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The United States War Dogs Association
Marine Cpl. Dustin Jerome Lee and his German
shepherd, Lex, scoured Iraq for roadside bombs
together, slept next to each other and even posed in
Santa hats for a holiday photo.
When a mortar attack killed the 20-year-old Marine
in Fallujah a few months later, Lex, whimpering from
his own injuries, had to be pulled away, Lee's father
was told.
That strong bond compelled the slain Marine's
family to adopt 8-year-old Lex even though the
military said he still had two years of service.
The family lobbied the military for months,
launched an Internet petition and enlisted the aid of
a
North Carolina congressman who took their case straight to the Marine Corps'
top general.
On Wednesday, the Marine Corps finally announced
Lex could go home to Lee's family. It is the first
time the military has granted a dog early retirement
to be adopted by someone other than a former handler.
"We knew that's what Dustin would have wanted out
of this," said Jerome Lee, the slain Marine's father.
"He knew that we would take care of Lex and love him,
just like our own."
Lee's family from Quitman, Miss., is scheduled to
pick up Lex from the Albany base Dec. 21, exactly nine
months after the fatal attack.
Though some shrapnel remains lodged in his back,
Lex has otherwise recovered from his wounds and has
been serving alongside military policemen at the
Albany base since July.
"It is extraordinary," said Col. Christian Haliday,
commander of the Marine Logistics Base in
Albany,
Ga.,
where the dog is based. "As far as we know, it's the
first time that a waiver of policy of this nature has
been granted."
Officials at Lackland Air Force Base in
San Antonio, which trains dogs for all service branches, confirmed it is
the first case of its kind.
Lee joined the Marines after graduating from high
school in 2004. His father said his drive to become a
dog handler came from Lee's mother, who worked with
search-and-rescue dogs for their local emergency
management agency when Lee was a boy.
After finishing his military police and dog
handler training, the young Marine headed to
Albany. Lee adopted his first canine partner, Doenja, from the
military and sent him home to Mississippi last year
when the 11-year-old dog began losing his sight and
had to retire.
Lee formed an equally strong bond with his new
partner, Lex.
The military has more than 1,700 dogs that work
alongside American troops, including about 260 in the
Marines. Their bomb-sniffing skills have been in high
demand in
Iraq and
Afghanistan.
U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., said he discussed
the Lees' case with Gen. James T. Conway, the Marine
Corps commandant.
"The way I look at this, dogs are being trained
every day to be a part of the armed forces," Jones
said. "This family gave their son for their country.
This is a small gift back to them."
© Copyright 2007
CSC
Holdings, Inc.
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Family allowed to adopt fallen son’s dog
By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Dec 12, 2007 16:40:04 EST
After more than six months of effort, the family of
a fallen Marine dog handler got permission Wednesday
to adopt the bomb-sniffing German shepherd who was at
their son’s side when he died in Fallujah, Iraq, last
March.
The family of Cpl. Dustin Jerome Lee is planning to
pick up the 7-year-old dog named “Lex” on Dec. 21 at
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga., where Lee was
stationed.
“Lex will always be a special part of our family,”
Lee’s father, Jerome Lee, said in a telephone
interview Wednesday. “Lex was Dusty’s best friend and
partner.”
The Lee family has been battling bureaucracy for
months after the Corps initially refused to release
the dog for adoption. Well-trained working dogs are in
short supply, and Lex was healthy and able to continue
working, Marine officials said.
Lee, 20, spent the final months of his life with
Lex at his side. He was killed March 21 on a daily
mission when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded
nearby. The dog was also wounded but crawled over to
his handler, nudged his face, then lay at his side as
a corpsman treated his wounds, Marines in Lee’s unit
told his family.
_________________________________________________________________
Family wants fallen Marine’s military dog
Corps resists adoption efforts until German
shepherd is retired
By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Dec 6, 2007 11:09:21 EST
When Cpl. Dustin Jerome Lee’s personal effects
were shipped to his childhood home in Mississippi
after his death in Iraq last spring, his family
found some typical items — a laptop computer, a pair
of glasses and a few photos from home.
But they also found some things not every Marine
would have — several dog toys, a harness and a
short, knotted piece of rope, gnawed and frayed at
the ends.
Lee was a 20-year-old dog handler who spent the
final months of his life with a German shepherd
named Lex at his side. They were on a mission
together on March 21 when a rocket-propelled grenade
killed Lee. As the young Marine lay dying on a
street in Fallujah, the dog nudged his handler’s
face, then lay loyally at his side while a corpsman
treated his fatal wounds, several Marines told his
family.
More than eight months later, as members of the
Lee family prepare for their first Christmas since
Dustin’s death, they have a final request of the
Marine Corps: permission to adopt their son’s canine
partner.
“I know Dustin would want Lex to be with his
family,” said Lee’s uncle, Brian Rich. “They gave
their son — he made the ultimate sacrifice. If it
brings his family some comfort to see the dog there,
then why not?”
But Marine officials say Lex is still on active
duty. The 7-year-old dog was wounded in the same
explosion that killed Lee, but has fully recovered.
The dog is working alongside military police,
assisting with force protection at Marine Corps
Logistics Base Albany, Ga., where Lee was stationed.
The Lee family hasn’t seen the dog since Marines
brought him to the funeral in April.
Marine Corps command is “extremely sympathetic to
the Lee family’s desire to adopt the military
working dog after the tragic incident that claimed
the life of his handler,” said Colie Young, a base
spokesman. “The command will continue to support the
Lee family in the adoption process at the
appropriate time, if and when Lex is found unfit for
duty and appropriately screened for adoption.”
Marine Corps Headquarters is aware of the
family’s request, and is “working the situation at
their level,” according to 2nd Lt. Caleb Eames, a
public affairs officer in Albany. Lee was the third
of four military dog handlers killed since 2003.
The laws covering adoption of military dogs have
evolved in recent years. During the Vietnam War,
thousands of dogs were abandoned or euthanized when
U.S. troops withdrew. Virtually none came home.
For decades, the military considered the dogs to
be “equipment” and had no process for adopting them
after they “retired.” That changed in 2000, when
President Clinton signed a law allowing adoptions
once the dogs could no longer perform their duties.
In 2005, Congress heard the story of Air Force
Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana, who suffered nearly fatal
injuries and asked to adopt her bomb-sniffing dog.
President Bush signed a law permitting early
adoptions for the individual troops who have worked
with the dog.
The case of the Lee family may be the first
instance of a deceased handler’s family seeking to
adopt a military dog. The Lee family has begun a
petition drive and created a
Web site to chronicle their efforts to adopt the
dog.
Lex is one of about 170 dogs in the Corps, and
the canines are in intense demand. Lex “is
potentially saving lives by performing his mission,”
Eames said.
The relationship between a dog and its handler in
a combat zone is unique, said John Burnam, author of
“Dog Tags of Courage: The Turmoil of War and the
Rewards of Companionship.”
“When that bond finally clicks, you just sort of
become one. Once the handler draws down into the
level of the dog’s world and learns what the dog
knows, he can really communicate with the animal,”
Burnam said. “You can see, in the case of Dustin
Lee, the dog didn’t get startled by the explosion
and run away. The dog was wounded and bleeding, but
he crawled over and pawed to get his handler’s
attention.”
next----
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Killed in Iraq, dog team buried together
By
Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jul 24, 2007 6:38:59 EDT The first military working dog team killed in
action together since the beginning of the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan were laid to rest together July
18.
Cpl. Kory D. Wiens, 20, of the 94th Mine Dog
Detachment, 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer
Brigade of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and his partner,
Cooper, were killed July 6 by an improvised explosive
device while on patrol in Muhammad Sath, Iraq. They
had been in Iraq since January.
The cremated remains of Wiens and Cooper, a
Labrador retriever, were buried together at Salt Creek
Cemetery in Wiens’ hometown of Dallas, Ore., at the
request of his family, said Master Sgt. Matt McHugh,
the family’s casualty assistance officer.
“Kory referred to Cooper as his son, that’s now
much of a team they were,” McHugh said.
McHugh added that based on his own research, the
last military canine team to be killed together was
during the Vietnam War.
The Army has 578 dog teams, and they have served
several hundred rotations in Iraq and Afghanistan,
said Hans Freimarck, the military working dog
coordinator for the Army Dog Program.
Freimarck said he didn’t know the last time a
canine team was killed together, but Wiens and Cooper
were the first for operations Iraqi Freedom and
Enduring Freedom.
“Most military dog handlers look at [their
relationship with their dog] as a marriage,” Freimarck
said. “You give to the dog, the dog gives back to you.
Every dog handler has a firm attachment to his dog and
any dog in the military.”
Wiens and Cooper made up a specialized search
detachment trained to find firearms, ammunition and
explosives. Being on a specialized search team means
more training, and Cooper, who was no more than 4
years old, did his job without a leash.
Cooper was Wiens’ first military working dog, and
Wiens was Cooper’s first handler, McHugh said.
Wiens’ family is doing as well as can be expected,
and their small community has been very supportive,
McHugh said.
Residents of Dallas lined the streets to honor the
funeral procession, which was accompanied by local law
enforcement vehicles and the Patriot Guard Riders, a
national organization of motorcycle enthusiasts who
pay tribute to fallen service members.
Thirty-seven dog teams from the Army, Air Force,
Navy, Marine Corps and area police departments
attended the service, McHugh said.
Wiens was named after his grandfather, who was a
military canine handler during the Korean War. He is
survived by his parents, Kevin and Judith, three
siblings and his extended family. Wiens’ older brother
Kevin is serving his second tour in Iraq as a military
police officer.
Memorial donations
The Oregon National Guard has reported to the state
attorney general’s office questions related to the
death of Cpl. Kory Wiens and his canine partner,
Cooper.
At least two businesses in Dallas, Ore., the
soldier’s hometown of about 12,500 people, were
approached for donations to give Cooper a proper
burial, said Guard spokesman Capt. Mike Braibish.
The businesses called the family’s casualty
assistance officer to make sure the solicitation was
legitimate, and the CAO called the Guard because he
knew the Wiens family had set up only one memorial
fund and that burial arrangements had already been
made for Cooper, Braibish said. “We don’t know for
sure that it is [a scam],” he said. “If it is indeed a
scam I hope we put an end to this.”
The charitable organizations section of the
attorney general’s office is investigating the
incident, Braibish said.
There is protocol in place to ensure the remains of
military working dogs are taken care of properly, said
Hans Freimarck, military working dog coordinator for
the Army Dog Program.
“I’m sure they take into consideration what the
handler’s requests would be because they know the
attachment that’s there,” he said.
The Kory Wiens Memorial Fund, set up by the Wiens
family, is accepting donations at Washington Federal
Savings Bank. The money will be used to customize
Wiens’ 1972 Dodge “Swinger” and the vehicle will be
used as a memorial to Wiens and Cooper.
____________________________________________________________________
Military
dog handler, K-9 form stronger bond for
deployment
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Tech. Sgt. John Ricci
(right), 95th Security
Forces Squadron military
working dog handler,
guides his K-9, Eddy,
during a military
working dog
demonstration April 30.
(Photo by Airman 1st
Class Stacy Sanchez)
|
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by Airman
1st Class Stacy Sanchez
95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
5/10/2007 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE,
Calif. -- A military working dog handler
with the 95th Security Forces Squadron
here along with his K-9 companion are
about to grow an even stronger bond as
they both prepare for deployment.
Tech. Sgt. John Ricci and his K-9, Eddy,
are trained to detect narcotics and
explosives at Edwards.
Servicemembers like Sergeant Ricci
attend an 11-week long Military Working
Dog handler's course at Lackland Air
Force Base, Texas, where they meet their
K-9, who also goes through a 90-day
training. This is where they begin to
form their bond with one another.
Sergeant Ricci learned how to control
his K-9 and observe his K-9's behaviors
while at Lackland.
"Training a dog is all upon the K-9 and
the handler," Sergeant Ricci said. "The
attitude of the dog and the knowledge of
the handler play a big part in
training."
Sergeant Ricci said good techniques to
training a K-9 is making it fun for the
dog.
"Always try to keep a K-9 in a happy
atmosphere," he said. "Most of the stuff
we teach them is a game. When they do
detection, it's just dogs having fun
finding the smell. They know if they
find the smell, they are going to get a
reward afterward."
Sergeant Ricci said Eddy has
difficulties working for other people.
He said it takes a couple months for him
to adjust.
"Once Eddy and I started to build our
bond and that friendship with one
another we started to work great
together," he said. "So its hard for him
to work with someone else."
Sergeant Ricci said his and Eddy's bond
is going to get even stronger as they
head out to Iraq in the near future.
"He is going to have to rely on me --
and me on him -- while we are out there
so we both come back home safely,"
Sergeant Ricci said.
Senior Airman James Maloy, another
military working dog handler with the
95th SFS, came back from a deployment in
Iraq recently and said the best part
about being downrange was knowing he had
Haro, a 72-pound German shepherd there,
to back him up.
"The best part about my job is the
companionship between me and my furry
friend, Haro," Airman Maloy said. "I
just got back from Iraq, and I had to
give up Haro, who I have had for a year,
to another handler here getting ready
for another deployment. I was able to
grow a great bond with Haro."
Airman Maloy said the best part of the
Edwards K-9 unit is the big
brotherhood.
"We work great together because we know
we are a vital asset to the mission and
to ensuring that the base is secure."
Sergeant Ricci said the best part of his
job is working with an animal all day.
"If we are on base or downrange, I know
Eddy will always be there to help me
catch the bad guy," Sergeant Ricci said.
"I know my dog Eddy will not think twice
about defending me."
_________________________________
Military Working Dog Teams Participate
in Noise Sensitivity Training
Mar 26, 2007
BY
Rob Martinez
The Fort Huachuca Scout
Sgt. James Adolfson, 18th Military
Police Detachment, Canine Section,
comforts military police dog J.R. who is
taking part in noise training in the
Engagement Skills 2000 trainer here. The
training helps desensitize MP dogs to
the loud noises of battle and prepares
them for deployment. Photo by
Rob Martinez
It's not quite the Holodeck on Star
Trek's U.S.S. Enterprise, but it's bigger
and better than your average video game,
especially if you like a screen the size of
a wall. With real-time video action and
realistic sound effects, the Engagement
Skills 2000 trainer serves as an effective
training tool, and it's the realistic sound
effects that are of interest to Soldiers of
the 18th Military Police Detachment, Canine
Section here.
Military working dog teams conducted noise
sensitivity training in the EST2000 trainer,
Wednesday.
The EST2000 provides interactive training
enabling Soldiers to link real weapons into
a system that provides various digital video
scenarios, creating a sense of what
Warfighters may face when deployed.
During this particular training, Soldiers
hone their weapons skills and simultaneously
work with their specialized search dogs, and
the dogs become accustomed to the sounds of
battle.
"This training is great. It helps us as a
team, and it also helps us in qualifying
with our own weapons," said Sgt. James
Adolfson, who came to train with his dog,
J.R., a German Shepherd, along with Anka, a
Belgian Malinois.
These MPs and their canine comrades conduct
missions on Fort Huachuca, and deploy in
support of Operations Enduring Freedom and
Iraqi Freedom, as well.
While deployed to Afghanistan, members of
such a team from the Fort were injured by an
improvised explosive device that hit their
vehicle. Staff Sgt. Ruben Alaniz and his
canine partner Anka suffered slight
concussions. According to Alaniz, this may
have affected the specialized search dog who
has grown hesitant in performing her duties.
She has also become slightly aggressive, a
characteristic not conducive to fulfilling
her mission.
Anka is trained to search for explosives and
weapons caches, and continued her mission in
Afghanistan, finding a number of explosive
devices. But, her impeded performance became
a concern.
According to Alaniz, the veterinarian in
Afghanistan recommended that she return home
to rest and recuperate, so the team returned
to Fort Huachuca.
Part of the recuperation process is to
expose Anka to the sounds of battle - single
shots, multiple bursts, and fire from an
automatic weapon as well as the sounds of
IEDs, mortars or rocket-propelled grenades
exploding nearby.
The EST 2000 worked out.
Master Sgt. James Knight, the
noncommissioned officer in charge of the
training facility, said that the canine
teams' training is in addition to regular
training sessions with the 18th MP
Detachment.
"When we have open time ... we'll bring the
dogs over and let them work. We have a
couple that are deploying, a couple that are
coming back, and ... the one that's in
rehab, so it works out to be a pretty good
situation," Knight said.
As with humans, confidence is important for
performance. And dogs are no different than
humans concerning the adverse affects of
battle, such as the concussion Anka
suffered.
While J.R.'s training is intended to prepare
- becoming accustomed to battle sounds -
Anka's is geared toward rehabilitation.
Within the customized building located in
"Old Post," Knight dimmed the lights to
heighten the effect of the trainer as it
simulated a dawn attack. The Soldiers lay in
a prone position; their weapons propped up
on sand bags, and waited for enemy soldiers
to creep out of the forest scenario.
As images of the enemy appeared on the
screen, the Soldiers engaged them with fire
from M-16s and an M-60 machine gun, and
blasts from an M203 grenade launcher. The
realistic sounds of gunfire and explosions
filled the area, and Knight periodically
yelled instructions, directing fire.
Adolfson and J.R. crept onto the set, in
between two Soldiers. Adolfson coaxed J.R.
to move forward, closer to where the
Soldiers had their weapons, calming him by
whispering encouraging words and petting
him.
The two huddled closely behind the sandbags,
and Adolfson calmed J.R. whenever he became
agitated during the firefight.
Later, the two teams took turns firing the
weapons themselves, still working with their
dogs.
Sgt. James Adolfson and J.R. are preparing
for deployment in June, J.R.'s first time.
Anka is progressing, Alaniz said, and he
expects she will soon be ready to deploy.
_________________________________________________________________________
Airmen help Kyrgyz K-9 corps take shape
by Capt. Tim Wade
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
2/27/2007 - MANAS
AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFNEWS) -- Airmen
of the 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here
are training a new breed of fighters for the war on
terrorism.
The Airmen normal protect the members of the 376th Air
Expeditionary Wing supporting Operation Enduring
Freedom, but are now helping train a Kyrgyz military
working dog unit.
A warehouse here has been designated as the playground,
and when the building door opens, Tech. Sgt. Mark Lotre
of the 376th ESFS K-9 unit gives the order to a waiting
Kyrgyz team to begin searching the area.
A Kyrgyz dog handler issues the order, "???! - ISCHI,"
which means search to Valya, a 10-month old pure Belgian
shepherd.
The dog frantically moves from area to area, but the
handler controls the dog. The dog moves from wheel to
wheel, up and down, and side to side of a forklift. Even
though the amount of explosives used is very small, it
is found by Valya.
Off to the second obstacle. Rows of pallets line the
left side of the warehouse.
Valya, with handler in tow, weaves in and out of the
rows of pallets then she sits down again. Valya's reward
-- out comes the ball and it is time to play. Her
handler throws the ball and off she runs. The game is
not over though. She has one last mission in the
warehouse. Valya searches a stack of boxes and again
finds the explosive.
The training is a game that serves another purpose,
Sergeant Lotre said.
"What we do is build the confidence in the dog,"
Sergeant Lotre said. "The physical ability and all that
is one thing, but the confidence is important."
The confidence is not only important to the dog, but
also to the handler as well.
"When we first started the class project, there was no
confidence whatsoever," said Valya's handler. "The dogs
were not trusting and confident in us, and we were not
trusting and confident in them. We did not have that
trust link between dog and handler. It has changed a
lot. We trust our dogs and we know if an explosive is
there, it will definitely be detected by the dog."
Prior to the war on terrorism, a military working dog
unit was not a capability of Kyrgyz republic, Valya's
handler said. The dogs are now on the front line.
"In fact, these dogs will work for the whole republic,"
the Kyrgyz handler said. "Of course, having these dogs
trained well enough, they can help prevent certain
terrorist attacks or explosions."
The Kyrgyz handler also said the team is looking to
increase the number of dogs from three to five within
the next year.
Even with such a serious job at hand, the handlers
prefer to treat the training as a game.
"The dog can't tell whether we're real world or whether
we are training," Sergeant Lotre said. "All the dog
knows is it is playing a game and we always let him win
that game. Whether we are doing attack work or
explosives, the dog is always going to win. Because once
you lose that game and someone beats you, you don't want
to play anymore. They always want to come back and
play."
The training is not only for the dogs, but also for the
trainers.
"When we are doing our training, we are training their
dogs (and) handlers," Sergeant Lotre said. "We totally
explain the method which we're using and why we are
using it. So when they encounter another similar
problem, they can relate back to it and fix that problem
on their own."
The training is not going to stop once Sergeant Lotre
and his team redeploy.
"We have already discussed with leaderships, the base
and theirs, of continuing this training," Sergeant Lotre
said. "Our replacements already know what these dogs are
doing, where they (are and) where they need to go. We
already have the foundation set, so when we turn the
reigns over, they fall right into place and the training
will continue."
____________________________________________________________________________
Man’s Best Friend Buried at
Sea
Story Number: NNS061204-17
12/4/2006
By Mass Communication
Specialist 2nd Class Peter D. Lawlor, USS Blue
Ridge Public Affairs
USS BLUE RIDGE, At Sea (NNS)
-- Master-at-arms dog handlers from Yokosuka
Naval Base ceremoniously paid their last
respects to three of their working dog partners
during a burial at sea service Dec. 2 aboard USS
Blue Ridge (LCC 19).
Burials at sea are an age-old tradition in the
Navy, but this ceremony was the first of its
kind on Blue Ridge involving three military
working dogs, Art, Max and Connor.
The dogs were memorialized with the same respect
that any Sailor would receive after a career of
honorable service to his country.
Their remains were committed to sea, a fitting
tribute to three Sailors who spent time underway
and were deployed during their service as
military working dogs.
Lt. Cmdr. Cliff Ford, Blue Ridge chaplain, led
the service by offering prayer and reading poems
that reflect the special bond dog handlers have
with their four-legged partners.
Chief Master-at-Arms Maria E. Soto, kennel
master for Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka,
attended the ceremony, receiving Military
Working Dog Connor’s National Ensign on behalf
of his handler who could not attend the service.
“Connor was a great dog,” said Soto. “I’m glad
he’s getting this recognition. He deserves it…
all military working dogs do.”
Soto explained how much the ceremony meant to
her and other dog handlers.
“These dogs don’t receive medals or promotions
for doing their job,” she said. “They don’t
volunteer to be a part of the Navy, but yet they
serve with obedience and loyalty.”
Military working dogs play an integral role in
the Navy’s mission of defending freedom. They
even serve in combat zones like Iraq and
Afghanistan, helping our troops deployed there
to combat terrorism.
“Connor spent time in Afghanistan as a patrol
explosive detection dog,” said Soto. “He put his
life on the line for other’s safety.”
According to Soto, military working dogs like
Connor who are explosive and patrol qualified,
save countless lives detecting explosive devices
and deterring violence from escalating during
face-to-face conflicts with hostiles.
Master-at-Arms 1st Class (AW) Michael B. Thomas,
Yokosuka Military Working Dog Kennel supervisor
and trainer, has been working with dogs in the
military for four years. He worked directly with
9-year-old Art, a German shepherd nicknamed “The
Master Chief” for his all-knowing skill level in
the canine corps.
Thomas was partnered up with Art for the last
few years and was with him during the final
moments of his life. Thomas said he is deeply
saddened by the loss of his partner.
“The night he died was traumatic for me,” said
Thomas. “We went out and did our patrols that
day and everything was fine, but when we were
finishing up for the night he didn’t want to get
out of the vehicle. I took him to the
veterinarian that night and they discovered a
massive malignant tumor in his chest. The doctor
recommended having him euthanized to spare him
any more suffering. He was a tough dog.”
Like Connor, Military Working Dog Art served in
Yokosuka as a patrol explosive detector dog and
also was deployed to a war zone in Iraq.
“Art saw actual combat,” said Thomas with pride
boasting about his dog’s past assignment. “The
unit he was with in Camp Falcon got fired on by
mortars, rocket propelled grenades and small
arms fire.”
Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Mark Anthony Garcia, a
Yokosuka military working dog handler, has also
been working with military dogs for four years.
He worked with Art, Max and Connor on the
training field and received Max’s Ensign on
behalf of the command.
“Max wasn’t my dog, but he’s still a member of
the master-at-arms family,” Garcia said. “We
treat them like one of our own and I feel
privileged to be here for him. As a handler, you
develop a strong bond with your dog; stronger
than one you’d develop with a human partner and
stronger than the bond you have with your pet
dog. My military working dog protects my life
and I protect his. I trust him more than any
human partner because these dogs are completely
loyal to their handlers no matter what’s
happening.”
Commonly after six or seven years in the fleet,
military working dogs are taken off of active
duty and become training dogs. Once they reach 9
to 10 years old, they are traditionally put up
for adoption and often are adopted by one of
their previous handlers.
The three German shepherds were all nine to 10
years old and died of natural causes before they
could retire. They were permanently laid to rest
in the Pacific Ocean 34 degrees 24.8 North by
140 degrees 57.3 East. Instead of the customary
wreaths that are thrown in the water following
the remains, the collar of each dog was thrown
overboard to serve as a floating grave marker
for three of the canine corps’ finest.
Blue Ridge is commanded by Capt. Jeff Bartkoski
and serves under Commander, Expeditionary Strike
Group (ESG) 7/Task Force (CTF) 76, the Navy’s
only forward-deployed amphibious force. Blue
Ridge is the flagship for Commander, U.S. 7th
Fleet. Task Force 76 is headquartered at White
Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an
operating detachment in Sasebo, Japan.
________________________________________________________________________
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War dogs perform as heroes but go unhonored
By LISA HOFFMAN
Scripps Howard News Service
01-AUG-06
Veterans of three combat tours together, two U.S. Marines ran out of luck when they approached a suspicious-looking
man outside an Iraqi police-recruitment center in Ramadi in January.
Marine dog handler Sgt. Adam Cann sensed trouble when Bruno, his bomb-sniffing canine partner, became agitated, signaling
the proximity of explosives. In a flash, the suspect detonated the pounds of explosives he'd hidden in his suicide-bomb vest,
leaving dozens of dead and injured all around.
Cann, 23, fell fatally wounded as he tried to shield his German shepherd from harm. In the aftermath of the blast, Bruno,
his fur bloodied by his own shrapnel wounds, refused to budge and lay on Cann's chest as if to return the favor. Others in
the unit said the pair were as close as brothers, having served one tour together in Afghanistan and two more in Iraq.
Cann, of Davie, Fla., was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and nominated for the Silver Star. But despite his war
wounds, exemplary performance and devotion to duty, Bruno _ who is considered to be a bona-fide leatherneck _ will receive
no official decoration in honor of his sacrifice and service.
Nor will Flapoor, a Belgian malinois Marine K-9, who was critically wounded when he took a hunk of shrapnel to the liver
in the same attack. Nor Chang, a black shepherd that saved his handler's life in a separate battle by jerking him out of the
bull's-eye just as an enemy sniper fired.
Nor will any other of the hundreds of U.S. war dogs serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom daily put themselves
in harm's way to catch insurgents, uncover hidden bombs, search buildings and otherwise save lives. The canine casualty count
now stands at six dead and five wounded.
But because they are what the Air Force and other services categorize as "non-humans," they are ineligible for any official
medal _ no matter how extraordinary their contributions or how many lives they save.
An organization devoted to honoring "military working dogs," as the armed services calls them, and their handlers wants
to change that.
The U.S. War Dogs Association, a nonprofit group created by former Vietnam War K-9 troops, has launched a drive to convince
the Pentagon that, at the very least, dogs serving in combat deserve a medal to show the country's appreciation for their
loyal and courageous conduct in war.
The group is not advocating that Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars or any other current high honor be bestowed on dogs. Instead,
the organization has asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to create a new decoration _ the "United States K-9 Military
Service Medal" _ to recognize the canines for their combat contributions.
Dogs working side-by-side with U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are "saving lives on a daily basis," Ron Aiello, a Vietnam
war-dog handler and president of the association, wrote in a recent letter to Rumsfeld. "In some cases they are also wounded
or killed in the line of duty, yet we give them no credit for their service."
Even the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans organization, has no objection to the creation of a medal for war
dogs, said Legion spokeswoman Ramona Joyce.
"We recognize the value of our animals in the line of duty," Joyce said.
The military won't reveal the total number of K-9s deployed, citing security concerns, but Aiello estimates about 700 have
served in the war zones.
Asked about Aiello's letter, a Pentagon spokeswoman said the no-medal policy is firm. Although K-9s are appreciated for
the "invaluable contribution" they make, decorations are reserved for "human personnel," Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke said, via e-mail.
Citing statues at two U.S. bases that honor war dogs, the Defense Department "maintains the most appropriate means to recognize
this service is through the use of military memorials," Krenke said.
It wasn't always thus. In World War I, Stubby, a squat little mixed-bull terrier, earned fame by accompanying soldiers
in 17 battles, getting wounded and gassed in the process. He even held a German spy by the seat of his pants until GIs could
secure him. Now stuffed and on display at the Smithsonian Institution, Stubby boasts a Purple Heart (awarded posthumously)
and eight other medals on his cloth "uniform" cape. He was even made a lifetime member of the American Legion.
In World War II, a mixed-shepherd-collie named Chips was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for single-handedly attacking
an enemy machine-gun nest in Sicily and, despite a bullet wound, forced the six-man crew to surrender. The Army later revoked
the awards, calling it demeaning to service members to give medals to animals.
That policy continues now, although some commanders have presented Bronze Stars or Purple Hearts to dogs for their Iraq
and Afghanistan war duty. An Army brigadier general at Fort Gordon, Ga., for instance, pinned a Bronze Star on the collar
of Donja, a Belgian malinois, who detected explosives residue in a sport utility vehicle in Afghanistan in 2002. The driver
was a suspected terrorist wanted for murder in Pakistan.
While the general violated Army policy and rules, the service isn't inclined to enforce either, when it comes to such "unofficial"
medal awards, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Kevin Arata said. Instead, the Army views these infractions as benign ones that hurt
no one but provide a big boost for the soldiers, who are passionate in their devotion to their charges.
"We don't come looking for violators. We realize that it is good for the morale of the unit," Arata said.
Those serving with war dogs are their greatest advocates, attesting to their unmatched skills at ferreting out hidden munitions
and explosives, and finding or deterring bad guys. These troops marvel at the dedication and perseverance the dogs demonstrate,
even in the worst of conditions.
"Our dogs are what (make) us a valuable part of this fight on terrorism. Without them, we would just be another cop on
the gate or patrol," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Bryan Gudmundson via e-mail from Kuwait, where he is on his fifth tour, this
time with Zorro, a malinois.
Many dogs are on their third or fourth combat tours, which each can last six months to a year. Most of those wounded in
combat or felled by the heat return to duty.
Besides risking their own safety each time they hunt for explosives or patrol a dangerous street, the canines endure blazing
120-degree heat, hearing damage from close-by explosions, worn-out paw pads, broken teeth, stress diarrhea _ and still give
their all to their jobs, say handlers, who are required to provide meticulous care and ample rest to their charges.
"They love to work," said Bill Childress, military dog program manager for the Marine Corps. "They are extremely effective."
There is no official count of how many tons of bombs and other weapons the dogs have found, nor any way to calculate the
number of lives saved _ including those of Iraqi forces and civilians _ by the confiscation of lethal items or the disruption
of intended suicide and other deadly attacks.
Santo, a Marine shepherd deployed to Fallujah, sniffed out _ among other things, 250 enemy armor-piercing rounds buried
more than a foot deep in the Iraqi desert, not to mention 1,000 rounds of other ammunition and 12 rocket-propelled grenades.
Rico, an Air Force malinois, is credited by his fellow airmen with catching 26 insurgents in the Kirkuk, Iraq, area.
Air Force handler Gudmundson, 25, says those K-9s and others have earned their nation's thanks, over and over. Aiello says
the 30,000 canines used by the U.S. military since World War I _ including the 4,000 who served in Vietnam, only to be euthanized
or abandoned when U.S. forces left _ deserve it, as well.
"These animals work their entire lives as 'pieces of equipment' and deserve a lot more credit and recognition than what
they get now," wrote Gudmundson, of Vista, Calif. __________________________________________________
Military working dog takes bomb's bang away
Story by Lance Cpl. James B. Hoke
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (Oct. 12, 2005) -- From the deserts of Iraq to the grassy slopes
of Afghanistan, there has always been an impending threat of disaster. However, with the help of one of man’s best friends,
Kwinto, this threat has been slightly reduced.
Kwinto, a military working dog on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar,
is an 8-year-old Belgium Malinois whose area of expertise is patrolling for and detecting explosives.
“Kwinto
was accepted for training in September of 1999,” said Cpl. Leroy J. Becker, military working dog handler, Provost Marshal’s
Office. “He’s been in the Marine Corps for six years and has deployed four times.”
The deadly but
lovable canine has deployed twice to Afghanistan and twice to Iraq in a span of only four years.
“During the
Afghanistan deployment, he was mainly used for base security,” said Becker. “He was also used for the ambassador
and would clear buildings before the ambassador would go into them.”
With more than 21 months of total deployed
time, Kwinto helped discover explosives in Iraq that otherwise may have been overlooked.
“His actual finds in
Iraq were weapons caches, weapons payloads, [improvised explosive devices] and [rocket-propelled grenade] rounds,” said
the San Jose, Calif., native. “He found a 125 mm propellant charge, three RPG heads, four 60-pound bags of FE-4, which
are the explosives used in IEDs and several anti-aircraft rounds, which were found buried three feet under ground.”
When
Kwinto isn’t on the job he is often found taking up his “liberty” time chewing on his favorite chew toy
— his bit tugs.
“He loves playing with his bit tugs,” said Sgt. Ken Porras, chief trainer, military
working dog section. “His favorite game with them is tug-o-war. He also loves to fetch. He’s just a big love hound.”
Ever
since dogs were brought into the military during World War II, they have performed tasks that have saved the lives of many
service members.
“Military working dogs are a huge tool in finding explosives, explosive caches, weapons and
IEDs,” said Porras. “They’re also a psychological deterrent. If someone sees the dog at the gate, they will
think twice before approaching.”
However, the effects of time do wear on military working dogs and cause some
to lose their drive to work.
“German shepherds, because of their hip dysplasia, will last between seven and ten
years on the job,” said Becker. “A Belgium Malinois can last twelve years. It all depends on the dog’s health
and drive to work, as well as its control capabilities.”
Although all dogs will eventually reach the end of their
service, Kwinto’s career is far from over.
“Kwinto is the perfect military working dog because he can bite
when it’s time to,” said Porras, a North Bergen, N.J., native. “He’s an awesome detection dog. He’s
just a big loving goofball when he’s not working.
“He knows when it’s time to work and when it’s
time to play,” Porras concluded. “That’s what I think makes him such a great dog.”
_________________________________________________________________
Military working dog, Marine stick together through battle, injuries
Story by Cpl. Micah Snead
AL
ASAD, Iraq (Feb. 7, 2006) -- On Jan. 5, a suicide bomber tried to interrupt Iraq's rebuilding process at a police academy
in Ramadi, but honor, courage and commitment by Iraqis and Marines alike was the only lasting result from the attack.
The
bond between one Marine, Cpl. Brendan N. Poelaert, a military working dog handler with 5th Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment
Provisional Military Police Battalion, and an East Kingston, N.H., native, and his MWD, Flapoor, a 4-year-old Belgium Malinos,
came through the carnage unscathed, even if the pair did not.
Poelaert, an Exeter High School graduate, joined the
Marine Corps during 2003, selected military policeman as his military occupational specialty and volunteered to become a dog
handler. Military police and their MWDs conduct vehicle searches, search open areas and buildings for personnel and evidence,
perform tracking searches for lost or wanted persons and can detect illegal drugs or explosives.
"It was something
extra I was interested in when I went to (MP training)," Poelaert said. "I grew up on a farm, have been around animals all
my life and love playing with dogs, so it was pretty natural for me."
The bond between Marine and man's best friend
is amplified in the handler-MWD relationship because of the way the two depend on each other to accomplish a mission, said
Staff Sgt. Wilfredo Declet, western area staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge for the 5th Bn., 14th Marines MWD section.
"The
bond that is built between a handler and MWD is a unique one," Declet said. "They depend on each other to perform their assigned
duties. It is a team effort."
Poelaert and Flapoor deployed to Fallujah during November. The teams' primary missions
in Iraq are to detect improvised explosive devices, provide crowd control, patrol entry control points, detect narcotics and
ensure base safety.
"He and all MWDs have been outstanding in Iraq," Poelaert said. "Every weapons cache found by a
MWD could mean the difference between life and death for a lot of people. They are really a valuable part of our mission."
In
Ramadi, MPs were providing crowd control for Iraqis lined up for entrance into a police academy. With some 300 Iraqis jostling
for position, the working dogs provided a calming effect on the crowd.
"People react to just the presence of the dogs,"
Poelaert said. "No matter where we are, here or stateside, the dogs have the same effect on crowds of people. Just being out,
having that security presence deescalates most situations."
A suicide bomber wearing a vest packed with ball bearings
and explosives detonated the device in the thick of the crowd. Marines and Iraqis fell in the blast.
"The first thing
I did was grab my arm because I thought it was missing," Poelaert said. "I saw another MP who was hit, heard machine gun fire,
it seemed like there were bodies everywhere. I tried to lift my rifle but couldn't because of my arm."
Poelaert had
multiple shrapnel wounds in his left arm. As he surveyed the scene, he found Sgt. Adam Cann, his MWD Bruno and Flapoor were
injured.
"Flapoor tired to come to me, but he just laid on the ground and stared," Poelaert said. "I reacted the same
as I would for any other Marine, calling for corpsmen. Medics wanted to treat me, but I was more concerned with getting the
dogs to a veterinarian."
Bandaged from head to wrist, Poelaert continued to look for a way to treat the injured dogs.
"Finally
some other MPs got the K9 truck to us and drove us to a hospital," Poelaert said. "There just happened to be a veterinarian
technician at the hospital so I felt better about that. They wanted me to get treated so I was looking for another handler
who could look after Flapoor."
Despite his injuries, Poelaert refused to be moved to Al Asad for treatment without
Flapoor at his side. Poelaert had already lost one dog during his time as a handler and was determined to do everything in
his power to save Flapoor.
"I lost a dog to cancer so I had been through that helpless feeling before," Poelaert said.
"They are like a best friend. It is hard to lose a dog, just as hard as losing a Marine. I was determined to do what I could."
Marine
and dog were flown to Al Asad's surgical center together. Declet took on responsibility for Poelaert as soon as he heard there
was a Marine and dog inbound.
"He was assigned to the eastern region, but regardless of where they work, we are part
of the same family," Declet said. "We take care of our own. Once I heard we were having a handler and MWD medical evacuated
to Al Asad, it becomes my responsibility. We were waiting for the helicopter to land. Once Poelaert got off the helicopter,
he ensured his MWD was in our hands before he was treated."
Flapoor was successfully treated and released in Al Asad,
but Poelaert had to endure a series of surgeries and treatments in several different hospitals before being reunited with
his partner.
"It was great to see him," Poelaert said. "The relationship is what you make of it, but every handler
I know goes out of their way to be with their dog. It is an unforgettable bond, something you never want to see end. Him pulling
through really helped me deal with everything that happened. The hospital workers were great, I can't say enough about what
they did for both of us."
Sergeant Adam Cann and Bruno were killed in the attack. The loss was felt by everyone in
the MP community. Declet said reuniting Poelaert and Flapoor was one way of helping the Marine push through the tragedy.
"All
handlers feel the same connection with their MWDs," Declet said. "It's not only their tool, but they are always there in the
good times and the bad times."
Taking on only light duties will be the routine for Marine and dog for now, but both
are looking forward to getting back to action.
"Getting better and getting him back to full health are the only things
I've got planned," Poelaert said. "I always look forward to training and this will be like retraining him. I have to keep
him walking slow and building back up to the load of activity he is used to. He likes to work too though so it won't be easy
to keep him at half speed."
Poelaert's dedication to his panting partner is typical of the concern most handlers would
have in a similar situation, Declet said.
"Any other handler would have done the same thing and acted the same way,"
Declet said. "The phrase 'Semper Fidelis' also applies to the MWDs. We will never leave a Marine behind or in this case a
MWD. We will do everything in our power to save the life of a MWD."
Poleaert and Flapoor are looking forward to fully
recovering and sinking their teeth back into their mission.
"He hits like a ton of bricks and loves biting," Poelaert
said. "You can tell he is missing it. We are both ready to get better and get back to work."
________________________________________________________________ |
| They’re In The Dog House, And They Like It |
| Miesau opens 60-bed military working dog facility. | |
| By Arthur McQueen, USAREUR Public Affairs |
MIESAU, Germany, May 22, 2006 — They have four paws, sensitive noses
and sharp teeth. Their mission, whether down range or in U.S. Army, Europe, is saving lives and protecting property.
They
are military working dogs, and when traveling through USAREUR or guarding the Kaiserslautern military community, they now
have a safe, secure place to bed down for the night.
Miesau’s location near USAREUR’s primary military
air hub at Ramstein Air Base ensures the dogs are positioned for deployment.
Col. Jack McClanahan, USAREUR provost
marshal, opened the 60-stall kennel and adjoining administrative building here May 19 with a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed
by a military police K-9 demonstration.
During remarks at the ceremony, McClanahan said he had received high-level
phone calls about the lack of one explosives detection dog team.
“I guarantee you, people care,” about
the missions working dogs perform, he said.
The kennel facility previously housed guard dogs for the Miesau storage
site. After 10 years in mothballs, it was renovated for $750,000, said Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Throckmorton, USAREUR military
working dog program manager.
“We weren’t tasked to do this, we did it on our own,” Throckmorton
said. “We are supporting not just the Army, but the Navy as well.”
Within the Army, the military police
are not the only ones who need dog teams, Throckmorton said.
“Engineers, infantry and special forces are all
using these animals. The dog program has gotten very big,” he said. “Dogs are a combat multiplier that everybody
wants, low density and high demand.”
“The operational tempo for all the services is really high. In USAREUR
we have close to 100 dogs, out of less than 600 in the whole Army,” Throckmorton said.
Existing facilities required
repeated back-and-forth travel to deployment sites and were insufficient for large deployments, said Staff Sgt. Chad O. Jones,
Darmstadt kennel noncommissioned officer-in-charge.
“In the past, when a platoon of dogs and handlers arrived
in the middle of the night, we haven’t had room to put them up,” Throckmorton said.
The new facility can
house 60 dogs, and includes an administrative building and training area, where Staff Sgt. Clayton Glover, 529th MP Company
and Rio, a 7-year-old German shepherd, demonstrated military police dog procedures.
A simulated routine traffic stop
turned into a chase when Staff Sgt. Darren Smith, acting as the criminal, fired a blank pistol at Glover after exiting his
red sports car.
Rio did a quick takedown of the “perp” and stood guard while Glover made the arrest.
Glover
said later, “he is quite the show dog, he loves performing for a crowd.”
German and Dutch shepherds and
Belgian Malinois generally work as patrol dogs in narcotics, explosives and as combat trackers, according to the Department
of Defense Military Working Dog Center.
Detector dogs, those trained to detect an explosive or drug odor, can be any
breed that meets DoD standards, but the center lists Labrador, golden or Chesapeake Bay retrievers as the most suitable.
The
dog and handler teams take about a month to bond, said Staff Sgt. Clayton Glover, 529th MP Company, and usually stay together
for the length of a standard tour.
However, dog teams deploy on a shorter schedule than the yearlong rotations most
troops here face, said Sgt 1st Class Kenneth Throckmorton, USAREUR military working dog program manager. |
 |
| Staff Sgt. Clayton Glover, 529th MP Company, gives his partner Rio some congratulations
after his takedown of Staff Sgt. Darren Smith, who acted as the perpetrator. Rio, a 7-year-old German Shepard, demonstrated
his skills during the opening of a new USAREUR kennel facility in Miesau, Germany. Photo by Arthur McQueen, USAREUR Public
Affairs. | | ____________________________________________________ |
 |
| Bo (foreground) stands with his former handler, Staff Sgt. Chad O. Jones. Bo was injured
during an insurgent attack in Iraq and was missing for several days. He has recovered and is back on duty in Miesau, Germany.
Photo by Arthur McQueen, USAREUR Public Affairs. | |
 |
“Starting with the Balkans, we have found that six-month deployments are much more effective (for
the K-9 teams). In this way we can provide a fresh asset for the commander,” Throckmorton said, explaining that a working
dog loses its training edge after that time.
“It makes more sense to have a dog that will function the way he
should for six months, rather than being there for a year and only functioning for eight,” he said. “Stress can
have an effect on dogs as well.”
One dog who has experienced the stress of combat is Bo, a 10-year-old Belgian
Malinois.
Bo spent six months in Iraq with Staff Sgt. Chad O. Jones, who was the kennel master for Abu Ghraib detention
facility.
Although trained as a patrol narcotics detection dog, Bo’s mission in Iraq was prisoner handling,
perimeter security and as a visual deterrent.
“April 2nd, 2005, Bo was in the kennel, and I was in the chow
hall,” Jones said. “We came under attack by about 150 insurgents.”
The kennel was hit by mortar
and rocket propelled grenade fire.
“Bo is what we call a ‘gunfire aggressive’ dog, he gets agitated
by loud noises,” Jones said.
The attack spurred Bo to plow through the kennel door and escape; he was found
several days later, said Jones.
“We found him in another building. He was actually wounded, laid up in another
building with shrapnel (wounds),” Jones said.
While Bo was missing, Jones said, “I was distraught, you
build such a bond with these dogs. I don’t have another human being to rely on as an MP.”
 |
| Rio, a military working dog with the 529th MP Company, stands guard over thick-jacket-wearing
"perp" Staff Sgt. Darren Smith, also of the 529th, whom Rio had taken down. Rio demonstrated one of the many tasks military
working dogs perform. Photo by Arthur McQueen, USAREUR Public Affairs. | |
“This
is my partner. I feed him, teach him, bathe him, I take care of his social needs,” Jones said. “He is just like
my son or best friend. When something like that is separated from you, there is an emptiness.”
“I had
to keep my mind set on finding him and taking care of him,” Jones said. “Everything worked out.”
Bo
was medically evacuated. He recovered in Iraq and returned to duty. Now, Bo will be one of the first permanent residents of
the Miesau facility, wh
He is forming a new team with Spc. Jeremy Slay, 529th MP Company, who said he has no problem working with a dog who has
been in the news.
“Having gone through this experience makes Bo a better dog,” Slay said. “He’s
a veteran.”
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