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Trustworthy Partners

Military working dogs put it all on the line for their handlers and their country.

By Cynthia McFarland / Photos Courtesy of US War Dogs Association – Friday, October 28, 2011

Trustworthy Partners

Word on the street was that insurgents were hiding in the building. Leading the patrol in this Iraqi town was a military working dog and his handler. Before U.S. troops could enter and search the building, the handler and dog had to ensure that it wasn’t booby trapped.

Together they checked the entrance. Clear. They proceeded through the doorway into the building and checked the first room. Clear. The door leading to a second room was closed, and as the dog and handler approached it, the dog sat down and wouldn’t go forward. Explosives detection dogs are trained to sit as soon as they discover explosives, so the handler was immediately alerted. Carefully, he inspected the door, seeing nothing to cause concern. Yet when he knelt in front of the door, he spotted a piece of rope beneath the frame. He traced the rope to where it ended… attached to a small blue box packed with explosives. It was a fertilizer bomb, which would have detonated and destroyed the whole building—as well as anyone inside—if the dog hadn’t detected it.

Although this is just one instance, it’s a scenario that plays out time and time again as military working dogs do their part to keep our troops safe.

Ron Aiello’s best friend didn’t make it home from Vietnam. The worst part for Aiello is not knowing what happened to the partner who served with him faithfully on countless missions in the sweltering jungles of southeast Asia.

Aiello was one of the first 30 U.S. Marine Corps scout dog handlers deployed to Vietnam in March 1966. He and “Stormy,” a young female German Shepherd, went through three intense months of training before they arrived in Vietnam on a C-130 transport plane. In the first six months alone, those 30 Marine scout dog handlers were credited with at least 2,200 captured or killed Vietcong.

“It was all because of the dogs. There were thousands of miles of tunnels in Vietnam; the entrances and exits were small, but the dogs could track down the enemies hidden there,” recalls Aiello, co-founder and current president of the New Jersey-based U.S. War Dogs Association Inc.

When Aiello speaks, 45 years melt away as he remembers the physically and emotionally grueling days and nights when he trusted a four-legged partner to help keep him and his men safe. Aiello and Stormy often had to “scout out” buildings, hunting for booby-trapped explosives that could spell death in an instant. Stormy and other military working dogs became experts at finding enemy soldiers and alerting their handlers of impending ambush. Dogs and their handlers in Vietnam are estimated to have saved over 10,000 human lives.

In April 1967, Aiello’s tour of duty was up, and he returned to the States. Stormy stayed behind, and a new handler took over.

“She probably had four or five handlers after I left,” he says. “A number of years ago, I met all but one of her handlers at a reunion. As of July 1970, she was still alive and leading patrols.”

In 1973, Aiello wrote a letter to Marine Corps headquarters. He wanted to know when the military dogs were returning home because he wanted to adopt Stormy if she was still alive.

He never got a response. This troubled Aiello, who knew something was wrong, but he didn’t find out the rest of the story for many years—until 1990, to be exact.

“Roughly 4,700 to 4,900 dogs served in Vietnam and about 232 were killed, which is actually a very small number,” says Aiello. “In 1971, the military turned 1,700 dogs over to the South Vietnamese Army; in 1973, they turned over another 1,000 dogs to them. Supposedly, about 224 dogs were brought out of Vietnam, but there are no real records of where they went. The rest were either euthanized or abandoned.”

Aiello and fellow dog handlers were shocked and disturbed at this discovery.

Dogs have served in the U.S. military since World War II. Vietnam saw the largest number of handlers and dogs of any U.S. combat and remains the only war in which surviving military working dogs were never brought home.

Fortunately, times have changed. Military working dogs, which is their official description, although they’ve also been called “war dogs,” now return to the States after serving. Thanks to lobbying efforts by dedicated dog handler Vietnam veterans, Congress approved a bill, which then-president Clinton signed into law, allowing U.S. military dogs to be retired and adopted after service.

Most people know canines work in law enforcement, but many have no idea there are currently about 2,700 active military working dogs worldwide.

“A large number of these are working in the deployed areas, but nearly every U.S. military installation around the world has a military working dog kennel,” notes Gerry Proctor, public affairs spokesman for Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

The Department of Defense Military Working Dog School at Lackland AFB trains about 500 dogs each year; those dogs serve in all branches of the military.

“For the most part, we train all military working dogs,” says Proctor, “but Specials Ops has their own military dog school, and some very specialized mine detecting dogs are trained in other locations.”

In World War II, the military asked the general public to loan their dogs to “the cause.” Gone are the days when the military sought dogs from civilians. Today’s dogs are bred, raised and trained by the military; some are also purchased from special breeders.

Breeds typically used by the U.S military are German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois and Labrador Retrievers.

“These are the three predominant breeds, but we also have others,” says Proctor, adding that it’s more important for the dog to have good DNA as far as working ability, rather than just be a purebred.

Young dogs are raised with foster families until they enter training, which takes an average of four to six months, depending on the type of training. Explosives detection, patrol and tracking are the basic tasks for which dogs are used. Proctor adds that some dogs go through additional specialty training, and some can be “dual certified” for both patrol and explosives or narcotics detection. When trained to attack, dogs are so highly responsive that they can be called off by a command from their handler, even as they’re running to attack someone.

“For certain types of dogs, such as specialized dogs that search for explosives in the road, the handler goes through training with the dog,” says Proctor. “The handler will go through with two dogs and then pick the dog that is the best match for him. But in most cases, the dog is trained here and then sent into the field and gets a handler assigned there.”

Each dog is paired with one handler following training, and the two remain a team for at least a year or longer, although not usually for their entire careers.

As dangerous as the work can be, to a military working dog, it’s a game. For the most part, the reward for a job well done is praise from the handler, but dogs can also be rewarded with a favorite toy.

In places like Afghanistan and Iraq, enemy combatants are constantly coming up with different “ingredients” for making improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Dogs already in the field continue to train in order to detect these devices. Trained dogs can detect miniscule amounts of these substances, even in sealed containers.

“Millions of land mines were left in Afghanistan after the Soviets pulled out, so land mine detection dogs are big there,” says Aiello. “The dog walks straight out in front of the handler in a 30-inch wide 25-foot long path. If the dog detects any explosives, it is trained to sit down. The handler then tags any mines they find. It’s a very slow process because they are working inch by inch.”

Aiello adds that the military dog is sometimes at risk of attack from roaming packs of stray local dogs. An armed team member often walks behind the handler ready to shoot any marauding dogs if they try to attack the military dog.

When our Navy Seals successfully executed Operation Neptune Spear, the risky night raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound earlier this year, a military working dog was part of the team. “Cairo,” a Belgian Malinois, rappelled out of the helicopter with the Seals.

In these situations, the dog wears a special harness and is lowered from the ‘copter by cable. (Dogs wear special goggles to protect their eyes when near helicopters and from sandstorms in desert country.) His handler immediately follows and unsnaps the dog’s harness, so the canine can get to work. Aiello explains that the dog likely was wearing a ballistic vest and may also have been equipped with ear buds.

It makes sense that the handler can’t speak out loud to give commands to the dog in such a dangerous situation. It’s common to use ear buds so the handler can speak softly into a microphone on his or her own vest and tell the dog what to do. Sometimes a dog is equipped with a night vision camera mounted on his back. This comes in handy when the dog is sent ahead of the team as the handler carries a monitor and can see everything the dog is seeing.

When a dog can no longer perform full duty in the field, it returns to Lackland AFB to work as a training or demonstration dog. Most dogs work for an average of 10 years total.

According to Lackland AFB, about 300 dogs are retired each year. There’s no fee to adopt a retired dog, but qualified adopters must travel to pick up the dog in person and most are adopted out of the Lackland facility.

Military working dogs are currently classified as “equipment” by the U.S. military. One of the goals of the U.S. War Dogs Association is to see that retired dogs are classified as “veterans.”

Look through photos of military canines currently deployed overseas and the dedication and focused energy of these four-legged service members is obvious. Although they may not communicate in words, they share a powerful bond with their handlers and their devotion is complete. “Man’s best friend” may actually be our country’s best friend, thanks to their faithful service..

Adopting a Hero

If you’re interested in providing a final forever home to one of these four-legged service members, you can review the requirements and download an adoption application at

uswardogs.org

Recognition for Military Working Dogs

In 2000, Ron Aiello and four other military dog handler veterans launched U.S. War Dogs Association Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about military working dogs and helping with adoptions for retired dogs.

“Awareness of war dogs is the biggest priority in our chapter,” says Barbara Snow of Bronson, who heads up the Florida Chapter of U.S. War Dogs. “Because of the privacy of the military, these dogs aren’t as well known as law enforcement dogs. One fights the war on crime; the other fights the war for freedom. They keep us safe, secure and free.”

Snow is currently working on a bill that will give veterinary benefits to retired military and law enforcement dogs in Florida.

“Many of these dogs come down with cancers, likely because of the substances they’ve come in contact with, and treatment can cost thousands of dollars,” says Aiello. “We’re trying to get veterinary care for the retired dogs, just like retired human veterans receive.”

“We have a sponsor for this in the Florida Senate but not yet in the House,” says Snow. “Once we get a sponsor in the House, I can go out and get the support from veterans’ groups and the general public.”

Snow says people can help by volunteering at events, putting up displays about war dogs at local libraries and schools, and by signing petitions to get a War Dogs stamp created for the United States Postal Service.

To donate or learn more:

U.S. War Dogs Association, Inc.

(609) 747-9340 / uswardogs.org

Florida Chapter:

(352) 213-8958 / email: k9mwds@directv.net

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Strong Bonds Link Military Dogs, Handlers

October 17, 2011

Stars and Stripes|by Nancy Montgomery

HEIDELBERG, Germany — He was a go-getter, an athletic, high-speed soldier with an incredible drive. Young, dark and handsome, he was often playful and humorous.

So when an insurgent’s bullet found him on the Fourth of July, his closest friend decided there was no way he’d let him die.

“I have to get on that medevac!” Spc. Marc Whittaker yelled when the shooting stopped, as he hunkered down in a mud hut where he’d carried his wounded comrade.

The shooting in Logar province, Afghanistan, during a route-clearance mission, showed Whittaker, a 23-year-old military policeman, how strong his bond was with his wounded friend, Anax, a 3-year-old bomb-sniffing German Shepherd, one of thousands of military working dogs, called MWDs, that have increasingly been used in Iraq and, especially, Afghanistan.

It highlighted the complex emotional trade-offs required of the dogs’ handlers, who live with the dogs as their closest companions, but are expected to consider them expendable.

“Everybody tells us we have to look at our military working dogs as equipment. But it’s hard. I got really attached. I realized how attached when he got hurt,” Whittaker said. “He’s like a son to me.”

The aftermath of the dog’s shooting showed how the military has changed the way it cares for its MWDs — from battlefield medevacs and life-saving surgery to adoption when a dog can’t perform its military job, instead of what 20 years ago was routine euthanasia.

“Everything we do is just like in people,” said Col. Kelly Mann, director of the MWD Veterinary Service at Lackland Air Force Base. “Trying to help them return to duty.”

But this is also a story of one soldier’s devotion to his dog.

From the time Anax was shot in Afghanistan until he awoke from surgery three days later in the U.S. Army veterinary hospital in Germany, Whittaker never left his side. He didn’t eat, and he slept on a pad beside the dog’s kennel.

That’s where his Heidelberg-based company commander found them napping together — and welled up. “Just to see that level of care from a soldier,” said Capt. Aaron Kravitz, Whittaker’s company commander at the 529th MP Company, from which Whittaker and Anax deployed as individual augmentees. “Never leave a fallen comrade behind. Words to live by.”

Hazardous duty

Anax is among the MWDs trained at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. The dogs, mostly German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, are used for protection, pursuit, tracking, search and rescue and, increasingly, sniffing out the homemade bombs that cause the most casualties in Afghanistan.

The U.S. military has about 2,700 dogs on active duty. A month ago, according to the Army Times, CENTCOM said about 40 dogs were deployed in Iraq and 685 were deployed to Afghanistan.

“Many people are surprised to hear what MWDs contribute to national security,” said Gerry Proctor, spokesman for Lackland’s training programs. “There is no man-made technology that comes anywhere close to what a MWD can do.”

The dogs excel at the work they were trained for, although some turn out to be too anxious on the battlefield and some have diagnosed with canine PTSD, according to military vets and CENTCOM.

But even the best war dog isn’t conscious of potential consequences.

“They have no idea the thing they’re trying to find can blow up,” Whittaker said.

U.S. Marines in 2007 brought nine Labrador retrievers to find IEDs in Afghanistan. Now the Marines have about 200 dogs in theater, said Lt. Col. Kenneth Burger, manager for the Marines’ bomb-detection dog program.

“They’re effective,” Berger said, although quantifying that success is difficult. “There’s bombs and IEDS being found but I’m hard-pressed to say they’re successful [a certain] percentage of the time.”

But more dogs in combat means more dogs hurt or killed.

“In the military working dog program, the canine is expendable; that’s why it’s there,” Lt. Col. Richard Vargas, CENTCOM’s chief of law enforcement branch, told the Military Times last month.

Getting casualty numbers for war dogs is difficult, but published reports suggest that several dozen dogs have been killed since 2007, including nearly three dozen from special operations forces alone. “It’s a hazardous job for the dog,” said Mike Dougherty at American K-9 Interdiction, which contracts with the Marines to provide about half its Labs.

Whittaker wanted to be a dog handler to “make a difference in the deployment environment and find the explosives before they found our troops.”

But as the months passed and the bond with Anax grew, so did Whittaker’s apprehension. He attached medals of St. Michael — patron saint of law enforcement — to his gear and to Anax’s harness.

“Any time I sent Anax to search for something, I prayed and I hoped nothing would happen to him,” Whittaker said. “The whole time I was like, ‘Please don’t find anything.’ Because you don’t know if it’s a pressure plate or a command wire or remote control. You’re just scared.”

A bad feeling

Whittaker and Anax had been in Afghanistan for about five months, loaned out to various units that wanted their bomb-sleuthing capabilities. The July Fourth mission was to clear the route to a combat outpost before logistics resupplied it. Whittaker and Anax, along with some U.S. infantry soldiers and engineers and a group of Czech explosives specialists — about 30 men and one dog — left while it was still dark.

“Before the mission, I had a bad feeling,” Whittaker said. “You still have to do it. I’m a soldier and I have to drive on.”

They arrived at the post without incident after a few hours, with the convoy following. After checking out a report of unexploded ordnance in a nearby town, the group returned to take up position above the first town, to provide cover as the logistics team unloaded on the road. Suddenly, insurgents launched a rocket-propelled grenade, followed by small-arms fire directed at the logisitics team.

Whittaker and the others were ordered to flanking positions.

“The mission changed to engage the enemy,” Whittaker said. “We’re running, we’re jumping over walls, we’re running through alleys and fields.”

Anax was on a retractable leash attached to Whittaker’s belt. Bullets were cracking overhead, Whittaker said, and there was no cover.

“I thought, ‘I have to protect Anax,'” Whittaker said. “He doesn’t have body armor.”

Anax doesn’t wear body armor because it’s too heavy when walking in the heat.

Man and dog jumped to the road, and Whittaker shielded the dog with his own armor-clad body, with his back to the fire.

Anax was whining, Whittaker said, and bit Whittaker’s hand as he tried to cover him, although Whittaker said he doesn’t remember it. In the confusion, the soldier didn’t know the dog had been hit.

Whittaker saw an empty mud structure and started heading for it.

“But I realize Anax isn’t beside me,” Whittaker said. “He’s almost always ahead of me, so I know something’s wrong.”

Whittaker went back, grabbed Anax by the collar and dragged him to the building.

“I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is not happening,” Whittaker said.

Anax was whining and had blood coming from both hind legs. Whittaker started treating the left leg first, where the most blood was. It turned out that was just a flesh wound. The femur in Anax’s right leg, where the blood had clotted, was shattered.

Whittaker yelled for the medic. The medic gave Whittaker bandages and an IV, but left with half the platoon to free an injured civilian trapped in a vehicle. By then, the shooting had stopped.

Whittaker applied pressure bandages to the dog’s wounds and tried to start an intravenous line, but couldn’t get the IV in. Anax was becoming glassy-eyed and lethargic.

Whittaker worried that he and Anax might not get a spot on the medevac that was arriving about a mile away. He wanted the dog on the helicopter, even if he couldn’t go along.

“I was determined,” he said.

He picked Anax up and started walking to the medevac site. But it was six hours into an exhausting mission, and the 75-pound dog was dead weight.

“I probably made it 10 meters,” Whittaker said.

The Czech soldiers stepped up to help.

In the middle of the combat zone, Whittaker said, a Czech soldier stripped off his shirt to use as a litter but that didn’t work.

An Afghan drove up in a truck, and the Czechs persuaded him to let them use his truck to take the dog to the medevac site.

Anax and Whittaker flew from there to Bagram Air Base, and on to Dog Center Europe, the Army veterinary hospital in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

Anax’s right leg was shattered too close to the hip to be saved, and after a five-hour operation, the dog became one of the wars’ amputees — and eligible to retire.

“I’m happy the only thing he lost was just a leg,” Whittaker said. “It could have been a lot worse.”

Allowing MWDs to be adopted into civilian life is relatively new. During the Vietnam War, for instance, more than 4,000 dogs were used by the U.S.; only 200 or so survived the war and most were left behind or euthanized, according to the United States War Dogs Association.

President Bill Clinton in 2000 signed legislation allowing adoption of MWDs. For the past several years, the dogs’ last handlers have been given first right of refusal. Proctor, at Lackland, said about 300 MWDs are adopted annually.

Anax’s shooting and the care he received made Whittaker decide he wants to stay in the Army, if he can train as a veterinary technician.

“I got to see what they do and how they were able to make him better,” Whittaker said. “I love MWDs, and I don’t want to leave that part of my life.”

If he’s turned down, he’ll get out of the Army, he said. Redeploying as a dog handler is out of he question, he said.

“I can’t go through what I did,” he said. “What happened to Anax was devastating to me.”

Whittaker said he was able to find a silver lining of sorts.

“If he wasn’t hurt, he’d stay here [in Germany] and I would move on to another duty station.” Instead, Whittaker plans to adopt Anax and take him home to Texas.

“I’ll be his caregiver for the rest of his life,” he said. “He’ll retire fat and happy on my couch.”

This article is provided courtesy of Stars and Stripes, which got its start as a newspaper for Union troops during the Civil War, and has been published continuously since 1942 in Europe and 1945 in the Pacific. Stripes reporters have been in the field with American soldiers, sailors and airmen in World War II, Korea, the Cold War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Bosnia and Kosovo, and are now on assignment in the Middle East.

Stars and Stripes has one of the widest distribution ranges of any newspaper in the world. Between the Pacific and European editions, Stars and Stripes services over 50 countries where there are bases, posts, service members, ships, or embassies.

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MP dogs, handlers prepare for deployment

10/29/2010 By Cpl. Rebekka S. Heite , Marine Corps Bases Japan

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, Japan — Marines from Military Police Support Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III MEF, worked together to familiarize five military working dogs with the CH-46 Sea Knight while static and in flight Oct. 15.

“The primary purpose of this training is to familiarize the MWDs with the helicopter and to allow the handlers to see how the MWDs react to the noise and disturbances of the aircraft,” said Gunnery Sgt. Greg A. Ashby, kennel master with Military Working Dog Platoon, MP Spt. Co. “Additionally, it is to teach the handlers and MWDs how to safely and properly enter and exit the aircraft in preparation for future combat operations.”

The training was accomplished in baby steps: entering and exiting a static CH-46, entering and exiting a CH-46 that was spinning up, flying a couple circuits around the base, and flying to points all over the island and having the dogs disembark and then re-embark.

During the training the dogs were introduced to hover landings, no hover landings, running landings, steep approaches, zoom climbs, spiral departures, running take-offs and obstacle departures, said Capt. Kenneth Zebley, aircraft commander during the training with HMM-265.

“It went very well,” he said. “Now the handlers know how the dogs will react, and all the dogs did really well.”

Of the five dogs, only Cherry had been in a helicopter prior to the training. Cherry is a 5-year-old combat tracker with MWD Platoon who has stayed with his handler, Cpl. Gary Rowan, throughout his handler’s military career because of the specialized training the two have gone through together.

The other dogs include Rroger, Zak, Eiko and Johny.

Rroger is a 3-year-old combat tracker, meaning he tracks people, said his handler, Cpl. Sky Bryson.

Zak is a 2-year-old drug detection dog; dogs with this designation stay with their kennel throughout their careers instead of staying with their handler. For the time being, Zak’s handler is Cpl. Ryan Jones.

Eiko is a 2-year-old patrol and explosive detection dog handled by Cpl. Christopher Baez.

Johny will be 2 years old on Nov. 27. He is a patrol and explosive detection dog handled by Lance Cpl. Charles Sicklesteel.

The only dog who was a little nervous after a few flights was Rroger, said Bryson.

“But he definitely improved and is more comfortable with the helicopter,” he said.

“I wish I would have had this training before deploying with Cherry (the first time),” said Rowan. “In combat, I had (my rifle and packs) and Cherry pulling me. It would have been less stress for the dog and less stress for me” if Cherry had been familiar with helicopters.

“Now, Cherry is a lot more confident,” he added. “He knows what’s going on.”

MP Spt. Co. plans to train four more MWDs before their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan next year.

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Military Working Dogs prepare for deployment

8/28/2010 By Lance Cpl. Bryan J. Nygaard , II MEF

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Amidst the booming sound of Marines firing multiple machine guns was a noise that is often not heard in a combat situation. It was the joyful bark of military working dogs.

Approximately 60 Marines and 22 Military Working Dogs from Military Police Support Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, conducted a live fire training exercise at a multi-purpose machine gun range aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Aug. 26-28, 2010. The Marines fired an array of weapons including the M1014 shotgun, Mossberg 500 shotgun, M240B medium machine gun and the M2 .50-caliber machine gun.

The exercise was designed to help the Marines of General Support Platoon, MP Support Co., sustain their proficiency in loading, firing and maintaining the different weapons they’ll be operating during their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. It also served to familiarize the K-9s of Military Working Dog Platoon, MP Support Co. to the sound of gunfire.

“It’s getting back to the basics,” said 1st Sgt. Jason Gillespie, first sergeant of MP Support Co. “Numerous after-action reports state: being proficient at the basics has saved lives downrange.”

The Military Working Dogs, used primarily for detecting the enemy and explosives, were also maintaining the basic skills that will help them survive in combat.

“For the Military Working Dog Platoon, it’s a simulation of a walking patrol in which Marines take fire from an enemy, and the handler coordinates getting the dog to take cover in a Humvee,” said Staff Sgt. Brian N. Burgess, training chief for military working dogs in MP Support Co. “It’s designed to acclimate both the dog and the handler to the fog of war. It also prepares the Marines of General Support Platoon to be able to operate alongside a four-legged animal during combat.”

The dogs remained calm as the Marines of GS Platoon fired round after round from heavy machine guns.

Cpl. Arturo Flores, a military working dog handler with MWD Plt., says the dogs’ reactions are not based on their environment, but on the bearing of their handlers.

“The dog can tell when you’re calm, scared or angry based on the tone of your voice and by your mannerisms,” said Flores. “It all travels down leash.”

The Marines of MP Support Company will conduct at least one field exercise a month until their deployment to Afghanistan, which is slated for this winter.

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Devil Dogs work hard to maintain working dogs

1/18/2006 By
Lance Cpl. John S. Rafoss ,

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan —

It can be tough work owning a dog. There’s the bathing, cleaning, feeding, barking and the constant need for attention.

But for military working dog handlers, it’s all in the job description.

Not only are the Marines challenged with training man’s best friend for saving lives, but they are tasked with being its primary care giver.

“Being a military working dog handler is a 24/7 job,” said Cpl. Joseph S. Singleton, dog handler and native of Mt. Pleasant, N.C. “Just because you are working normal hours doesn’t mean your job stops. We are always on call.”

“Our dog’s health is our responsibility. We have to make sure he is capable of accomplishing the mission,” added Singleton.

Every work day begins with kennel care. Kennel care consists of a doggy potty break, a cage spray down and dog chow.

“We are training these dogs to save lives,” said Lance Cpl. Shaun B. Dockrill, dog handler and native of Stow, Ohio. “I think 30 minutes in the morning and at night for kennel care is a small price to pay.”

After kennel care is complete, the Marines head to different training sites throughout the Station to conduct detection training or patrolling.

“We don’t want the training to become repetitive and have the dog get bored,” said Singleton. “So we switch up the training everyday between either detection or patrolling.”

Throughout the day’s training evolution, the Marines are constantly conducting health check points.

“When we conduct health check points, we check for new cuts and lumps,” said Cpl. Alfred C. Nieto, dog handler and native of San Antonio. “We also check the dog’s eyes, nose, pads, paw and teeth.”

Even though it’s part of the leathernecks’ job to take care of the dog, many form strong bonds with their animals.

“Where else in the Marine Corps can you go to work everyday and no matter what mood you are in, that dog is always happy to see you,” said Singleton. “It is a loyalty issue; if you build rapport with the dog he will do anything for you and be your best friend.”

But once the dog gets too old, which is usually around 8 to 12 years old, the dog has to be either euthanized or adopted out. If the dog has sociable behavior or can socially adapt to people, he will be adopted out.

For 12-year-old Alan, Singleton’s dog, he is on his last chapter in the Marine Corps.

“I have been Alan’s handler for two years, added Singleton. “Once you have been with an animal that long you share a bond with each other. Alan is more than just a pet to me, he is my guardian.”

“Alan has done his time; he has served more time in the Marine Corps than most Marines,” smiled Singleton. “In June, I plan on adopting him. I want him to live his last few years as a normal dog and enjoy his retirement.”

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Dogs take a lead in Iraq’s terror war

By Aamer Madhani – USA Today
Posted : Tuesday Mar 23, 2010 8:28:31 EDT

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

BAGHDAD — Iraqis aren’t what you would call dog people.

The streets of the capital are filled with mangy canines, and dog owners are few.

But in a country where bombs and explosives are an everyday threat, Iraqis may start learning to love man’s best friend.

The Iraqi police force hopes to introduce 1,000 bomb-sniffing dogs and their handlers on the streets of Iraq within five years. That’s not a lot of dogs for a country of 29 million people, but in Iraq it is.

“Iraqis are not fully comfortable with dogs yet,” says Brig. Gen. Mohammad Mesheb Hajea, who is in charge of the Interior Ministry’s fledgling K-9 unit. “But the people are coming to love them because they realize what they can do to keep us safe.”

Twenty-five dogs and their human handlers graduated on Saturday from Baghdad Police College’s newly created K-9 course. And 120 more bomb-sniffing German shepherds, Malinois and Labradors are scheduled to be incorporated into Iraq’s police force by the end of this year.

As in many Muslim countries, Iraqis generally see dogs as unclean animals. Some of the religiously devout point to the teachings of the prophet Mohammed that prohibited believers from keeping the animals in their homes.

But Hajea says Iraqis now recognize that dogs’ keen sense of smell makes them invaluable weapons in thwarting terrorists whose calling cards are roadside bombs and explosively rigged vehicles.

“There is no better investment to countering the threats of bombs and explosives,” said Col. Randy Twitchell, chief U.S. military adviser to the Baghdad Police College. “The Iraqi security forces are recognizing how useful a role that dogs can play in securing the country.”

Beefed up units

The recent embrace by Iraqi security officials has been welcomed by the U.S. military, which is paying $12,000 for each dog.

For years, U.S. military commanders have been urging the Iraqi forces to incorporate more dogs into their security program. The Iraqi security forces first formed a K-9 unit in the 1970s, but it was scarcely used.

“We were there, but we only had a few dogs and we did little more than train,” said Hajea, who joined the police in 1986 after being trained as a veterinarian.

The American advice to bulk up the K-9 units was initially met with resistance. Instead of using dogs, Iraq’s Interior Ministry instead invested tens of millions of dollars in the ADE-651, a British-manufactured bomb detection device that is ubiquitous at checkpoints throughout the country.

Earlier this year the British government banned the sale of the device, which looks like a staple gun with a TV antenna attached to it, after a BBC investigation found they did not work.

Iraqis say the ADE-651s are useful and have helped police catch assailants. But Maj. Gen. Richard Rowe, the U.S. commander who oversees police training in Iraq, says the gadgets do not work. He has urged Iraqis to invest more money in dogs and other proven bomb-detection devices.

Despite the difference of opinions on the ADE-651, both Twitchell and Hajea say they are pleased that dogs are starting to become embraced by top Interior Ministry officials as U.S. troops begin their drawdown, scheduled for completion by the end of next year.

Plenty of volunteers

The vast majority of bomb-sniffing dogs being used at Iraq’s airports are owned by foreign contractors. Over time, those contractors will be phased out and replaced by Iraqi government-owned dogs and their police handlers, Hajea said.

Twitchell said that there was some concern before starting the program that there wouldn’t be enough police officers interested in training as dog handlers.

“In the end, we had some 60 volunteers for 25 spots,” Twitchell said.

At one of the final exams for the dogs last week, police officers guided their dogs through a row of luggage that had been set out on the hot asphalt of a parking lot at the police college. One bag, a dusty green duffle, was stuffed with explosives.

One of the last to go through the test was a cream-colored Labrador named Buddy and his nervous handler, Yusuf Hasib Qudair.

Buddy slowly sniffed each bag until he came to the suspect sack, which he sat on — the dogs’ way of indicating to handlers that they’ve found the suspect material.

Qudair broke into a grin and bounced a tennis ball for Buddy to chase, the reward for a job well done. Qudair said he’s never owned a dog and he wouldn’t consider keeping one in his home. But over the course of his training, he has bonded with Buddy.

“Buddy and I have been with each other every day for the last six weeks and we’ve gotten to know each other well,” said Qudair, 30. “Most important, I think together we can do our part to help the security situation.”

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Helping man’s best friend

{Submitted photo}

Stationed in Iraq, Reggie, the accompanying dog of Airman Aaron Lee, has received several treats and necessities thanks to a local youth group’s involvement with Operation Military Care K-9.

By Kipp Hanley
Published: February 12, 2010

Woodbridge, Va.—With a fox hound, coon hound and a German short-haired pointer in the house, you could say Alex Hundley is an animal lover.

Hundley also has military roots, with his grandfather retiring as a colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps.

So when his mother told him about Operation Military Care K-9, which provides both essential items and toys for soldiers and their canine partners, it seemed like a good fit for the 17-year-old Fauquier County resident and Liberty High School student.

After his family adopted dogs in Afghanistan and Korea, Hundley brought the idea up to his youth group at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Woodbridge.

They agreed and decided to adopt Reggie, a German shepherd accompanying Airman Aaron Lee in Iraq. On Friday, the youth group hosted a lock-in at the church where they baked dog biscuits for Reggie.

The youth group has already sent the Reggie a box filled with dog biscuits, tennis balls and dog rope chew toys. Before sending out a second box, they will be purchasing more expensive items such as doggles (goggles for dogs) and cooling packs, said Hundley.

Hundley said if they do not find any of the items in a local store, they will purchase them online.

Before he did his research on the project, Hundley believed that these dogs would be well equipped for their jobs, which often times involves sniffing out bombs or other explosive devices.

“These dogs seem to be second in line for receiving the necessary tools to get the job done—which is why they need our help to get these items to them,” Hundley stated in an e-mail this week.

The youth group will also be asking for donations and collecting items to fill a box in the church entrance. Items such as non-perishable foods, toiletries, games and books and dog supplies are needed.

Good Shepherd is located at 15695 Blackburn Road.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-878-8062.

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Military working dogs; unsung heroes saving lives since 1942

November 10, 2009 ,1:40 PM Jackson Pet Health Examiner Clare Sanders

Tomorrow marks Veteran’s day. A day we pause to remember the fallen and thank those who offer the ultimate sacrifice to protect our homes, families and way of life. We say today what should be said every day…thank you. “May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and the road downhill all the way to your door.” -an Irish toast

World War I saw the formation of the Army K-9 Corp in 1942. Originally all breeds were accepted but as time progressed, German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers became favored. Most references refer to their usage as trench rat removers during the great war of attrition.

World war II saw numbers of greater than 10,000 canine troops with approximately 436 being used as scouts, the remainder as messengers and mine detectors. Canine troops you may ask? That’s right, since its’ formation every canine has been issued a military service record.

The Korean war saw greater than 1500 canines used primarily as guard patrol.

The real surge in canine use began with the Vietnam war. Numbers vary between 3747 and 4900 canines used in service with only 204 canines exiting the campaign. Those lucky few either remained in the Pacific under South Vietnamese control or returned to military service stateside. Handler estimates reached 10,000 and canines served with distinction in all branches (65% Army, 26% Air Force, 7% Marine and 2% Navy-www.uswardogs.org). Two hundred and eighty one are officially listed as killed in action. Canines served as infantry scouts, led combat tracker teams, performed sentry duty (their motto-“detect, detain, destroy”-www.uswardogs,org), and served as mine/booby/tunnel sweepers.

Today’s military working dog serves a variety of functions. Several hundred (the numbers increase daily) serve patrol and detection (explosive and drug). Estimates of nearly 2,000 canines serve similar functions at military bases worldwide. The Belgian Malinois is now breed exclusively through the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Program as the preferred breed by the 341st training squadron at Lackland Air Force base in Texas. This specialized squadron is responsible for all aspects of military dog breeding, health care and training of both canine and handler, including kennel-masters and specialized team members. An approximately 13 million dollar veterinary facility provides daily care as specialized staff in combination with foster families, begin training up to 40 hours a week once pups reach six months of age. The initial focus being play drive then the addition of scent and trained aggression skills. The entrance exam for formal training comes at one year of age. The squadron provides over 100 dogs a year for military service (Department of Defense Military Working Dog Program; North American Police Work Dog Association, www.napwda.com).

And what of the injured soldier and their return to civilian life? Dogs are waiting to provide service and support. Canine provide guide, service, combat stress relief and military therapy roles. Vets Helping Heroes was created to match canines with special needs soldiers and provides a service dog for life for our veterans.

How can you help on veterans day? How can you express your thanks? With a waiting list and a greater than $50,000 investment over the lifetime of a veteran (the average lifespan of most canines being 7-10 years and replacements are free) the Vets Helping Heroes organization (http://vetshelpingheroes.org) could use some support.

Money tight for the upcoming holidays? Canines in service in Iraq and Afghanistan could be helped with a small donation of pet care products; visit http://https://uswardogsheritagemuseum.org/id40.html for a list of needs. Help create a care package for canines whose unfailing service returns safely to us so many beloved military men and women. Provide an example of the true spirit of Christmas, send care packages in honor of family members, the military or beloved pets, or consider providing for a military canine as a family this season.

The canine soldier: if the borrowing of mottoes is excused, always faithful, always vigilante, always ready to serve, protect and defend their fellow soldier.

Spread the word and help our troops, forward this to dog lovers.

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A special bond between soldiers in Iraq

Some dog handlers have asked to be buried with their four-legged partners — who may outrank them — if they are killed together.

By Tina Susman
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

February 25, 2008

Minari Village, Iraq

Staff Sgt. Iron quakes with fear at the sound of explosions. He brawls with other soldiers. He whines when he doesn’t get his way and slows others down when he stops to relieve himself during patrols through hostile territory.

But nobody complains, because when it’s time to enter a building that might be rigged to explode, or cross a pasture that could conceal a minefield, Iron is at the front of the line, making sure it’s safe for those who follow.

If it’s not, Iron will bear the brunt of the blast, along with his best friend, Sgt. Joshua T. Rose, who ranks one level below him. It’s an honor Iron enjoys for the dangerous job he does. It also ensures that charges could be filed against Rose in the unlikely event he ever mistreated Iron — an 80-pound German shepherd.

Rose and Iron are one of about 200 canine teams deployed in Iraq, where the bond between soldiers and their dogs is so deep that some handlers have asked to be buried with their canine partners if they are killed together.

On frigid winter nights in the Iraqi desert, Rose shares his cot and sometimes his sleeping bag with Iron to keep him warm. In the scorching summer heat, he makes sure Iron has enough water before taking his own share. If the heat is too much for Iron, who has a thick coat of glossy black fur, Rose lets him rest, no matter what the platoon leader might want.

Whenever he goes on a mission, Rose tucks a copy of an ode to police and military dogs into his front pocket. It reads in part: “Trust in me, my friend, for I am your comrade. I will protect you with my last breath. When all others have left you and the loneliness of the night closes in, I will be at your side.”

“These dogs are like our children. I’m closer to my dog than I am to anyone other than my wife,” said Staff Sgt. Charles W. Graves, the kennel master at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, about 20 miles southeast of Baghdad.

Graves works with Udo, a yellow Labrador retriever who holds the rank of sergeant 1st class, one higher than Graves. He is the fifth dog Graves has been teamed with.

Graves adopted his first dog after it retired from active duty. The dog died at age 16, from a heart attack while chasing a cat.

His fourth dog was aggressive and liked to bite, nothing like Udo, who is a specialized search dog. That means he isn’t aggressive and can run off his leash, wearing a vest that holds a radio through which Graves issues commands.

“If something ever happened to him, I’d never work canine again,” Graves said as Udo did a practice run across a field dotted with remnants of once-lethal explosives and other weapons.

Handlers are expected to keep their dogs “on odor” by putting them through such training every month, to ensure they don’t lose the ability to detect TNT, C4, AK-47s, wires, metal and the other threats that insurgents have planted across Iraq.

“If they took him out, I’d kinda wish they’d take me out too,” Graves, a former police officer from Oroville, Calif., said as Udo loped nearby. With each successful find, Udo was rewarded with a toss of his favorite toy, a rubber cone.

“It’s a helluva thing, owing your life to a dog,” Graves said.

Before each deployment, troops are asked to update their wills. Graves included a request to be buried with Udo should they die together. It has happened before. Last July, Cpl. Kory D. Wiens, 20, and his Labrador retriever, Cooper, became the first soldier-dog team killed since Vietnam. They were buried side by side in Wiens’ hometown of Dallas, Ore.

If you spend time with the soldier-dog teams, it becomes clear that the key to being a successful canine handler is to love dogs and to adapt to their childlike needs.

“If you deal well with kids, you’ll deal well with dogs,” said Rose, who has a husky and a dachshund back home in Kansas. “You’re working with about a 3-year-old mentality.”

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Blake T. Soller knows that all too well. Last April, his 4-year-old dog, Pluto, couldn’t resist leaping over the side of a cargo ship into New York Harbor, 60 feet below. Soller jumped in after Pluto and stayed with the 87-pound Belgian Malinois until a Navy boat picked them up. Neither was injured.

The U.S. military has used dogs in combat zones since World War II and deployed about 4,300 to Vietnam between 1965 and 1973.

According to the military, 281 died in the line of duty there, but hundreds more died after the war ended and U.S. troops departed. Back then, there were no provisions for military dogs to be adopted when their careers were over. Most were euthanized or left behind to uncertain fates.

That changed in 2000, with a law allowing retired military dogs to be put up for adoption at the Military Working Dog center at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. They range from small breeds such as beagles to hulking hounds.

Since the start of the Iraq war, about 1,000 dogs have passed through the combat zone, and three, including Cooper, have been killed in action.

Handlers say dogs are crucial for sniffing out the roadside bombs that are responsible for most soldier casualties, and for smelling wires that indicate booby-trapped buildings. They also search for drugs and illegal weapons at border crossings and checkpoints, chase down suspected insurgents and hunt for human remains.

And for the first time, the military has sent dogs into a war zone to serve as therapy for troops. Last month, two black Labradors arrived in Iraq to work with stressed-out soldiers.

A canine doesn’t have to be a therapy dog to be therapeutic, though.

On a chilly winter’s day, as troops prepared for a mission in southern Arab Jabour, southeast of Baghdad, attention was focused on Pluto and Iron, not on the dangers ahead. Rose scratched Iron’s ears. Pluto stood on his hind legs and leaned into Soller’s chest, like a dance partner. Other soldiers stood around in full battle gear, talking about their own dogs back home.

Until several weeks ago, the region was in the hands of Sunni Muslim extremists loyal to Al Qaeda in Iraq. A U.S. bombing campaign drove many of them out, but they left behind roads and buildings laden with explosives, and orchards littered with buried ordnance and weapons.

“I’ve had people say, ‘It’s a good thing you’re in the Navy, because that means you’re not on the front lines,’ ” said Soller as he and Pluto led the way down an eerily quiet dirt road lined with houses tucked back among high grass and fruit trees. “It doesn’t get any more front line than this. My job is to clear the way so the rest of the guys can get there.”

Soller, who used to train hunting dogs in Indiana, was tapped to attend canine handling school as a reward for exemplary service in the Navy. Rose, whose father was a police canine handler back home in Virginia, asked to attend the school after earning high marks from a platoon sergeant.

The biggest mistake handlers make is being impatient, Rose said as Iron veered to the side of the road and lifted his leg. The rest of the patrol slowed to avoid getting ahead of the canine team.

Visits to two homes, including a lavish villa overlooking the reedy banks of the Tigris River, showed how having dogs in the mix can alter an otherwise tense situation.

A grinning adolescent boy used hand signals and broken English to jokingly offer a trade: lean, amber-eyed Pluto for one of his sheep, which stood in a silent, fluffy flock staring at the dogs. In the garden, two women presented the troops with pizza-sized slabs of hot, freshly baked flatbread. Then the boy explained through an interpreter that there were weapons stashed in the wooded area across the road.

Soon, Rose and Iron and Soller and Pluto were pushing through a dense thicket. Within minutes, Rose spotted a subtle change in Iron’s behavior as he nosed around some palm fronds. The 7-year-old dog calmly sat down, a sign he had found something. A metal detector and shovel proved him right. A pipe bomb wrapped in a green sack was buried in the dirt.

By the end of the mission, Iron had made a second find.

After each discovery, Rose rewarded Iron with tosses of a red rubber cone — as with Udo, Iron’s favorite treat.

The dogs are bought from breeders in Europe and the United States and then trained at the military’s dog school at Lackland Air Force Base.

Iron washed out of two training courses, and his future in the military looked bleak until Rose met him in December 2005.

Rose determined that the problem was not Iron’s nose. It was the fake rawhide bone being used as his reward. It wasn’t appetizing enough to make the dog work hard. When Rose tried the rubber cone, Iron began picking up scents.

Each dog is different. Pluto’s favorite toy is attached to a rope, because he likes playing tug of war with Soller. The petty officer remembers one dog who was satisfied only with a toy steak that squeaked when bitten.

Should dogs be wounded or fall ill, they are given immediate care. Handlers are trained to provide basic treatment until the dog can be taken to a military veterinarian.

When Iron broke a canine, a critical tooth for a dog who sometimes must chase down suspects and hold them, he was given a root canal to save the tooth the same day.

Severe cases are flown to Germany. This happened with Rose’s last dog, Rex. In 2005, Rose and Rex were providing security at the Baghdad trial of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. One day, Rex wouldn’t eat. Rose knew that when his 105-pound German shepherd didn’t eat, something was wrong.

He had him checked by a military veterinarian in Baghdad. The diagnosis was cancer. Rex was dying. He was flown to Germany and euthanized.

But Rex’s memory lives on at Ft. Riley, Kan., home to the Army’s 1st Infantry Division and Rose’s home base. At the base, dogs have a place to play. It’s called Rex’s Bark Park.

tina.susman@latimes.com

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Man’s Best Friend’ saves lives in Diyala

By Spc. Ryan Stroud
Man’s Best Friend’ saves lives in Diyala

By Spc. Ryan Stroud

Staff Sgt. Zeb Miller, 7th Security Forces, U.S. Air Force, attached to 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, pets his military working dog, Nero. Nero specializes in locating explosives and helping Soldiers before they enter a building by “sniffing it out” before the Soldiers breach the door on missions. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)

A group of Soldiers need to clear a tall, dark building, possibly housing terrorists in the city of Muqdadiya, just north of Baqouba, Iraq. The Soldiers have received reports of booby-traps in the area and are unsure if the building itself is a trap. What are they to do?

This is where the Soldier’s four-legged friend, Nero, comes in.

Nero is a military working dog serving with Staff Sgt. Zeb Miller, his handler, at Forward Operating Base Normandy, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08. Nero’s job – search the building, its doorway and the surrounding area, making sure no explosives are around to harm the Soldiers trying to clear the building.

With Nero’s efforts, and the efforts of many other military working dogs serving in Iraq, Soldiers’ lives are being saved everyday.

“Our job out here in Iraq is mainly searching for explosives,” said Miller, a member of the 7th Security Forces, U.S. Air Force, attached to 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

“Our job is to make a Soldier’s job go faster,” Miller, a native of Johnson City, Texas, said.

“A dog can search for explosives ten times faster than we can because he can smell it,” he said. “Plus, if the dog smells the explosives, it could save a Soldier’s life.”

Miller started working with Nero in March after he volunteered to serve in Iraq. Once arriving, the two became close, inseparable friends.

“I’ve had Nero since March when I volunteered to come to Iraq,” said Miller. “This was a nice change being out here at FOB Normandy with the Army because the Air Force is more force protection. Out here with the Army, I get to go out on missions and take part in the war.”

But before the duo can take part in missions, Nero has to exercise and train to stay on top of his game.

“On a normal day, we try to train the dogs to keep them [prepared for missions],” Miller said. “I will take explosives out and train the dog in searching and finding. We also have a dog obstacle course that we take the dogs out to keep them [healthy] and active.

“At night, I’ll take Nero out and we’ll walk around fenced areas so he can sniff around; simple things to keep the dogs ready,” he continued.

These training techniques keep Nero fresh and ready to go when he’s need for a mission into the heart of danger, something Miller and Nero are used too.

“Our big thing is palm grove searches and weapons cache searches,” Miller said. “That’s really big for us; those are the main things we look for on missions – buried weapons.

“Nero will also search doorways and buildings before Soldiers will breach it,” Miller continued. “[Insurgents] try to booby-trap doors and Nero can search the door to find any explosives waiting.”

Staff Sgt. Zeb Miller, 7th Security Forces, U.S. Air Force, attached to 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, pets his military working dog, Nero. Nero trains for missions by completing a dog obstacle course and by training to find explosives. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)

But Nero can also be used for other tasks to help out the units in 6-9 ARS.

“Nero is also trained to find people,” said Miller. “One mission, we went searching for IEDs and also searching through houses. Nero just took off running behind one of the houses and into the palm groves.

“What we guess happened is he smelled someone who had just left the house but [was gone],” Miller continued. “We found fresh tracks in the ground, so someone might have been there waiting until they heard Nero coming.”

With Nero on a mission, Soldiers can trust him to smell and sense things they couldn’t imagine. Nero becomes a living weapon, just like the Soldiers, ready to quickly “get his prize.”

“They say one dog is worth about ten Soldiers, not in their capabilities, but in their senses,” said Miller about the importance of military digs during a mission.

“These dogs, while searching for explosives and other weapons, can turn a [several] hour job into one hour worth of work,” he said.

But what also makes Nero an interesting military dog, is unlike some, Nero is extremely friendly, something Miller is happy with.

“The first thing [trainers] tell you is this is not a dog, it’s a piece of equipment,” Miller explained. “But it comes down to each handler in how they treat their dog.

“The way I see it, if I love the dog, he will love me; and in return, he will work for me and possibly save me when I need it,” he said.

“You’re not supposed to let others pet the dog either because it’s a bond challenger,” continued Miller. “But, I’d rather let the Soldiers pet and play with him so they are comfortable around Nero when we go out on missions.

“I also think this helps Nero in case something was to happen to me out here; another Soldier could take him and he would be okay without me around to guide him,” he said.

But Miller has no worries at all about Nero. Miller says Nero knows who his owner is and will listen when called upon.

“I know Nero will listen to me even with others around,” said Miller. “Once you spend every day together, he knows who I am; he will listen to me if I tell him to do something.”

Though Nero is a calm, mannered dog, Miller said he has commands for Nero which will instantly switch Nero from the polite dog he is into an attack-mode destroyer.

“They’re two words I could use to have him immediately start barking at you and if you show any fear, you would get bit,” he said. “These dogs are amazing; they are incredibly smart.”

When the deployment is over and it’s time to go home, there is a chance Nero will have to retire, though Nero himself will probably have a few years of service left before it’s his time. In these cases of retirement, the hard-working military dogs will go through a series of tests to make sure they are ready for life outside the combat zone.

“The dogs have to go through a physiological evaluation,” said Miller. “They test the dog with situations like neighbors fighting. They test the dog to see what he will do and to make sure he will be safe around others.

“It’s hard to let go of your dogs,” Miller somberly explained. “The first dog is always the hardest. But after the dog retires, there’s a possibly that you can keep your dog.”

Until its Nero’s time to retire, he will continue to provide his services to those serving overseas with him; saving lives on each mission he partakes in.

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com
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Staff Sgt. Zeb Miller, 7th Security Forces, U.S. Air Force, attached to 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, pets his military working dog, Nero. Nero specializes in locating explosives and helping Soldiers before they enter a building by “sniffing it out” before the Soldiers breach the door on missions. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)