Yokosuka Master-at-Arms Secures 2nd Iron Dog Competition Win

Photo By Kristina Doss | 180529-N-RW598-0010 YOKOSUKA, Japan (May 29, 2018) Master-at-Arms 1st Class Ashly Lester and military working dog Ttibor practice a jump at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka. The pair won the U.S. Forces Japan Iron Dog competition on May 17, 2018. (U.S. Navy photo by Kristina Doss/Released)  

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, JAPAN

06.01.2018

Story by Kristina Doss 

Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

By Kristina Doss, U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka Public Affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan -- Master-at-Arms 1st Class Ashly Lester and her military working dog Ttibor won the U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) Iron Dog Competition.

The pair from U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka won after competing against 17 other military working dog teams in a series of grueling tasks that -- to outsiders -- may seem more akin to a Cross Fit competition or Iron Man race. The win marks the second year in a row for Lester.

"Lester took the right ingredients for success: hard work, patience, perseverance and the fighting spirit of the Navy," said Master-at-Arms Master Chief James Meares, Military Working Dog Program Manager at U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Va. "I know this achievement will inspire those around her."

The USFJ Iron Dog Competition takes place annually and is open to military working dog teams from all U.S. military services in Japan, as well as their counterparts in the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Yokota Air Base hosted the competition May 17.

Lester, who won the competition two years in a row with two different dogs, said this year's race was more challenging physically than last year.

Lester, for example, had to complete two miles of challenges -- known as a ruck march -- while donning a 30-pound backpack. One challenge, for example, required Lester to carry her 83-pound dog up eight flights of stairs. Other tasks included dragging a 200-pound mannequin 50 meters and demonstrating her veterinary care skills in scenarios where a dog was in shock or had an open chest wound.

"We are trained in basic veterinary skills so that if we were down range on a mission and something goes wrong, we're not just sitting there asking 'What do I do?'" said Lester. "We can at least do something (to help) until we can get the dog emergency care."

During the competition, Lester's dog Ttibor was put to the test too, completing tasks such as sweeping three floors of a tower for explosive odors, following Lester's commands amid distractions such as gunfire and extracting a suspect from a vehicle.

Winning two years in a row surprised Lester, considering she competed this year with a different dog who is only two years old and still learning what it takes to be a military working dog.

"He was doing things he hadn't done before and he was doing them fluidly," Lester said of Ttibor's performance at the competition. "I was just so happy with him."

At the end of the long day, Lester walked away proud to be a part of the Navy military working dog community.

"I know every rate says this about the Navy, that they have the best job, but I really love this job," Lester said. "I think most of us that are in this program have the personality where we want to compete and we want our dog to be the best. And that's just a good group of people to be around because you're always pushing one another in some facet to be better."

• Date Taken: 06.01.2018
• Date Posted: 12.27.2018 21:29
• Story ID: 305488
• Location: YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, JP