from the government. Nero was in line for a different fate.