Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Hohman | Sgt. Daniel Aldaco, a military working dog handler with the 226th MWD Det., 720th MP...... read more read more
FORT HOOD, Texas - If you were to ask Staff Sgt. Joshua Miller, with the 226th Military Working Dog Detachment, how he would describe his unit, he would say only four words: “We lead the way.”
Soldiers with the 226th MWD Det., 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, continued to lead the way during a field training exercise Feb. 9-23 on Fort Hood.
While the dog handlers with the 226th MWD Detachment are no strangers to training, this specific training exercise tested more than just the dog team’s detection skills.
“We train daily on garrison detection, but very rarely do we train in a tactical environment where we stay out in the field,” said Miller, who serves as the plans and operation noncommissioned officer with the 226th MWD Detachment. “Not only are we giving our Soldiers some exposure to tactical detection (training), but we are focusing on Solider skills.”
When a military working dog team deploys, it is usually just the handler and their dog, Miller said.
The dog team’s deployments often have them working with different units with the primary focus of managing the skills of their dog.
“As a K-9 handler, we don’t get much exposure to (leadership roles) in a tactical environment,” Miller said. “(This training) is about getting our NCOs trained by getting them back to the basics, such as calling in a SALUTE report or 9-Line medical evacuation report.”
The training required Soldiers to not only master Soldier skills, but also conduct these skills while receiving suppressive gun fire.
“We have actual rounds going off down range to get the dogs used to it and also train as though we have an enemy as if you are down in theater,” Miller said.
According to Sgt. Daniel Aldaco, a military working dog handler with the 226th MWD Detachment, the field training exercise was definitely an eye opener to many of the Soldiers.
“It has been a learning experience,” Aldaco said. “This is the first time I have conducted an FTX with an actual dog.”
It is crucial to a kennels success for them to focus on basic Soldier skills and warrior tasks, Aldaco said. A handler’s main focus is primarily about training their dog.
“If the kennel does not actively practice common Soldiers task, then it can become the second thing on a Soldier’s mind,” Aldaco said.
The training exercise was designed using the Army training method of crawl, walk, then run, Miller said.
“We are starting with handlers just doing tasks and getting them refreshed on their basic Soldier skills and warrior tasks,” Miller said. “We are then integrating the dogs before ending with a culminating event which forces them to use all of their skills and work as a team.”
Teamwork throughout the training was not only key for the Soldiers, but for the dogs, as well.
“We want our dogs to be able to work together without being distracted,” Miller said. “Even in garrison, we have some missions that require multiple dogs depending on the size of the venue or what the event is.”
As the training came to an end and the last dog team called in its last report, Miller hoped Soldiers were able to grow and learn from the exercise.
“I hope this training better prepares them to work in an operational environment, and that the dogs are capable of working in an austere environment while working in a close proximity together,” Miller said.
| Date Taken: | 02.09.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2015 10:44 |
| Story ID: | 156144 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 99 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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