Desert Dog Days

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Hughes | Sept. 5, 2005 - Spc. Richard Sifers from the 169th MP Co. helps train Britt, a MP canine, by letting the dog take a bite of the protective sleeve that he's wearing. Sifers and Britt are stationed at Mubarek Military City, Egypt, participating in the eleven-nation exercise Bright Star '05. BS  

12.31.2002

Courtesy Story

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Story by Pvt. Kat Briere
Coalition Forces Land Component Command Public Affairs Office/114th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MUBARAK MILITARY CITY, Egypt (Sept. 5, 2005) - For many servicemembers an overseas deployment to the desert isn't an easy adjustment, but for a K-9 it seems like just another day in the sun.

Britt is a black-on-brown, traditional-looking, 68-pound German Shepard that has been trained in areas of patrol and detection. He was partnered four months ago with Sgt. Aaron G. Eastman of the 18th Military Police Detachment, Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

Together Britt and Eastman were temporarily attached to the 546th Military Police Co., Fort Stewart, Ga., and are here in Egypt now on a force protection mission in support of the Central Command / Coalition Forces Land Component Command directed Bright Star exercise.

"We're here on a 'real world mission" to protect the Soldiers out here training in this exercise, and we'll be here until the end," said Eastman.

Under the guidance of Eastman, Britt is a vital asset to the United States military. With his presence alone, he is able to assist the MPs with area patrol using psychological deterrence.

"People see the dog, and they think twice," said Eastman.

More important than deterrence are his detection capabilities. His sense of smell is amazing and exceptionally sensitive. On command, a K-9 can clear a vehicle more effectively or sweep a building faster with far less risk of casualty than a human, said Eastman.

"They don't even have to enter a room," he said. "They're trained to sniff the doorways, and they know if someone's inside."

Among other duties at stateside military installations, military dogs are routinely put to work using their ability to 'sniff out" and intercept an array of illegal substances such as narcotics during bulk mail inspections.

While serving on overseas missions, they provide another valuable function with their ability to detect explosive devices. This can be essential in several situations such as here at Bright Star, during a customs check at an airport, or on the ground in Iraq preventing U.S. troops from inadvertently encountering IEDs.

Like most service members, Britt enjoys his job. To him the mission feels like a game of hide-and-seek. However, to the Soldiers affected by his work, it is much more than a game, and the reward for a game won could be a life saved.

BS

• Date Taken: 12.31.2002
• Date Posted: 09.13.2005 18:33
• Story ID: 3002