![specialized search dog handler course specialized search dog handler course](https://vistechtraining.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/NASDU-Title-Banner.jpg)
In 2010, the dog program here began assisting the Marine Corps in training Combat Tracker Dog Teams to recognize and follow suspected terrorists. They differ from their standard Explosive Detector Dog counterparts in the fact that they are far more independent and work primarily off-leash via voice and directional commands issued by the handler.
![specialized search dog handler course specialized search dog handler course](https://archive.sheridanmedia.com/files/image/082_1.jpg)
Aptly referred to as Specialized Search Dogs, these highly skilled counter-terrorist search assets are trained to detect arms, ammunition, and explosives - both of the conventional and homemade varieties. In 2005, they added a new type of detector dog to the Department of Defense inventory in response to the rising threat of improvised explosive devices attacks during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. By 1969, they adopted the patrol dog as the standard military working dog and added a drug detection course. until the Sentry Dog Training Branch of the Department of Security Police Training was established at Lackland in October 1958. The Army continued to train and supply sentry dogs to Air Force units in the U.S. The first Air Force sentry dog school was activated in Japan in 1952. “The military has given me so much, so I thought it was only right to continue to serve, just on a civilian basis,” he said. He worked as a K-9 protection specialist in Ohio before returning to Lackland in 2013 to continue his passion to train the dogs. By far my K-9 deployment was the best.”īrock joined the Air Force in 2003 and was medically discharged in 2011. I’ve deployed both to Iraq and Afghanistan, one as a straight-leg cop and the other as a handler. “I’ve deployed with my K-9, Kormi, and it was the best time. “The bond you build with a dog is indescribable,” he said. Brock deployed to Afghanistan as a handler and said the bond is indescribable. They deploy as a pair and the bond they share is vital for them to be able to successfully accomplish the mission. When the military working dog handler is assigned to a kennel at his duty station after completing training here, he or she is assigned to one dog and will deploy to war zones with that dog. They currently house more than 850 dogs at Lackland. They are spayed or neutered before being adopted into the military working dog program. They range in age from one-year-old to 13 years old and include both males and females. The dogs are usually German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retriever and occasionally a mixed-breed or other sporting or herding-breed dog. “Every dog is different, so your training is different,” he said.
![specialized search dog handler course specialized search dog handler course](https://apdtfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/garvey-2.jpg)
“It’s just something I’ll never lose and will always respect because I’ve been in the same situation.”īrock said the most challenging part of the job is the different personalities of the dogs. “I love still being around military members,” said the Air Force veteran. The mission here is to provide trained military working dogs and handlers for the Department of Defense, other government agencies and allies through training, logistical, veterinary support and research and development for security efforts worldwide.īrock said his favorite part about being a part of the DoD military working dog program is being around military members. Most of what the students and dogs learn will be on the 3,000 acres of training areas during practical scenarios in mock airplanes, warehouses, dorm buildings and open fields. The students will work with four different dogs to learn the different personalities and learn different ways to utilize the dogs. In the Dog Training School, the dogs learn obedience, patrol techniques, drug detection and explosives detection in 120 days. Within the 341st Training Squadron, there are five courses with about 140 students, 107 staff members and nine teams with about 18 dogs each: the Dog Training School, Handler’s Course, Kennel Master’s Course, Specialized Search Dogs Course and Combat Trackers Dogs Course. Hylton High School, Woodbridge, Va., graduate. “I train dogs for the military and other federal agencies, and I love it,” said the 2001 C.D.