Photo By Jared Eastman | Staff Sgt. William Morton, the kennel master at Contingency Operating Station Falcon,...... read more read more
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BAGHDAD — The 'Dog Faced Soldiers' of Apache Troop, 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, added a dog face among their ranks, Feb. 1, when they conducted a joint patrol with Iraqi Security Forces.
As the Iraqis led a ground mission through the streets of Muhalla 830, Sgt. 1st Class Xanny followed close behind.
The four-year-old working dog, handled by Staff Sgt. William Morton who also serves as the kennel master at Contingency Operating Station Falcon, joined the search for weapon caches at the request of the Iraqis.
"The dogs are phenomenal," said Capt. Evan Davies, A Troop commander. "It is the first thing that the Iraqis request."
The ISF requested the dog team to not only check key locations that have been troublesome in the past but also to aid them in searching for weapons caches.
"We're handing everything back over to the Iraqis, so we are utilizing the dogs to search for weapons caches, [roadside bombs] and [car bombs] along the routes," said Morton.
"Today, we went out and they pointed out some key places where they have found stuff prior."
The dogs serve another purpose while they are searching for bomb materials.
"Their presence out there, whether they are searching for something or not, is important," said Davies. "The ISF understands why those dogs are out there, but the civilians just see an American dog out there and they know it's going to find something."
While the ISF and Dog Faced Soldiers worked the streets, sometimes stopping to talk with people, Morton and Xanny "played."
"This is how [dogs] have fun," he said. "Every time we start to get our gear on, they know it's time to go out and do something. The ISF think these dogs are the best thing in the world. They love how trained they are and how they listen very well."
The Iraqis see Xanny as a useful tool for their patrols; Morton sees Xanny as something more.
"Sometimes he can be hard-headed, but it's great having him around," Morton said. "He's always there whenever you need someone to lean on or anything else. He's a great tool, a great asset, but a great friend at the same time."
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2010 14:30 |
| Story ID: | 44908 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 243 |
| Downloads: | 210 |
This work, ISF uses U.S. dog team for foot patrol in Baghdad, by Jared Eastman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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