A Tribute To Military Dogs

Wanted: Canine Commando Trainers Wanted

Canine Commandos -- Mark Thompson, Battleland/Time

We noted back in March that the SEALs were seeking outside trainers to mold the dogs that accompany them on their secret missions into lean, mean biting machines, and whatever else might be required.

Naval Special Warfare Group was coy about the details at the time, saying details of the training “will not be issued.” So Battleland filed a Freedom of Information Act request for it.

The Navy came through the other day with the contract’s statement of work. Some undoubtedly juicy bits were deleted, but this is the basic outline of what the contract involves:

Read more ....

My Comment: The US military clearly wants more highly trained dogs .... and the trainers that go with this need.

Meet America's Most Elite Dogs

Sniffing Out Bombs: Meet America's Most Elite Dogs -- CBS

When the bombs went off at the Boston Marathon, highly trained dogs were rushed to the scene to search for more explosives. Boston police have said dogs swept the streets in the morning and a second time just an hour before the first marathoners crossed the finish line. It's considered likely that the bombers planted their devices well after the dogs finished sweeping the area. Since 9/11, dogs have been used more than ever because nothing has proven more effective against hidden bombs than the nose of a working dog.

The best of them serve with U.S. Special Operations and they're in a league of their own. It's nearly impossible to get anyone to talk about them publicly because much of what they do is classified, but we were able to talk to the people who train them for this story. We took the opportunity to ask about what might have happened in Boston while getting a rare glimpse inside the secretive world of America's most elite dogs.

Read more ....

My Comment: Lara Logan gets a rare look into the secretive world of working dogs -- some of whose capabilities are military secrets -- and their handlers. Bottom line .... expect more dogs at large public events.

A Look At The Dogs Who Join Special Operations

Zero Bark Thirty -- Maureen Callahan, New York Post

How to train a dog of war, like Osama bin Laden’s nemesis Cairo, who lend our SEALs a paw.

Perhaps the most astonishing detail to emerge from the raid on Osama bin Laden was the presence a most unusual soldier: a dog named Cairo, a Belgian Malinois who’d gone through the canine equivalent of SEAL training.

On that mission, he was responsible for helping to secure the perimeter of the bin Laden house, sniffing out bombs and, if necessary, attacking enemy combatants. He wore a Kevlar vest with harnesses for rappelling and parachuting, a drainage system for waterborne assaults, and a night-vision camera with a 180-degree field of vision.

What made Cairo most valuable on this raid, however, were his intrinsic gifts, ones that cannot be replicated or simulated by humans or machines, and which give the United States unquantifiable advantages in the theater of war.

Read more ....

My Comment: These are incredible dogs .... and they save lives. Personally .... I love dogs .... and I have been very lucky over the years to be the proud owner of a Bordie Collie and a German Shepard. When they past away .... it did feel like losing someone in the family. As for today ..... because of my travel commitments it is now very difficult for me to be a dog owner .... fortunately .... my GF owns a Rottweiler and a mix Rottie who always want to play .... so I do get some "dog time".

U.S. Marines Have A New 'Top Dog'

Chesty, an English bulldog and the newest U.S. Marine Corp mascot (U.S. Marine Corps)

Top Dog: U.S. Marines Welcome Their Newest Bulldog, Chesty -- Washington Times

He’s only nine weeks old, but has already entered recruit training. That would be “Chesty,” the pedigreed English bulldog and future Marine Corps mascot, who arrived at Marine Barracks in the nation’s capital on Valentine’s Day.

The handsome and distinguished young Chesty will enter obedience school and canine “recruit training,” earn the title of Marine and be named the next Marine Corps mascot on March 29. His official duties include marching in myriad events, including the Friday twilight parades at the facility, looking tough but buff in his own custom dress blues.

Mascots and Marines have a long history, according to Marion F. Sturkey, who penned “Warrior Culture of the U.S. Marines,” published in 2001:

Read more ....

My Comment: I would have selected a Rottweiler.

U.S. Military Wants Smarter Dogs

Darpa’s Plan To Recruit Military Dogs: Scan Their Brains -- Danger Room

Dogs do it all for the military: sniff for bombs, detect narcotics and rescue hapless humans. But to recruit the best canine squadmates, the Pentagon’s blue-sky researchers are working on a plan to scan their brains — and figure out how dogs think. Belly rubs won’t cut it anymore.

According to a new research solicitation from Darpa, the project — adorably called FIDOS, for “Functional Imaging to Develop Outstanding Service-Dogs” — touts the idea of using magnetic image resonators (or MRIs) to “optimize the selection of ideal service dogs” by scanning their brains to find the smartest candidates. “Real-time neural feedback” will optimize canine training. That adds up to military pooches trained better, faster and — in theory — at a lower cost than current training methods of $20,000, using the old-fashioned methods of discipline-and-reward.

Read more ....

My Comment: It is only a question of time before this program is upgraded from dogs to .... you got it .... to humans.

U.S. Military Dogs Cannot Be Buried At A National Cemetery

Photo: Army buddies: Sgt. Corey McCourt wanted his service dog Mina (pictured) buried in a national cemetery and his mother is now fighting to make it happen

Bomb-Sniffing Military Dog Denied Burial Alongside Handler's Army Family Despite Serving Nine Tours In Afghanistan -- Daily Mail

* Army mom determined to get Mina a hero's burial
* The Labrador retriever died at 13, having saved countless lives

A bomb-sniffing Army dog has been denied burial in a national cemetery, despite having served nine tours of duty in Afghanistan.

Mina, a Labrador retriever, was honorably discharged at age 11 with the rank of sergeant and then adopted by his brother in battle, Army Sgt. Corey McCourt.

Last week, Mina was euthanized at 13 after suffering a debilitating lung ailment. As McCourt continues his service duties, his mother June Etlinger got the job of finding a proper burial for Mina.

Read more ....

My Comment: I expect an exception to be made in this case.

For Some Military Dogs Life Is Good

"Arnold," a stud Belgian Malinois in the 341st Training Squadron's military working dog breeding program, peers through the fence of his kennel at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, in August 2012. Darren Abate/Los Angeles Times/MCT

Combat Dog Put Out To Stud For Department of Defense -- Stars and Stripes

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Arnold des Contes D’Hoffmann, who joined the Department of Defense in 2008, has never been to Afghanistan or Iraq. But numerous of his progeny have deployed to the war zones and are credited with saving American lives.

Arnold has a unique job description in the American military: He’s a stud.

With 149 offspring — and six more expected soon — the Belgian Malinois is one of the more productive males in the breeding program at the military working dog program at Lackland Air Force Base, a sprawling military installation in San Antonio. The program’s goal is to produce dogs that have fewer medical problems than the dogs purchased from outside vendors and can stay longer on active duty.

Read more ....

My Comment: Throughout history dogs have been specifically bred by different armies for war .... the U.S. military is no different.

Military Working Dogs Are Now A Fact Of Life

Photo: military working dogs

Military Working Dogs Today Have Long History Of Heroism -- Washington Times

WASHINGTON, January 10, 2013 - Working dogs form an important part of today's military.

Dogs have been used in warfare by ancient Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Slavs, and Britons. During the Roman Empire dogs were arranged in columns and wore armor and spiked collars. Dogs were also used by Attila the Hun and Frederick the Great. Napoleon chained dogs to the walls of Alexandria to warn of enemy attacks. Dalmatians were used on the borders of Dalmatia to warn of Turkish attacks from Croatia.

By the early 1900s, France, Belgium, Russia, and especially Germany used military dogs for scout duty, to warn of enemy attacks, find the injured, and to carry supplies and messages during combat. Even though dogs were used in the Spanish-American War and Civil war, the US officially began training dogs for the US army in 1942. During WWII, 15 war dog platoons served overseas as part of the army’s K-9 Corps. Dogs have served in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, and Iraq with bravery and distinction. Today, military working dogs are trained at Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland for all branches of the military.

Read more ....

My Comment: Why does this not surprise me .... 95% of dogs are adopted by their handlers.

U.S. Congress Moves To Protect Military Dogs

Measure To Protect Retired Military Dogs Clears Congress (Video) -- KPBS

Dogs who serve in the United States military would be ensured a good home and proper care in retirement under a measure that cleared Congress last week, and now awaits the signature of President Barack Obama.

The measure was attached as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013. It would re-classify military working dogs as members of the armed forces, rather than military equipment, and allow military working dogs who are not able to be adopted in retirement to be sent to 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio to live.

Read more ....

My Comment: Long overdue. The video tribute above is also a must see.

The Relationship Between A Battlefield Bomb-Tech And His Dog

flikr/DVIDSHUB

The Relationship Between A Battlefield Bomb-Tech And His Dog Is Unlike Anything Else In The World -- Business Insider

Army Specialist John Nolan’s heart pounded as he stared into the wadi in central Afghanistan. He wasn’t sure what lay beneath the loose, granular dirt.

Was there a 500-pound bomb buried beneath him? If that thing detonated, he would be dead.

Maybe there were some homemade explosive or land mines? If they exploded right now, he might live. He might not.

Read more ....

My Comment: Another great dog story is here.

They Do It For The Tennis Balls

Photo: Fetching … handler Lance-Corporal Nathan Cooper and his trusty companion, Wilber. Colin Cosier

Barking Mad: Bomb-Dogs Have A Ball Sniffing Out Trouble For Troops -- Sydney Morning Herald

WILBER the border collie doesn't know he has a dangerous job; for him it's all a game. Finding the hidden bombs he's trained to sniff out of the ground means only one thing: tennis balls.

An army explosive detection dog, Wilber has been deployed to Afghanistan and his reward for finding something is playing with a tennis ball.

His handler, Lance-Corporal Nathan Cooper, says the selection criteria for a bomb-dog is based around their retrieval drive.

"They think it's a game, they're looking for a ball, and once they smell that explosive they'll respond to that, they'll sit and the ball will come from somewhere. Out of nowhere, they think the whole world is full of tennis balls potentially," Corporal Cooper says.

They also can't be gun shy.

Read more ....

My Comment: Truly a soldier`s best friend.

The Dogs Of War

A U.S. Air Force dog atop an M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle in Iraq in 2007. Wikipedia

Upgrading The Dogs Of War -- BBC

A rare look inside one of the US Military projects that hopes to counter the threat of roadside bombs.

In a secluded section of Raleigh, North Carolina live 16 carefully selected recruits for a high-priority Pentagon project that could play a life or death role in Afghanistan.

None of them have any previous military experience, so their training is necessarily disciplined – if they get through the programme their work could pave the way for others, like them, who will be called on to make life-saving decisions in high-stress environments. As a result, nothing is left to chance. Their days involve intense physical and mental training to see if they are able to cope with the rigors of war.

Read more ....

My Comment: A new reason on why some dogs are a "soldier`s best friend".

When 'Top Dogs' Meet At The Pentagon

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his dog Bravo with Chesty in May. Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo/Department of Defense

Tongues Are Wagging After Snub of Pentagon's Top Dog Leads to Marine Corps Promotion -- Wall Street Journal

Some Say Chesty's Conduct With Defense Secretary's Golden Retriever Was Unbecoming; Pats From the Commandant

WASHINGTON—The Marines won't say it out loud, but everyone knows that Cpl. Chesty got promoted to sergeant this summer not for being a good Marine, but for his in-your-muzzle confrontation with the top dog in the Pentagon.

Just two weeks before his promotion, the Marine Corps mascot, an English bulldog formally known as Chesty XIII, had a run-in with Bravo, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's golden retriever. Chesty, usually known for happily mugging for photos with kids, revealed his inner grunt when he spotted the larger dog at the conclusion of a pomp-filled military parade held in honor of the Pentagon chief. Chesty growled, barked and ignored his choke-chain of command as he went nose-to-nose with Bravo.

Read more ....

My Comment: I can hear all the Marine jokes right now.

I MEF K-9 Afghanistan

My Comment: I hate the music for this vid .... but some of the pics and videos in it are cool.

Soldier Dogs: A Book Review

Soldier Dogs: In Cane Speramus -- Military.com

“War dogs have, indeed, served the nation well and saved many lives. Dogs continue to serve to protect Americans both in combat zones and in homeland security roles.” - General Colin Powell, USA (Ret.)

“You can trust a man that doesn’t like dogs, maybe, but you cannot trust a man that dogs don’t like.”

–Daniel Reeder, Age 9

Praise for Soldier Dogs: “[A] highly recommended book if you have the slightest interest in military working dogs. A must read — I say again must read — book if you have ever served anywhere they’ve had paws on the ground. I’m not sure who to thank more…Maria Goodavage for her book or Blek, Lucy, Buck, Ajax, Davy, Tina, Patrick, Fenji, Rex, Cinte, Lex, Ben, Lars, Duc and the other dogs and their handlers for helping her write it…”

–David Reeder, Military​.com

Read more ....

My Comment: It's about time someone wrote a book about the dogs who serve in our military.

Hero Dog Bino - American Humane Association

Military Dogs And Their Handlers

Image via Mauricio Lima/NY Times

Strong Bonds Link Military Dogs, Handlers -- Stars and Stripes

HEIDELBERG, Germany — He was a go-getter, an athletic, high-speed soldier with an incredible drive. Young, dark and handsome, he was often playful and humorous.

So when an insurgent’s bullet found him on the Fourth of July, his closest friend decided there was no way he’d let him die.

“I have to get on that medevac!” Spc. Marc Whittaker yelled when the shooting stopped, as he hunkered down in a mud hut where he’d carried his wounded comrade.

Read more ....

My Comment: The best friend that I had ever had was my dog .... and I still remember him 28 years later. So for soldiers in the field with their dogs .... with bullets always flying and IEDs exploding .... yup .... I expect that bond to be even stronger.

Military Dogs Heading To The Front

Lance Cpl. Tyler Wood, a dog handler with 2nd battalion, 8th Marines, kneels next to his dog, Cpl. Ace. The handlers remain with their dogs for approximately a year, working with them during training and then deploying with them. Cpl. Jeff Drew / Marine Corps

More Working Dogs Heading To The Front -- Marine Times

U.S. troops in Afghanistan rely more and more on the superior noses of military working dogs to sniff out deadly improvised explosive devices.

These highly trained dogs landed in the spotlight recently when it was learned that Cairo, a Belgian Malinois, was part of the SEAL team that raided Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. Cairo is the only member of the team to be identified so far, and even President Obama met with the famous dog when he visited Fort Campbell, Ky., to thank the team of special operators after the May raid that led to bin Laden’s death.

Read more ....

Update: Military dogs, handlers patrol and suffer together in Afghanistan - -Statesman.com/AP

My Comment: Yup .... dogs continue to be a soldier's best friend.

U.S. Military Canine Program Expanding

Army Spc. Marc Whittaker, with the 529th Military Police Company, holds back his military working dog Anax while Senior Airman Erin Simes, a canine handler attached to Task Force Duke, acts as a decoy during an end-of-leash drill at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, on April 5. They conducted three portions of training involving detection, obedience and patrol skills.The scenarios incorporated real-life distracters such as an entry team to get the dog accustomed to such distractions before going out into the field. US Army

Canine Programs Expand To Save More Troops -- Army Times

But sometimes the dogs are the casualties.

U.S. troops in Afghanistan are relying more and more on the superior noses of military working dogs to sniff out deadly improvised explosive devices.

These highly trained dogs landed in the spotlight recently when it was learned that Cairo, a Belgian Malinois, was part of the team that raided Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. Cairo is the only member of the team to be identified so far, and even President Obama met with the famous dog when he visited Fort Campbell, Ky., to thank the team of special operators after the May raid that led to bin Laden’s death.

Read more ....

My Comment: If trained properly .... they are a soldier's most loyal and trusted buddy.