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By Spc. Debrah A. Robertson
40th Public Affairs Detachment
KUWAIT - Don't be fooled by these canines' wagging tails and happy, pink tongues. They are trained professionals serving their country, just like the men and women who have dedicated their lives to training and perfecting the dogs' skills in everything from base patrols to explosives detection.
The dogs and their handlers are on posts throughout the theater, protecting servicemembers, such as Third Army/U.S. Army Central Soldiers here in Kuwait, from some of these hazards, said Chief Donald Reinhart, kennel master of the ASG-Kuwait's Law and Order Detachment, Military Working Dog Section.
When confronted with situations that would make some people cringe with doubt, the handlers at the Military Working Dog Section know their partners have their backs.
Military working dogs are willing to go into the dark places where human partners may be unwilling to venture, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Mario Rotilio, a master at arms with the Working Dog Section.
"Working with the dogs is very rewarding, and we definitely deploy to a lot of different parts of the world," continued Reinhart.
The unit coordinates the movement of working dogs and their handlers through Kuwait and into other areas of the theater, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
Having the dogs in theater is "important to the Global War on Terrorism," said Reinhart, "finding explosives, [improvised explosive devices] and terrorists who are trying to get on base."
"When properly utilized, they are the first line of defense in finding explosives on a compound," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Johnny B. Mitchell, also with the Working Dog Section, on working with his canine counterparts. "You can't beat a dog's nose."
"Dogs can detect odors so many feet away," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kris Thompson, with the Working Dog Section. "No one can duplicate that with robots."
Bomb detection robots can be quite expensive, said Rotilio, when compared to the amazing abilities of military working dogs in detecting the same materials.
"Dogs can [detect explosives] just as fast, if not better, at probably one-tenth of the cost," he continued comparing the dogs' abilities to those of explosive ordnance robots.
"The dogs act as deterrents in keeping explosives and drugs off the installations," he said.
"The intimidation factor of a barking dog is awesome," said Mitchell. "People shut their mouths and comply."
Where a terrorist may feel confident challenging a fellow human being, they may be plagued with doubt when it comes to challenging a trained military dog, said members of the Working Dog Section.
The dogs act as "physiological deterrents" when the handlers patrol the bases, said Rotilio.
But in order to get the handlers and their dogs to this level of expertise, it takes a lot of time and patience.
The canines go through schooling much like human servicemembers, including patrol and detection, said Thompson. Then they are sent to different bases.
Once at their respective bases, they are assigned to handlers who are thoroughly trained themselves.
"It's just more training from there," Thompson continued. "We're always looking for ways to excel our dogs to a higher level."
"With a person, you can give them a book, show them once and they learn it pretty easy," he said. "Whereas, with a dog, you have to go through baby steps. You have to start at a lower level and work up. You keep showing it to them and they eventually pick it up. It just takes a lot of time and a lot of patience."
The dog handlers of the Law and Order Detachment said they do not do it for the recognition. They do it for the love of the animal and the love of their jobs.
| Date Taken: | 01.17.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 01.17.2007 13:54 |
| Story ID: | 8834 |
| Location: | KW |
| Web Views: | 242 |
| Downloads: | 160 |
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