Australian military dogs get war service medals
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by Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala
332nd AEW Public Affairs
5/27/2009 - JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – Trained in explosives detection, narcotics detection and more, military working dogs here are now assisting in a different type of fight: the fight to rehabilitate patients at the Air Force Theater Hospital.
Members of the AFTH medical staff here held the first session of the K-9 Visitation Program, May 15, a program that works to further patient recovery after injury or illness through animal-assisted therapy.
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — Spc. Than Kywe, an Air Force Theater Hospital patient, shares a laugh with Cezar, a 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group explosives-detection military working dog, during the first session of the K-9 Visitation Program here May 15. The program works to further patient recovery after injury or illness through animal-assisted therapy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala)
The “pet project” of Staff Sgt. Janice Shipman, 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group intensive care unit aerospace medical technician, the program brings members of the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group’s K-9 unit and the medical staff together with one goal in mind: patient recovery.
“We are working together to make (the patients) feel good about themselves and about healing,” said Sergeant Shipman, who is deployed here from Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — Staff Sgt. Charles Busha, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group K-9 handler, introduces his narcotics detector dog, Golf, to patients at the Air Force Theater Hospital here May 15 as part of the newly created K-9 Visitation Program. Sergeant Busha and Golf are deployed from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., and the sergeant is a native of Lake Jackson, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala)
“From my experience, with their injuries, (patients) focus on that so much that just being able to have a distraction even for a little bit helps them heal,” continued the Phenix City, Ala., native. “Seeing brings us good memories, touching brings up good memories as well. If (patients) feel good about themselves and their environment, they can say, ‘hey, I’m included with this’ and they are not just thinking, ‘I’m a patient in a bed.’ It’s therapeutic.”
An AFTH patient, Army Staff Sgt. Vannell Baerrien said his experience with the K-9s has made a difference in his healing process.
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — Staff Sgt. Kristen Smith, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group K-9 handler, and her explosives-detection military working dog, Cezar, put on a demonstration for patients at the Air Force Theater Hospital here May 15 as part of the newly created K-9 Visitation Program. The program works to further patient recovery after injury or illness through animal-assisted therapy. Sergeant Smith and Cezar are deployed here from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., and the sergeant is a native of Johnstown, Pa. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala)
“Being here with the dog has helped me relax a lot more,” he said. “It has helped me to be able to take a deep breath and exhale so to speak. This has been a wonderful and welcomed event.”
Army Sgt. Marc Dowd, also a wounded warrior at the AFTH, shared common feelings regarding the K-9 Visitation Program: “(The program) gave me a chance to get out. Being able to get out here, especially with a working dog, is a great environment to be in. It helped me out. It made me forget about the pain just to have the dog around. It was really nice.”
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — Staff Sgt. Janice Shipman, 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group intensive care unit aerospace medical technician, explains to Air Force Theater Hospital patients here the purpose of the K-9 Visitation Program May 15. The program works to further patient recovery after injury or illness through animal-assisted therapy. Sergeant Shipman is deployed here from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and is a Phenix City, Ala., native. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala)
The use of animals for therapeutic purposes goes as far back as 1699 when the English philosopher John Locke suggested the importance of children interacting with animals. The U.S. military began pushing for the use of therapy dogs in 1919 after success with World War I Soldiers.
Today, therapy dogs fall under the category of animal assisted therapy. While MWDs here are not specifically trained as therapy dogs, the program here serves to augment their given military duties as explosives-detection and narcotic s-detection dogs, in addition to serving as therapy to wounded servicemembers.
Overall, the program gives K-9 handlers a great chance to train their dogs to work closely with others besides the handlers, said Tech. Sgt. Joseph Throgmorton, 332nd ESFG kennel-master.
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — Cezar, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group explosives-detection military working dog, enjoys having his ears scratched as he sits at the feet of an Air Force Theater Hospital patient here. Cezar was one of two MWDs that participated in the newly created K-9 Visitation Program at the AFTH. The program works to further patient recovery after injury or illness through animal-assisted therapy. Patients are able to interact with the K-9s and their handlers twice a month. Cezar is deployed here from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala)
“These are military working dogs; when they are on duty on-base, we generally do not let people pet them,” said Sergeant Throgmorton, who is deployed here from Hill AFB, Utah. “However, we have a unique mission here. Our dogs are working with non-K-9 handlers in close quarters of vehicles off-base and need to become comfortable around others.”
The program has done just that for Staff Sgt. Kristen Smith, 332nd ESFG K-9 handler, and her explosives detection MWD, Cezar.
“Whenever you’re training the dog around Coalition forces, you want to make sure he’s not aggressing on people you don’t want him to aggress on,” Sergeant Smith said. “This (program) furthers that training because when we are riding in HMMWVs and we are out patrolling, we try to train them (MWD) on how they are going to act around Coalition forces so they’re only going to do (aggress someone) whenever he (MWD) feels threatened, his handler is threatened or when given the actual command.”
Sergeant Smith and Cezar were one of two K-9 teams to participate in the initial session of the program. The other was Staff Sgt. Charles Busha, and his narcotics detector dog, Golf, deployed herefrom Fairchild AFB, Wash., and a native of Lake Jackson, Texas.
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — Staff Sgt. Kristen Smith, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group K-9 handler, gives verbal positive reinforcement to her explosives-detection military working dog, Cezar, for his conduct during his participation in the K-9 Visitation Program at the Air Force Theater Hospital here May 15. The newly created program allows AFTH patients to interact with K-9s to help further their recovery after injury or illness as a form of animal-assisted therapy. The program also furthers the MWD’s training, as they work in close proximity with Coalition forces here during their day-to-day mission. Sergeant Smith and Cezar are deployed here from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., and the sergeant is a native of Johnstown, Pa. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala)
Scheduled to be held at the AFTH twice a month at a minimum depending on the K-9 unit’s operations tempo, the visitation program will be available to other 332nd ESFG K-9 handlers and their MWDs. Sergeant Smith said she was happy to have participated in the first session and hopes to continue participating.
“If the patients want to see Cezar, I will bring him over,” she said, who is deployed here from McGuire AFB, N.J. “I think this is a really good program. It furthers our training and helps the patients.
Furthermore, the native of Johnstown, Pa., said participating in this program has helped her see the fruits of their training.
“(Being a part of this program) boosted my confidence that the training we are doing is paying off,” she said. “Cezar is already good around people, but any additional training is always good for the dog.
“(Cezar) is an explosives detection dog; we’re always conducting training to make sure he recognizes all odors so when you’re out patrolling, he can pick up an odor from far away and he’ll respond to it to let you know and to let fellow Soldiers know that there’s something out there,” she added. “They are all well-trained animals and as long as their handler’s around and they ask the handler’s permission, they are approachable and their purpose can be that of a therapy dog as well.”
In addition to helping patients in their recovery process and the K-9s in their training, Sergeant Shipman said she hopes the program will serve yet another purpose: educate both the medical staff and the security forces members about each other’s missions. Following patient interaction with the K-9s, the medical staff is able to view a K-9 demonstration, showcasing some of their (MWD) daily training.
“I hope this will give people a new understanding about what the K-9 unit does and help in bringing us together,” she said. “The K-9 unit will see what we do as a medical staff, and us as a medical staff will see what they do. They save lives just like we do. We will work together with the common goal to heal our patients.”
Touching video here of a funeral for a Las Vegas Metro Police Dog named Ben.
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by Veronica Slaght/For The Star-Ledger
Monday May 18, 2009, 8:58 PM
When students in Evelyn Van Nuys’ seventh grade history class were studying the Vietnam War, they learned that thousands of dogs served in the military, attacking enemy soldiers and sniffing out explosives. They also learned that many of these “war dogs” were abandoned and forgotten after the war.
The J.P. Case Middle School students decided the heroic canines and their handlers should be remembered, so they joined with their teacher to create a memorial at the Raritan Township school.
Veronica Slaght/For The Star-Ledger
Students at the J.P. Case Middle School in Raritan
Township decided a memorial to the dogs lost in the Vietnam War.
The memorial to war dogs and their handlers was dedicated at a ceremony this afternoon.
The black granite slab was donated by Rich Kulinski, and the students raised $4,000 to have it etched. It bears a Terry Waldron sketch of a war dog named “Fluffy” and his handler, and a poem called “The Soldier Dog,” written by Vietnam veteran Joe Ferrara. It also lists the nine New Jersey military dog handlers who were killed in action in Vietnam.
Today’s event drew local veterans’ organizations, politicians and members of the public to honor “courage at both ends of the leash.” Veterans’ organizations included Hunterdon County Bulldogs Chapter 957, Military Order of Purple Hearts Chapter 27, Vietnam Vets of America Chapter 452 and American Legion Post 159.
The attendees were joined by about 500 students.
During the ceremony, students and veterans placed flowers in front of the memorial for the dog handlers who died in Vietnam. The program also featured a student choir singing “Where Have All The Flowers Gone,” Lebanon Mayor Mark Paradis and Dan Schultz performing Echo Taps, and Rose Holden singing “America the Beautiful.”
According to Van Nuys, dogs were considered military equipment and left in Vietnam at the end of the war. The Gifted and Talented and seventh grade students attended a special assembly featuring veterans in the community and John C. Burnam, military dog handler and founder of the National War Dog Memorial in Washington D.C.
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Senior airman Rodreques Boyd, from McGuire Airforce Base, with Cici, a German shepherd who has been to Iraq twice. The two have been training together and will start their first joint tour of in September.
In addition to inspiring her students to honor war dogs, Van Nuys also inspired Flemington resident J.T. Gabriel. Gabriel formed the nonprofit organization K9 Soldiers to collect and donate necessary goods to the K9 teams at Fort Drum, Lakehurst Naval Air Station, McGuire Air Force Base and Bolling Air Force Base.
To make a donation to K9 Soldiers call at (908) 284-0284 or visit k9soldiers.org.
Gabriel also arranged to have representatives from these bases attend the dedication, which was performed with full military honors.
Senior airman Rodreques Boyd came to the event from McGuire Airforce Base with Cici, a German shepherd who has been to Iraq twice. The two have been training together and will start their first joint tour of duty in September. Boyd, originally from Atlanta, said he thought the memorial was “awesome.”
Peter Abramchak, who goes by “Pittstown Pete,” said he is glad the school did this. Abramchak served in Vietnam and is a member of the Marine Corps League. He said some military dogs are trained to attack, while others are used to sniff out bombs.
“The dogs deserve to be remembered,” he said.
Raising awareness about K9 units in the military oversea and collecting donations for soldiers and their animal co-workers has earned two Jackson teens the Girl Scout Gold Award.
“I chose this project to help the dogs and give back to the soldiers for protecting our country,” said Eliana Lisuzzo, a junior at Jackson Liberty High School. “The most successful aspect of our project would probably be working with the Girl Scout troops, they put a lot of hard work into the letters, drawings and bandanas [we sent to the soldiers and their dogs] and they turned out great.”
The girls held a collection drive for supplies for the dogs and soldiers overseas in addition to educating the community about the work military dogs do.
“We want to help the dogs and soldiers because they do so much to protect America,” said Rebecca Weigand, also a junior at Jackson Liberty High School.
Lisuzzo and Weigand are two of more than 60 girls from Monmouth and Ocean counties who have already earned a Gold Award this year from the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore. The Gold Award is the highest achievement available to a teen Girl Scout. The program is designed to help girls, ages 14-18, create a foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship.
Although it’s called an award, the Gold Award is earned, not given, and it isn’t easily achieved. Each recipient must spend at least 65 hours completing a project that combines organizational, leadership and networking skills with community service. The girl must feel passionate about the project in thought, deed and action. The project should also have an impact in the girl’s community that ideally will continue even after her involvement ends.
Corporal Andy Moan is to be reunited with his loved ones in Sunderland after completing a tour of duty in Basra.
Andy Moan
The RAF police dog handler served with the Theatre Military Dog Support Unit on patrol at the province’s international airport playing a vital security role during the hostilities.
Risking attack by rocket-propelled grenades and Improvised Explosive Devices, the team use their canine counterparts’ razor sharp senses to protect personnel and vital equipment from criminal and terrorist threats.
But last month marked the official end of the six-year British mission in the country and now the 22-year-old, who has also served on operations in Afghanistan, is preparing to join the thousands of troops returning home.
“My duties have included working as a police dog handler, as well as other wider duties involved with the policing of military operations on a civilian airfield,” said Cpl Moan.
“Working closely with my dog, our aim has been to detect and deter any intruders and to provide military working dog support to ongoing transition operations.”
The former Farringdon Community School pupil, who joined the RAF in 2002, is looking forward to flying home and seeing his family, including mum Lynne and dad Colin, and girlfriend Michelle.
“I love you all and will see you soon,” said Cpl Moan. “I’m also looking forward to having home-cooked meals and a few beers with my friends. I’ll see you all when I get back.
“I also want to thank the people of the UK for all their support for the armed forces.”
The Echo is providing returning servicemen and women with the chance to let their friends and loved ones know they are back safe and sound.
We will print messages for free in the Echo, making sure that people are aware they have returned from active service.
The Echo will also publish messages from personnel in the conflict zones.
Anyone wishing to take part should send their messages to james.johnston@northeast-press.co.uk.
Generous businesses are continuing to back the campaign.
Shops, restaurants and visitor attractions across the North East are supporting our drive to offer service personnel discounts on a range of services and products.
Any businesses that wish to take part in the scheme, and be featured in the Echo, should send a brief outline of their business and proposed offers with contact details to james.johnston
@northeast-press.co.uk.
To qualify for the Honour Our Brave offers, service personnel have to show their official ID cards at participating businesses.
By DawnDee Bostwick
Waynesville Daily Guide
Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. – The military has used animals in combat for years. From geese, to canines to dolphins, animals of all sizes and habitats have found a new purpose in helping defend the country.
The Engineer Canine Company at Fort Leonard Wood is no exception to this rule. Though they’re the first engineer company to have canines, the program isn’t something that’s new to the Armed Forces.
Historically, man’s best friend began military service in World War II. Since then, canines have served alongside men and women in uniform in Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq.
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And while this company’s soldiers’ furry buddies might look like your run-of-the-mill family pet, they’re far from it.
The working dogs, as they’re often referred to, undergo extensive training to detect explosive materials.
Two types of working dogs can be found on the post, including mine detection dogs and special search dogs.
The importance of the animals is not lost on their handlers. Without their superior sense of smell and aptitude for learning, many items that could harm soldiers might go undiscovered.
“We’re taking stuff off the battlefield that can be used against us,” John Chris, one of the company’s soldiers, said.
The canines are specifically selected to serve, and while not all that are selected make it through the program, many do. Assigned a military record, the animals are even eligible for certain medals for the work they do. The length of their career depends on the animal, Thomas Jefferies, another soldier, said.
But when they’re done with their job here, that doesn’t mean they’re not able to work in another field.
These working dogs can find homes at the FBI, local police agencies and the like.
Training is no easy task either, although it can be fun for both parties.
“Dogs are like humans, they learn at different paces,” Jefferies said, explaining that it might take one dog a bit longer than another to learn a concept. But the hard work pays off, as seen in a demonstration the company had for local media on Thursday.
Once this canine found its target, he was rewarded— and happily so.
A competition on May 14 will put these soldiers against some of the best in the nation, in both military and civilian life. The working dog competition will test the soldiers’ and their furry friends skills and ability to overcome obstacles.
“We’re going to be competing with teams across the country,” said Chris, who will compete with a special search dog.
This is also the first time the competition has been open to mine dogs, something that is both exciting and intimidating at the same time.
Mark Gray might have explained it best, saying, “It’s kind of nerve wrecking, but it’s fun all at the same time. I get to play with my puppy.”
Puppy might not be the word most would go to when describing a dog with the capabilities these ones have, but it also sums up the bond that grows between the soldier and their animal.
While these dogs aren’t family pets, they are family. Having a partner that won’t talk back, argue or get upset with you also has its advantages, Michael Tucker said.
“It’s a good feeling to be able to work with something like that,” Tucker said, noting it does take effort on the part of the human to learn a dog’s ‘language’. “It’s a whole new experience. It’s a new challenge, everyday.”
And for Chris, this career is an opportunity to do something he’s always loved to do.
“I’ve turned a game, when I was a kid of playing with the dog, into something I do for a living,” he said.
Sometimes small town police departments have the biggest hearts, especially when it comes to K9s.
Waskom Police Department’s K9 partnerships, Officer Forrest Mitchell with K9 Harley and Officer Dwayne Longmire with K9 Caesar proved just that at the 2009 National Narcotic Detector Dog Association conference.
| Terri Hahn/News Messenger |
| Officer Dwayne Longmire with K9 Caesar and Officer Forrest Mitchell with K9 Harley took top honors in the teams competition at the 2009 National Narcotic Detector Dog Conference in Corpus Christi. |
“For four dogs from Harrison County to place in the top 50 percent is saying great things about Harrison County K9s,” said Mitchell, who added that two of the dogs placed in the top 20 percent.
The conference was April 20 through April 24 in Corpus Christi and included 160 K9 contestants from 28 states.
Waskom’s two K9s and their human handlers worked together to take first in teams. Harley placed third overall, which earned him the Mike Brown Award for Top Malinois. Caesar placed 33 overall.
“That’s what (Mitchell) said before we went, that more than anything he’d like to bring back a trophy for teams,” said Longmire.
Brown was a legendary Malinois trainer, renowned for his deep rapport and communication with his dogs. The comparison to Brown is a deserved honor for Mitchell, Longmire said.
In their first year to compete at the NNDDA’s annual competition, Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputy Randy Payne and K9 Rusty took 40th place and Deputy Brian Best with K9 Bruce took 72nd overall.
“This was Harrison County’s first year to compete and with young dogs. They will be real contenders next year,” predicted Mitchell.
Officer Mitchell has been at the Waskom Police Department for three years. He owns both dogs and has been working with Harley in narcotics detection for four years.
Mitchell also trained Caesar in narcotics detection while at the Jefferson Police Department, where he worked one year before coming to Waskom.
Harley is a 13-year-old Belgian malinois. This was his third year to compete in the NNDDA narcotics competition placing 104th his first year and 19th last year in Jackson, Miss. “I was thinking about retiring him because of his age, but with the heart he showed in the competition, I’m going to keep him in,” said Mitchell
Officer Longmire, an animal lover like Mitchell, has been working with Caesar for a year since getting to know the 5-year-old German shepherd while renting an apartment near Mitchell.
“This is my first year to compete with Caesar though I have with other dogs while working as a K9 officer in New London,” said Longmire, who has been at WPD since 2007 and has two years of K9 experience from New London Police Department.
Caesar placing 33rd was a major accomplishment for the K9 as he had been three years retired and only trained from January to April before the competition.
“We practice a little bit and he worked vehicles well. Even with the distractions of the highway, he went back to work like he had last stepped out of the car yesterday,” said Longmire.
Both men took the time to honor their own dog training mentors. Longmire credited his K9 knowledge to David Dockins and Scott McCally who taught him how to train and bond.
“Placing so well also says great things about Forrest and his work with in Jefferson for Caesar to place so well,” said Longmire.
Mitchell credited Karen Bush and Norm Gardener of Blanchard, La., who showed him how to train dogs and also gave Harley to him four years ago.
“Harley’s success has progressed over the years and he has matured a lot in the competitions,” said Mitchell. “Having a good dog in your department and trusting him is a big benefit to the department.”
Anyone who would like to see Mitchell, Longmire, Harley and Caesar in action can attend a K9 demonstration during a Drug Awareness Program at 3:30 p.m. on May 28 at New Hope Apartments in Waskom.
About 300 dogs and their handlers attended the 2009 NNDDA Conference though not all competed in the narcotics competition. Next year’s competition will be in Bossier City, La. For more information about the NNDDA visit www.nndda.org.
By Tech. Sgt. Christopher D. Flahive, 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Holloman Air Force Base members said goodbye May 1 to one of their own at a memorial service rendering full military honors to a 49th Security Forces Squadron Military Working Dog.
Uro, a 4-year-old German shepherd, died April 24 at Holloman. His death was determined to be caused by gastric dilatation volvulus, which is common among larger breeds of dogs and also working dogs.
Uro, a 49th Security Forces Squadron military working dog stationed at Holloman Air Force Base. A memorial service honoring his service took place May 1 in Heritage Park on Holloman. (Photo provided by 49th Security Forces Squadron)
“He was a very calm and lovable dog and wanted to please everyone” said Staff Sgt. Stephanie Finch, K-9 handler/patrolman. “He was very friendly and if you just saw him (without his handler), you would never know he was a working dog.”
Born on Oct. 17, 2004, in Germany, Uro came to Holloman in September 2006, having completed over 100 days of military working dog training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Like many working dogs, Uro was dual certified in narcotics detection and as a patrol dog.
Although he had not yet deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, Uro was instrumental locally in the discovery of narcotics on five separate occasions, including two while working with a Joint Drug Task Force in El Paso.
Although loving and playful, Uro was also very protective of his fellow officers. On one occasion, Uro was dispatched to assist patrolmen who were dealing with an unruly individual. When the individual became violent, Uro’s years of training and preparation paid off as he quickly subdued the individual, said Sergeant Finch.
“We protect the base population and the dogs protect us,” said Staff Sgt. Kevin Williams, K-9 handler/patrolman, who was Uro’s handler when he died.
Like all other active-duty members, Uro was provided full military honors, which included the presentation of the colors, the playing of “Taps,” a flag folding ceremony and a three volley firing party.
“The untimely death of Military Working Dog Uro was a devastating loss for both our K-9 section and the unit,” said Chief Master Sgt. Donald Tapp, 49th Security Forces manager. “Although one of our youngest dogs, he had conducted several thousand training and search hours in support of the home security mission. Uro was a true defender and a vital police asset. He will be greatly missed, but his devotion to duty in support of the 49th Security Forces Squadron mission will live on in spirit.”
