Man's best friend, on and off the battle field

Photo By Senior Airman Aaron Montoya | Sgt. Jerry Madden, of the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department and a K-9 handler since 1981, demonstrates the proper methods for bomb detection with his dog, Snitch, at the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s department in Las Cruces, N.M., June 19. The Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department teams up with the K-9 handlers from Holloman Air Force Base once per month to conduct additional training for both the MWDs and their handlers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Montoya/Released)  

LAS CRUCES, NM, UNITED STATES

07.01.2013

Story by Airman 1st Class Aaron Montoya 

49th Wing

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - A Little Rock, Ark., Army civil affairs battalion goes beyond its city limits to have a substantial reach and impact in surrounding Mississippi Delta communities. Through Innovative Readiness Training, this particular civil affairs unit helped bring free limited medical services to underserved communities in the Delta region in July and August.

Whether it be pilot or journalist, man or beast, Holloman has a defined training program for its Airmen, but that doesn't stop the handlers from going above and beyond their normal duties to make sure they have the best training possible so when they are deployed, they are better equipped and capable to handle the duties assigned to them. Military Working Dogs serve on the front lines with infantry from all branches; this means they must be trained to a level above that of a normal K9 unit typically utilized with civilian law enforcement.

An Airman is never done training. Throughout their career they are constantly striving to better themselves to more efficiently accomplish the mission of the United States Air Force. The same is applied to the Military Working Dogs. Once a dog is received from Lackland AFB, Texas, where they undergo a basic training much like Airmen do, the dogs are tested to determine their limits and to find which roles will best suit them. The dogs can serve many different purposes such as patrol units, bomb detection or hostile detainers.

Not all dogs can be multifaceted, however, the dogs that can assume multiple roles will serve their handlers to a higher extent and be more combat efficient.

"One bad experience can ruin a dog," said Staff Sgt. Zachary Burtt, 49th Security Forces Squadron, MWD handler. If a MWD is improperly trained, it can hinder their progress. Training the dogs is a carefully planned and executed task, and it requires many hours of training for each specialty that the dog will possess.

Training MWDs is not limited to Holloman AFB. The handlers team up with the Doña Ana County Sheriffs Department for remedial training for dogs that are either not yet up to par or are lacking in certain areas. When a dog exhibits a lack of drive or intensity, they are taken to Las Cruces, N.M., to receive additional training from the resident experts from the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Department.

Sgt. Jerry Madden, Doña Ana County Sheriff's Department, helps handlers remediate the dogs to help them exceed previous expectations. The experience of the Doña Ana dog handlers serves as an invaluable asset to the handlers of Holloman AFB. This is coupled with weekly Narcotics training from the local Border Patrol unit. Together, well-rounded and capable MWDs are formed.

The MWDs aren't the only ones who benefit from all of this training. The dog handlers themselves also receive certifications from the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Department. This gives them a greater precedence as dog trainers, and a higher chance of continuing their career as a dog handler after their military service.

Combined, all of this training creates MWDs that are experienced and capable of serving on the front lines. Room clearing, hostile detainment, and bomb detection are a great asset for infantrymen to have along with them. The goal at Holloman is to make sure that mission-ready Airmen leave the base with all of the experience and training necessary to accomplish the mission at deployed locations, and MWD handlers are no exception. The MWDs may be a lesser-known faction of our warfare, however they are vital to the success of our mission as a united military force.

• Date Taken: 07.01.2013
• Date Posted: 08.28.2013 13:25
• Story ID: 112760
• Location: LAS CRUCES, NM, US