K9 hoist training

Photo By Ardian Nrecaj | Lars, an explosive detection dog, during the hoist evacuation training at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, Jan. 28. Lars is the partner of Sgt. Oleksandr Iliev, a Ukrainian army military working dog handler. MEDEVAC team with Multinational Battle Group-Eastconducted a host evacuation training with military working dogs based out of Camp Bondsteel and Camp Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny (CMLT). (Photo by Multinational Battle Group East, public affairs specialist Ardian Nrecaj)  

CAMP BONDSTEEL, KOSOVO

01.28.2015

Story by Ardian Nrecaj 

KFOR Regional Command East

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – The loud sounds and the high winds of the helicopter blades spinning are enough to frighten the average dog, but for the Military Working Dog, climbing inside of the bird is just another day on the job.

The Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) team with Multinational Battle Group-East, conducted hoist evacuation training with two U.S. and one Ukrainian Army working dogs and their handlers, at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, Jan. 28.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Doug Schletz, first sergeant with F Company (MEDEVAC), 5th Battalion (General Support), 159th Aviation Regiment, U.S. Army Reserves, based out of Clearwater, Florida and a native of Denver, explained that the reason for the exercise is to get the MWD and their handlers familiar with the aircraft.

“This kind of training is important in case the military working dog or their handlers are injured or wounded and they need a medical evacuation,” said Schletz.

U.S. Army Sgt. Earl Thomas, a MWD handler, with 525th Military Police Detachment out of Wiesbaden, Germany, said that the first thing they did was get the dogs warmed up to the aircraft.

“First we had the dogs go around the helicopter while it was still on the ground and once the dog got familiarized with the noise and helicopter, we did the hoist,” said Thomas.

The helicopter landed and both of the dogs and their handlers were, hoisted one-by-one, 75 feet into the air. The training mission was a great success according to Thomas.

“Lex is a pro,” said Thomas of his working dog. “Lex and I have done this training four times prior to today, so he knew and he reacted just the way I thought he would. The other dogs did very well for this being their first time.”

This training is important for both the dogs and the handlers.

“If we are in a real world scenario and we do have to MEDEVAC an area, this training teaches us how to hoist the dog up and to know what to expect from the dog,” said Thomas. “We don’t want the dog’s first experience in an aircraft hoist to be a real world situation. It’s also good for the handlers to get hoisted up with the dog. It is good to be prepared for anything that could come our way.”

This was the first hoist training for the MEDEVAC team and the handlers since they arrived in Kosovo.

“The training went great today,” said Schletz. “The dogs seemed to love it. They got comfortable with the helicopter.”

The MEDEVAC team and the K-9 handlers will do the training again in the spring.

• Date Taken: 01.28.2015
• Date Posted: 02.01.2015 14:48
• Story ID: 153254
• Location: CAMP BONDSTEEL, ZZ
• Hometown: WIESBADEN, HE, DE
• Hometown: CLEARWATER, FL, US
• Hometown: DENVER, CO, US