They say that a dog is man’s best friend. These military troopers prove it. Ron Aiello was a 21-year-old corporal in 1966 when he and his scout dog, Stormy, went on their first mission together in Vietnam. Walking ahead of a Marine platoon, they secured one village and had just entered a clearing near another…
One day this spring, Army Specialist David Bandrowsky, 27, played Russian roulette with his .38 revolver. Bandrowsky planned to end his life, which had been at turns unbearable since he returned from a 16-month deployment in Iraq in 2008. He had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, a traumatic brain injury and depression as a…
Shock and sadness rippled through the MWD world this week with the news that handler U.S. Navy Master at Arms 2nd Class Sean Brazas died on May 30th. He was killed by a single bullet while helping a fellow serviceman into a helicopter during “combat operations in Panjwa’l, Afghanistan.” MA2 Brazas’s working dog and partner,…
A staple to most militaries around the world, dogs hold important roles including sniffing out drugs and bombs, finding victims of natural disasters, and lifting the morale of injured troops. But what happens after they’ve served their time in the military? To find out, we spoke to Collen McGee, public affairs officer at Lackland Air…
He’s received three Army Commendation Medals, an Army Achievement Medal and 40 coins of excellence. Now Gabe, a retired Army working dog, is in the running for the 2012 Hero Dog Award from the American Humane Society for his work sniffing out insurgent bombs, guns and ammunition in Iraq. His Facebook page has more…
Animal Nation recently attended the 2012 Department of Defense K-9 Dog Trials, where Military Working Dogs from all four service branches competed for the title of Top Dog. That’s where we met two dog and handler teams: Air Force Tech Sergeant Justin Kitts and his canine partner, Dyngo; and Army Sergeant Jason Cartwright and his…
MEMORIAL DAY 2012 With Memorial Day fast approaching I started to think about a young Lady I met back in 1965, she was only 18 month old (her name was Stormy) and I fell in love immediately. We stayed together for the next 16 month and if not for her there is a good chance…
Dogs and devices sniff out top killer The U.S. military is on a path toward significantly fewer battlefield deaths in Afghanistan this year because it has become better at detecting the No. 1 killer of U.S. troops: the improvised explosive device (IED). With the 2009 surge forces leaving the country and Afghan troops preparing to…
ARMY dog handler Jim Wilkinson told yesterday how his hero hound saved his life after a bomb blast in Afghanistan. Jim, 26, was in danger of bleeding to death because shrapnel had pierced a major artery. But his loyal sniffer dog Tam barked furiously at his side, stopping him from falling into unconsciousness and alerting…
Local soldier’s companion candidate for top award By AMY MILLER amiller@tnonline.com At 9 years old, Gabe, a yellow Labrador, looks like any older dog, with white fur peppering his strong golden face. He’s affectionate to anyone he meets, and enjoys the little things in life, like treats; spending time with his owner, Sgt. 1st Class…