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In any rate in the Navy, there are Sailors who are not only knowledgeable in the basic duties demanded of them in their specific career field, but also have to be part of smaller community within their rate to perform specific jobs far beyond the routine. Some are chosen to be specific, almost esoteric, subject matter experts, but others seek it out and want to be more and do more.
Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Matthew Friend, from Clearwater, Fla., is just one of these people looking to elevate himself by becoming one of Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi’s Military Working Dog (MWD) Handlers.
“I’ve been trying to work with the K-9 unit pretty much since I first arrived here (at NAF Atsugi),” said Friend. “I’ve always had a pretty high passion for working with dogs and once I got into the kennels and started working with the other handlers, they became closer family than my own family. Those guys take care of me, they’d do anything for each other and I just love it over there (in the kennel).”
According to the Navy’s Center for Security Forces, the Continuation School (C-School) to be trained as an MWD Handler is held at the Naval Technical Center (NTC) Lackland in Texas. NTC Lackland says that MWDs and their handlers are a highly trained, highly skilled formidable duo. These teams are deployed throughout the world to perform duties of law enforcement and support a wide range of security operations. The course trains selected Master-at-Arms and Department of Defense personnel in the knowledge and skills needed to partner with patrol and detector dogs.
“For a regular Master-at-Arms their main focus is patrolling the streets, community service, and customer relations,” said Atsugi Kennel Master, Chief Master-at-Arms Mark Anthony Garcia, from Granbury, Texas. “Those are the things that the MWD handlers do as well but we have an additional tool at our disposal. Our job is to fill the shoes as a Master-at-Arms with the addition of utilizing a dog for what necessities come about depending on the situation, i.e. finding bombs, narcotics or finding suspects that can’t be found through regular tactics.”
While Friend cannot yet go on patrol with an MWD, he does have to participate in and complete preliminary work at the kennels before he can depart for C-School to receive proper training and instruction.
“I’ve been on kennel support since Aug. 2016,” said Friend. “What that entails is when we come in in the morning we feed the dogs, we clean out the kennels of any waste, afterwards we plan out any training that needs to be to done for the day. I cannot plant any simulated explosives yet, as I’m not an explosive team member, but I have become a secondary drug custodian under MA2 Adames, who is the primary drug custodian for the base. I am allowed to plant narcotics in controlled simulated training exercises for him.”
Garcia noted that these tasks are important in order for Friend to understand the commitment that is needed from potential handlers before they can even put in a package to attend the program.
“He has to understand that these animals are living creatures and that they depend us for their nourishment, care, to show them affection whenever they need it,” said Garcia. “Any new handler trying to be in this program needs to understand that before they even go to the school that you have to dedicate a required amount of time to these dogs. I find it very important that they at least understands how much commitment it is going to take to complete these tasks put before him.”
Even with having to complete these assignments put before him, as well as his routine work as part of the installation’s security force, Friend says that it hasn’t been difficult at all.
“They (the handlers) have been pretty straightforward with me from the start,” said Friend. “I’m here every day and I come even in my off time or whenever I get a chance to come over to the kennels and work.”
In fact, Garcia said that Friend has really impressed everyone in the unit with his dedication and professionalism.
“We knew that he could perform his duties as a regular MA but the amount of motivation he has brought into the kennels, showing us how bad he actually wants this is why were are working so hard to get him into the school,” said Garcia.
Friend has shown the ideals necessary through motivation and dedication to not just be successful Master-at-Arms but to also become part of specifically trained group of Sailors within a very large community in the Navy.
“I love everything about the K-9 program. It’s a really close family and I love that about it,” said Friend. “Plus you get to work with MWDs, so I think it’s the coolest job in the Navy.”
| Date Taken: | 02.01.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 12.04.2018 01:10 |
| Story ID: | 302116 |
| Location: | AYASE, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Hometown: | CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 67 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A dog's best friend, by PO1 Matthew C. Duncker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
