Photo By Ashley Richards | Staff Sgt. Ben Tombs-Webster, 88th Security Forces Squadron miliary working dog...... read more read more
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WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – Flex didn’t know a ceremony marked the end of his military career, but what he did know was routine, commands and the handler he trusted at the end of the leash.
After nearly eight years of service, Military Working Dog Flex (A482) officially retired from the U.S. Air Force on Jan. 26, 2026, closing one chapter as a defender and beginning another with the handler who chose to make him family.
Born March 20, 2017, Flex entered military working dog training at the 341st Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, at just 18 months old. There, he learned the patrol and detection skills he would use to define his career.
Flex was assigned to the 88th Security Forces Squadron at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, on May 7, 2019, immediately following graduation.
During this assignment, he supported multiple Secret Service missions for the president and vice president of the United States. His patrol work was extensive, encompassing more than 3,000 random anti-terrorism measures and over 3,000 foot patrols. He also secured more than 400 vehicle checkpoints, dedicated approximately 5,000 hours to explosive detection and performed in over 100 K-9 demonstrations.
While Flex served with multiple handlers throughout his distinguished career, his final partnership with Staff Sgt. Ben Tombs-Webster became permanent.
“Flex is my first assigned dog as a handler. We have been a team for just about nine months,” Tombs-Webster said. “Since I was a young handler with little experience, they paired us together thinking he could teach me a thing or two. And he has, more than I ever expected a dog could really teach you.”
The bond formed quickly when the two first met, and strengthened through routine, missions and moments outside of work.
“The most memorable mission we took together was when we went to Canada,” Tombs-Webster said. “During the mission, we found extra time to explore the area together, and we ended up visiting a national park. That trip was when I decided that when he was eligible for retirement, I wanted him to come home with me.”
Flex, a German Shepherd, has earned a reputation as a disciplined and capable working dog. But Tombs-Webster said most people don’t see his softer side.
“Most people think he’s a scary dog based off first impressions,” he said. “At one point he had the strongest bite in the kennel, but he’s actually the biggest sweetheart. He will be the first to show you his belly and beg for affection. When not on duty, he is the sweetest dog you’ll ever meet.”
Ultimately, Flex’s career was cut short by a spinal compression injury that prevented him from continuing his duties. The decision for his early retirement was not made lightly.
“After many medical treatments to try to improve Flex’s mobility, nothing was resolving the issues he was beginning to have,” Tombs-Webster said. “There is a veterinary evaluation process through the U.S. Army and an approval process locally before he was selected for medical retirement due to his progressive injury.”
Flex’s career was honored in a final ceremony where his leash was officially passed to Tombs-Webster to take him home.
“I am sure this moment means more to me, as the handler, than it does to him,” he said. “Even though he doesn’t understand it, the retirement ceremony is kind of his final goodbye to everyone he has worked with over the years before he begins his retired life.”
As Tombs-Webster prepares for a permanent change of station to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, he will continue his career as a military working dog handler. This time, Flex will be by his side not as a working partner, but as family.
For Flex, retirement means a new title of ‘companion’ and a well-earned life of relaxation.
For both, it means the partnership built in uniform hasn’t ended, it’s simply continuing at home.
| Date Taken: | 02.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 02.10.2026 16:21 |
| Story ID: | 557875 |
| Location: | WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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