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    U.S. trains with partner nations for Pacific Defender

    Partner Nations show-case skills at Pacific Defender

    Photo By Airman 1st Class Spencer Perkins | Members of the U.S. Air Force, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian...... read more read more

    YIGO, GUAM

    02.16.2023

    Story by Airman 1st Class Spencer Perkins 

    36th Wing

    ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam – Members from the U.S. Air Force, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force united and exchanged combat and military working dog tactics during Pacific Defender at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 24-Feb. 6, 2023.

    Pacific Defender takes place every year and covers a variety of tactical exercises that integrate all of the participating countries, further enhancing the relationships with our partner nations.

    “Pacific Defender is important because we’re bringing in our partner nations and building relationships with them at the operational level,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Ethan Martin, 736th Security Forces Squadron instructor. “We get to learn how they operate and they get to learn how we operate which could be beneficial if there’s a situation where we have to pair up down the line.”

    The training this year focused on mounted convoyed operations, dismounted squad movements, urban operations, weapons firing, jungle survival, land navigation, building clearing and night operations. The 36th SFS and Japanese Air Self-Defense Force military working dog teams focused on odor detection, building clearing, water confidence, bite work, night operations and live firing.

    “The training has been going very well,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brandon Franquez, 36th Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler. “Being exposed to this opens my eyes to real world situations and what a deployment may look like compared to our normal day to day.”

    This was the first year that the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force brought their MWDs to Pacific Defender and it gave them the chance to learn tactics that they do not normally have the opportunity to learn at their home station.

    “The JASDF will mainly only do bite work for demonstration purposes, so we’ve shown them that they can put on a full bite suit and introduced them to different types of bites,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dustin Campbell, 736th SFS military working dog instructor. “We were also able to introduce their dogs to live firing at the range, which they don’t get many opportunities to practice, as well as other tactics that would be used in a deployed environment.”

    Instructors from the 736th SFS were tasked with facilitating the training that was set up for the participants and providing help when needed.

    “The 736th SFS instructors are really knowledgeable about being handlers and they break it down in a way where it’s not going to stress you out,” said Franquez. “You’re able to retain the information they’re giving to you and apply it to the scenario.”

    Even though there is a language barrier with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Air Force and U.S. Air Force personnel, the training allowed participants to work together and build familiarity and relationships with one another.

    “My favorite part of the training has been building camaraderie with the other countries,” said Martin. “Even though we can’t speak the same language, we’re still able to go out and perform these exercises, complete different objectives and walk away having learned something from each other.”

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 02.16.2023
    Date Posted: 02.16.2023 01:19
    Story ID: 438590
    Location: YIGO, GU

    Web Views: 361
    Downloads: 3

    PUBLIC DOMAIN