Photo By Spc. Derek Mustard | U.S. Army military working dog, Nick, of the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st...... read more read more
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FORT MEADE, Md. – A Military Working Dog wearing goggles stands cybersecurity duty on the U.S. Department of Defense Global Directory login page every day.
That Military Working Dog is Nick, a six-year-old German Shepherd with the 2nd Military Police Detachment on Fort Meade, Maryland.
Sgt. 1st Class Jon R. Silvey, the Kennel Master for the 2nd Military Police Detachment (Military Working Dog) Kennel on Fort Meade, said that Nick is one of six patrol explosive detection Military Working Dogs in his kennel. The kennel also has three patrol drug detector dogs.
“The 2nd MP Detachment (MWD) stands ready to deploy in support of contingency operations throughout the world but operate daily in the Military District of Washington footprint,” said Silvey. “The MWD teams are a force-multiplier that handle a variety of mission taskings from numerous agencies that include the Fort Meade Department of Emergency Services, local unit commanders, United States Secret Service and the U.S. State Department, upon request.”
Silvey said his Military Working Dog teams train to deploy anywhere around the world.
“Our 2nd MP Detachment (MWD) teams stay ready mentally and physically by conducting daily training scenarios, joint training events with other agencies, homemade explosive training events and physical conditioning for both the Soldier and the MWD,” said Silvey. “MWD teams would previously deploy to Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.”
Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Silvey has served in the U.S. Army for 19 years and deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Serving as a Military Working Dog handler inspired Silvey to stay in the Army.
“I decided to serve as an MP because as a child I always respected and admired law enforcement and thought it would make for an interesting job in the Army," said Silvey. "When offered the chance to become a MWD handler, I immediately knew the Army had me for the long haul."
Silvey said he hopes to continue to work with K9s in the civilian sector after he retires from the Army.
“I live by the philosophy that if you do something you love to do then you will never work a day in your life,” said Silvey. “Being a MWD handler, you get the opportunity to do something you love daily with four-legged Soldiers who love to do the same.”
The U.S. military has approximately 1,600 Military Working Dogs that serve in every branch of the United States Armed Services.
Around the world and around the clock, Military Working Dogs provide paws on the ground and support forces at sea and in the air. The U.S. Air Force’s 341st Training Squadron on Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, has been training the dogs since the 1950s.
Patrol explosive dogs like Nick support Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians as they confront and defeat explosives around the world.
Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the U.S. Army 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command is home to 75 percent of the active-duty U.S. Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) specialists, as well as the 1st Area Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, five Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and three Nuclear Disablement Teams.
In the Global Directory photo, taken by Spc. Derek J. Mustard, Military Working Dog Nick is deployed to Al Assad, Iraq.
Spc. Joseph J. Lane, his handler at the time, said they were training with the 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
Lane said the famous photo with Nick wearing goggles, sometimes called “Doggles,” was taken during a range mission.
“The goggles are worn to protect MWDs from debris and harsh weather,” said Lane. “In that photo, Nick was wearing them at the range for familiarization. We were at the range for night fire and we flew in Black Hawks with Night Vision Goggles.”
Lane and Nick spent nine months at Al Assad Air Base in Iraq in 2020. The MWD team supported the 25th Infantry Division and 82nd Airborne Division during the deployment.
They routinely checked semi-trucks entering the base and patrolled the nearby souks where trucks sat for 24-hours before entering the base. The MWD team also conducted two walking patrols in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division.
A native of Millis, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Archbishop Williams High School, Lane chose to serve in the Army because he wanted to work in law enforcement. Lane said he hopes to serve with the Massachusetts State Troopers or a local sheriff department when he completes his Army service.
Lane has recently moved from Fort Meade, Maryland, to Camp Walker in U.S. Army Garrison Daegu, South Korea, where he serves as the handler for Military Working Dog Dubai, a Belgium Malinois who specializes in drug detection.
“While here, I have had to change my tactics on how I search areas and conduct training. Going from a bomb dog to a narcotics dog has been challenging but rewarding,” said Lane.
“That is the beauty of working with dogs. Each one is unique and comes with a different personality and challenges you learn to overcome,” said Lane. “This, in turn, helps with training up new handlers who struggle at first. You not only see your MWD grow and learn but other handlers persevere and become great dog teams.”
As Lane’s first Military Working Dog, Nick was no exception. While obedient, Nick also had his quirks.
“He never liked water and would avoid puddles at all costs,” said Lane. “When teaching him new commands, he would pick them up very fast. Nick was very loyal and obedient to me but would crave attention from any one he thought was a friend.”
Lane said seeing Nick every day on the Global Directory brings back good memories of the work they did together to defend the nation and its warfighters.
“When I see him, I do miss him dearly,” said Lane. “We were a great team, and I had a lot of fun working and training with him. I do, however, realize he is in capable hands back at Fort Meade. I know they are treating him well.”
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 04.04.2023 11:41 |
| Story ID: | 441934 |
| Location: | FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, US |
| Hometown: | MILLIS, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Hometown: | OMAHA, NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 908 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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