Free Republic

Not an article, just a slide show ("AUTHOR" really a photog). Dogs who are trained by Afghans (no, not the dog) for Afghanistan!

"Cookie," the unofficial mascot for the U.S. Army 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, sits inside a Soldier's backpack at Combat Outpost Jeleran, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2009.

AN Australian Army bomb dog survived almost 14 months in the Afghan desert after being declared missing in action during a bloody battle with the Taliban. Sabi, a bomb detection dog, was reported MIA after she fled from the same battle in which SAS Trooper Mark Donaldson won his Victoria Cross for risking his life to save an Afghan interpreter in September last year. Nine soldiers, including Sabi's handler, were wounded in the ferocious firefight that ensured after the Australian, US and Afghan army convoy was ambushed by the enemy. The black labrador fled from the chaos and was feared...

***Policy change comes after child died from bite at North Carolina's Camp Lejeune*** U.S. Marines are known for being aggressive, but service brass don't want the troops' dogs to have the same trait. Marine Corps headquarters in Washington recently instituted a ban on what it considers dangerous dogs at its bases worldwide. The policy specifically bans purebred and mixed breed pit bulls, Rottweilers, wolf hybrids "or any canine breed with dominant traits of aggression" that pose a risk to people living in base family housing. The Marine Corps' mascot, the bulldog, is not mentioned in the new policy. A spokeswoman...

He saw a squirrel the other day in his new back yard in Derby and chased it up a tree. First time he'd ever done that. He hadn't seen squirrels, or trees, in Afghanistan. It was a big moment for ETTy, a black and white mutt that was adopted in Afghanistan in December by 1st Lt. Chris Corman of Derby and some of his Marine buddies Corman, 28, was stationed with about 20 other Marines in Mehtar Lam, halfway between Kabul and Jalalabad. For nine months, they served as an embedded training team with a unit of the Afghan National...

~ ~ FReeper Canteen Presents ~ ~ Working Dogs Train on Bagram Airfield!! ~ U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Chris Reynolds runs his German shepherd, Baiky, through a training obstacle course on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Aug. 7, 2009. Reynolds, a dog handler assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrols the base with his dog to inspect mail, luggage and vehicles for narcotics. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski Canteen Mission Statement Showing support and boosting the morale ofour military and our allies' militaryand family members of the above.Honoring those who have served before. U.S....

1st Lt. John Reed, a platoon leader with 15th Brigade Support Battalion, attempts to evade Capka, a military working dog, during a demonstration at Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Aug. 1. The demonstration was to not only entertain Soldiers but to educate leaders on the capabilities of the military working dogs. Photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Douglas, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs. FOB WARRIOR — No matter how fast the dozen or so Soldiers ran, they couldn't outrun Buli and Capka, a pair of German Sheppard military working dogs, during a demonstration here, Aug. 1. Soldiers from the 15th Brigade...

What an amazing human being. She cares about this country so much..Check out what she did at the bottom, that outta piss off the libs Operation Military Care K-9 is a program that reaches out to military K-9 teams deployed in the Middle East. Both the dogs and their handlers are recipients of care packages thanks to the effort, which was organized by Beth White, a teacher at Henderson High School in South Carolina. Mud Creek Baptist Church is partnering with Beth to help send such useful items as cooling vests and bandannas for the dogs and sun block and...

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, March 26, 2009 – She takes a few steps forward and then glances over her shoulder. A few feet up the road she stops and lies down on the ground, a sign of possible danger. Army Sgt. Stephen Netzley, a K-9 handler with 3rd Squadron, 71st Calvary Regiment, and his German shepherd, Lady, search for explosive devices during a route clearance patrol in Afghanistan’s Logar province, March 9, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Matthew Thompson  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Lady is a German shepherd trained to sniff out explosives and their components. Her...

A U.S. soldier returning to Fayetteville, N.C., from Afghanistan got a surprise welcome from two dogs he saved from starvation while stationed in the war-torn country. WRAL.com, a FOX affiliate in Raleigh, reports that a charity animal-rescue program run by Internet search engine Dogpile.com reunited Staff Sgt. Daniel Barker with two dogs reportedly rescued by Barker and his fellow soldier, Adam Krause, during their 2008 deployment to Afghanistan. Barker and Krause found the malnourished puppies abandoned on the streets of Afghanistan and brought them back to their military base, where they named them Jack and Emma, the station reports. When...

1/15/2009 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- Dental Airmen teamed up with Army veterinarians to give an Air Force working dog a root canal and get her back into the fight Jan. 15 at an air base in Southwest Asia. Airmen of the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group and Soldiers from the 218th Medical Detachment to work on 5-year-old Belgian melinois Kitti who broke her tooth while trying to chew her way out of her kennel during the flight from Ramstein Air Base, Germany. "She doesn't like to be left alone," said Senior Airman Adam Belward, Kitti's handler from the 822nd Security...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq, Dec. 19, 2008 – A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier and his four-legged partner work with other military dog teams here in helping to make Baghdad’s streets safer for Iraqi citizens and soldiers to live and operate. Army Sgt. James Harrington, a military policeman and dog handler assigned to Multinational Division Baghdad, poses with Ryky, a Belgian Malanois, while out on mission Nov. 24, 2008, in southern Baghdad’s Rashid district. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Harrington  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Army Sgt. James Harrington, a military policeman and dog handler attached to the...

Awesome.

FORT HUACHUCA — Knuppel and Dag were inquisitive. They tilted their heads and looked up as soldiers of the 18th Military Police Detachment rappelled down a 40-foot-tall tower on Fort Huachuca on Friday. Sniffing the air, their eyes tracked the downward movement of the MPs as their ears were alert to noise from the soldiers. They would occasionally wag their tails in anticipation of doing something, why else would they be on a lead with their handlers standing by them. But it wasn’t going to be their normal exercise of searching for explosives, Knuppel’s specialty, or drugs, Dag’s specialty, or...

A puppy adopted by a U.S. soldier has landed at Dulles International Airport outside the nation's capital, and is headed to Wisconsin this weekend. The puppy, named Boo, belongs to Spc. Ashley Siwula, of Antioch, Ill. Her brother, Nick Mitcheff, of Salem, Wis., will watch the dog for Siwula. The dog was one of six rescued by Operation Baghdad Pups, run by Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International. The group is returning to Iraq this weekend to pick up another batch of dogs, including a puppy named Ratchet adopted by a Minnesota soldier. That dog's cause has...

The US army is poised to unleash the dogs of war – four-legged, petrol-powered robots to help its troops in battle. Billed as ‘the most advanced quadruped robot on Earth’, BigDog has been devised to support American troops by carrying up to four packs of equipment on awkward terrain unsuitable for wheeled vehicles. Standing at over 2ft tall and more than 3ft long, BigDog comes equipped with all manner of high-tech gadgets, including laser gyroscopes, a video camera sensor system and a sophisticated on-board computer – but, sadly, no wagging tail. The 11 stone machine, created by Boston Dynamics, can...

The SAS is training dogs to parachute into enemy territory on missions to sniff out insurgents and warn of ambushes. The German Shepherds are being taught to jump from planes at high altitude wearing their own oxygen masks and strapped to soldiers. Once on the ground they can be released into enemy territory with miniature cameras mounted to their heads. Live images of enemy positions and possible ambush sites can be relayed back to special forces teams in safe positions. The dogs will be earmarked for use in Iraq and Afghanistan.

DOGS will lead the way in SAS raids after being parachuted in to spy out rebels for troops, The Sun can reveal. Fearless German Shepherds are being trained to jump from aircraft at 25,000ft wearing their own oxygen masks and strapped to special forces assault teams. Once down in hostile terrain in Iraq or Afghanistan, the dogs will be sent in first to seek out insurgents’ hideouts with tiny cameras fixed to their heads. The cameras will beam live TV pictures back to the troops, warning of ambushes or showing enemy leaders’ locations. The amazing tactic – on which The...

SMITHTOWN, NY – Newly enlisted Sergeants First Class Boe and Budge are two black Labrador Retrievers about to embark on a historic mission. For the first time in the history of the United States Army, skilled therapy dogs, provided by America’s VetDogs, will be deployed to Iraq to help relieve combat stress of soldiers in the field. These two specially trained dogs will work with a multidisciplinary team of Army professionals to address mental health issues as they arise in theater. Staff Sergeants Mike Calaway stands with a Black Labrador Retriever in a VetDogs jacket. Photo credit Christopher Appoldt.Says Major...

Marine First Lt. Nathan Nielson plays with his dog Gus on Saturday at the Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas with society volunteer Diane Johnson, left, and Susan McBride of Animal House Pet Care. Gus is one of a litter of 7 puppies that were transported from Iraq to the society where they were housed and cared for, including medical attention, for about a month until their Marine owners returned from deployment in Iraq Saturday morning. Marine Capt. Jamisen Fox plays with his 4-month-old Turkish sheepdog named Kirby on Saturday at the Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas. Kirby...

F-18 pilot returns home to canine friend from Iraqi war zone They spent months in an Iraqi war zone cementing a special bond. Marine Major Brian Dennis greets Nubs early Saturday morning at Camp Pendleton. But after more than a month of being apart, Marine Maj. Brian Dennis began to worry if Nubs the dog would still remember him, especially in a new place like San Diego. Their reunion early Saturday at Camp Pendleton clearly showed otherwise. The 2-year-old old dog, named for his two nubby ears, drenched Dennis' face with doggie kisses and said hello with excited whimpers. “You...

Marine Reunited in San Diego With Dog He Rescued in IraqA San Diego-based Marine major was reunited on Saturday with one of his closest war buddies — a 2-year-old dog named Nubs. Nubs greeted Maj. Brian Dennis at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station when the fighter pilot returned from Iraq. It was the first time the two were together since Dennis' family and close friends helped raise $3,500 to fly the dog to San Diego about a month ago. Nubs wasn't allowed to stay on base in Iraq. Dennis, 36, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., had spotted the mongrel dog...

Dog Saved by Marine Coming to Calif. Published: 2/22/08, 9:05 AM EDT By Chelsea J Carter SAN DIEGO (AP) - It began with a simple act of kindness to save an abused, injured dog from becoming one more victim in the Iraq war. But what followed for Marine Maj. Brian Dennis and the mutt was a tale of friendship and loyalty that spanned miles and overcame long odds - one set to take a turn Friday with the anticipated arrival here of the Marine's best friend. "This dog who had been through a lifetime of fighting, war, abuse ... is...

Nubs, a wiry German-shepherd-border collie mix named for nubby ears that were sliced off as a puppy, will stay in Chicago with the family of one of his Marine colleagues until a final hop to San Diego, where a Marine fighter pilot stationed at Camp Pendleton has been given permission to care for the dog until Maj. Brian Dennis arrives home from his second combat tour. More Photos "Touchdown" was the first celebratory word in an e-mail Marsha Cargo received from her son Maj. Brian Dennis, after a dog who survived a 70-mile Hail Mary trek through war-torn Iraqi...

CAMP TAJI, Iraq, Feb. 21, 2008 – Hearing a noise in the hallway, Dean gets out of his bed on the floor and trots to the door as he searches the cool February air for a clue. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Vaneta Vaughn, the top enlisted soldier with 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multinational Division Baghdad, scratches Dean, the battalion chaplain’s dog, behind his ear at Camp Taji, Iraq, Feb. 16, 2008. Dean deployed to Iraq with the soldiers as the battalion’s therapy dog. Photo by Pfc. April Campbell, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution...

When Maj. Brian Dennis first spotted a scruffy German Shepard-Border collie mix at a fort in Iraq, the dog wasn't interested in making friends. The dog, who lived in the wild with a pack of canine companions, had already been through a lifetime's worth of pain and neglect. His ears had been cut off as a puppy, and he had been trained as a fighting dog. Now that he was finally free of his tormentors, the dog just wanted to be left alone. But Dennis saw something special in the dog, whom he nicknamed "Nubs," because of his missing ears....

Sgt. 1st Class Boe, a therapeutic dog being used in Iraq to help Soldiers relieve stress, sits in the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division Operations Center, Jan. 10. Photo by Spc. Richard Rzepka, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs. COB SPEICHER — Ever had a Sergeant 1st Class lick your face? For many Soldiers here, these are not freakish events, but regular occurrences.  Sgt. 1st Class Boe is the newest member of the 85th Medical Detachment Combat Stress Control unit at COB Speicher, and is one of two K-9 therapists being used by the...

One of the great concerns of those who are responsible for our military is morale -- how to keep it high. The most effective way to ensure high morale is efficiency and competence. That is, if soldiers know what's expected of them, have the support of their superiors, and are allowed to do their job effectively, their morale is usually good. In war, winning is a guaranteed morale builder. But these days, unlike WWII, "winning" often has a definition different from simply beating the enemy -- which our troops are doing pretty effectively in Afghanistan. Support of the government for...

"It's not going to bring back my brother, but it's something close to it," said Madison Lee as she played with Lex after the ceremony. Military officials initially told the family that Lex had another two years of service before he could be adopted. But the family lobbied for months — even enlisting the aid of a North Carolina congressman — and the adoption came exactly nine months after the 20-year-old Marine was killed and his dog wounded on March 21 in Iraq's Anbar Province. 2nd Lt. Caleb Eames, spokesman for the Albany base, said Lee and Lex were sitting...

Sgt. Richard Miller, from Floresville, Texas, a military policeman with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Inf. Div., encourages his specialized search dog, Gabriel, before a search exercise at Forward Operating Base Hammer Oct. 24. Miller uses Gabriel in cordon and searches, cordon and knocks, raids, route sanitation and route clearance missions to sniff out explosives, munitions, weapons and ammunition. Photo by Spc. Ben Hutto, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs. FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER — The German shepherd trots from rock to rock, ears pricked upward and nose pointed towards the earth, intent on his mission....

Army Honors Its 'Top Dogs' Sep 21, 2007 BY Lynn Davis Sgt. Scott Warner and Junior get below the wires on the obstacle course low-crawl. The team is with the 241st MP Detachment at Fort Meade. Photo by Department of the Army FORT MEADE, Md. (The Military District of Washington, Sept. 21, 2007) -- The Military District of Washington held the 2007 Canine Competition at Fort Meade last week. Twenty-four teams, each consisting of a handler and his dog, from Fort Meade, Fort Belvoir, Fort Myer, Fort Lee and the National Security Agency competed for four days trying to prove...

I remember hearing a short while ago that the Islamic Republic Police had “arrested” dogs, as a part of their “fight against immodesty”. Today, a very good friend sent a set of pictures of the arrested dogs. Clearly, these dogs are not meant to live in the conditions they are being kept, but, anyways, they do not treat human beings anything better.

The small group of veterans gathers at March Field Air Museum in Riverside, Calif., once a year, traveling from all corners of the country, to mourn forgotten heroes of battle. They come to honor the dogs that saved lives by detecting booby traps and watching over military camps, dogs that became trusted friends in times of loneliness. snip The Vietnam Dog Handler Association estimates that dogs saved 10,000 soldiers' lives during the Vietnam War. They would alert handlers to tripwires blowing in the breeze or the otherwise undetectable scent of buried explosives. Depending on their level of aggressiveness, the dogs...

Head over to Eighty Deuce's place and read the story of Charlie, a dog in which Eighty has grown very close to. He could use a bit of help contacting Military Mascots to help get Charlie to the States. Their website isn't exactly working at this moment in time, though. You investigative types mind lending your skills to Eighty? I know he would appreciate it and you'll get a thank you from me, too.

  Military Working Dogs Get New Digs Four-legged war fighters receive new kennels. By U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Ryan R. Jackson2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (FWD) AL ASAD, Iraq, Aug. 10, 2007 — Throughout the theatre service members are continually asking for and receiving operational gear they need to accomplish their mission. The latest troops on Al Asad to get new mission essential equipment were the four-legged war fighters, more commonly known as military working dogs, of Task Force Military Police, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, who received new kennels during a ribbon cutting ceremony, July 18. "Now, when we...

Members of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, currently deployed in Iraq, are helping their colleagues to fulfil crucial roles that share many of the risks undertaken by conventional 'teeth arms' units. Personnel from 102 Military Working Dog Support Unit based in Germany deployed to the Contingency Operating Base at Basra earlier this year to work with dog handlers from RAF Police and other Army Regiments. Prior to deployment, members were given intensive preparations to enable them to cope with the operational conditions and unexpected situations. This included being able to fulfil tasks whilst under fire or deal with potential bomb...

FORT HUACHUCA — When it comes to using dogs as part of the Army’s military police community, a small number of two- and four-legged teams are involved in providing protection. The 18th Military Police Detachment’s Military Working Dogs section on this Southern Arizona post has eight dogs and handlers assigned, but not all of them work on the fort. As members are being called to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan, so are the working dog teams. One team, Sgt. Stephen Gruden and Staff Sgt. Goliath, is currently deployed. On Saturday, Sgt. James Adolfson and J.R., another four-legged staff sergeant, will...

A medal awarded to the only dog to be officially registered as a prisoner of war in World War II went on public display for the first time. Judy, a mascot on board a torpedoed Royal Navy vessel in southeast Asia, helped dozens of men survive a Japanese PoW camp in Sumatra after she was captured alongside marooned members of the ship's crew in 1942. Frank Williams, a British airman at the camp, befriended the pedigree pointer -- and later successfully persuaded Japanese officers to register her as a PoW. She went on to survive gunshot wounds and alligator bites...

Honor our war dogs, group says By LISA HOFFMAN, Scripps Howard News Service August 3, 2006 Veterans of three combat tours together, two U.S. Marines ran out of luck when they approached a suspicious-looking man outside an Iraqi police-recruitment center in Ramadi in January. Marine dog handler Sgt. Adam Cann sensed trouble when Bruno, his bomb-sniffing canine partner, became agitated, signaling the proximity of explosives. In a flash, the suspect detonated the pounds of explosives he'd hidden in his suicide-bomb vest, leaving dozens of dead and injured all around. Cann, 23, fell fatally wounded as he tried to shield his...

Veterans of three combat tours together, two U.S. Marines ran out of luck when they approached a suspicious-looking man outside an Iraqi police-recruitment center in Ramadi in January. Marine dog handler Sgt. Adam Cann sensed trouble when Bruno, his bomb-sniffing canine partner, became agitated, signaling the proximity of explosives. In a flash, the suspect detonated the pounds of explosives he'd hidden in his suicide-bomb vest, leaving dozens of dead and injured all around. Cann, 23, fell fatally wounded as he tried to shield his German shepherd from harm. In the aftermath of the blast, Bruno, his fur bloodied by his...

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class “Lucky” sniffs for weapons and explosives while manning a traffic control point at the Sadr al Yusufiyah water treatment facility May 14, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Pfeffer Soldiers Have ‘Luck’ On Their Side Sgt. 1st Class Lucky is a two-year-old white lab that specializes in locating weapons caches by scent. By U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Doug Pfeffer2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment CAMP STRIKER, Iraq, June 13, 2006 — While deployed to Iraq, soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, have gained assistance in the searching of...

War Dogs The Army Quartermaster Corps began the U.S. Armed Forces first war dog training during WWII. By 1945 they had trained almost 10,000 war dogs for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Fifteen War Dog platoons served overseas in World War II. Seven saw service in Europe and eight in the Pacific. In 1951 the responsibility for training military dogs was given to the Military Police Corps. Dogs continued to serve the armed forces with distinction in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq and many recent contingency operations. WE FEARED NONE My eyes have seen...

Military working dogs first entered the service in March of 1942 to serve in the Army’s K-9 Corps. Today, the dogs, who have an actual military service record book assigned to them, are still playing an active role in searching for explosives and seizing the enemy. ---Turn your Speakers up get out the Pop-Corn n Sodas Sit Back Relax and CLICK to start the show.

Trainer Rescues Dog from Fire Sergeant low-crawls through smoke to save his military working dog from blaze. By Chrissy Zdrakas 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga., March 16, 2006 — It was a clear, cool night at Forward Operating Base Wilson near the city of Tikrit in central Iraq. Staff Sgt. Christopher F. McCleskey gave his canine partner, Katja, food and water and left her in their quarters after a mission.      He ducked into a dining hall shortly before 9 p.m. Jan. 28 for a quick bite to eat.  A half hour later,...

KIRKUK, Iraq (Army News Service, March 14, 2006) -- With a modified ballistic vest, a Screaming Eagle combat patch and a Combat Action Badge, Zeko still may not look like the average Soldier, but he has become a valuable asset to the troops of Forward Operating Base McHenry. The explosive detection dog has found improvised bombs buried several feet in the hard desert ground. Zeko has brought new meaning to the phrase “man’s best friend,” said Bastogne Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, stationed at FOB McHenry. “He’s got a good rapport with the Soldiers,” said...

3/10/2006 - KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- “Get 'em!” With one swift movement, military working dog Breston is off like a flash, covering the distance between his handler and his target in just a few fluid strides. The reward for his speed and agility is a nice juicy bite. Of course the juicy bite was just the “bite suit” but Breston, a Dutch shepherd, delivers an impressive 900 pounds of pressure per square inch -- enough to tell any offender he means business and enough to knock a full grown man to his feet. Breston is one of the...

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Feb. 14, 2006) -- Inter-service rivalry is almost a tradition in the armed services, Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen have all, at one time or another, joked about believed deficiencies in other services. Nothing is truer than the rivalry between the Marine Corps and the Air Force. Conflicts in the 21st Century, however, have yielded more opportunities for service members of all branches to work together toward a common goal. The western Al Anbar province of Iraq is no exception. Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew D. Pierce, a military working dog handler with the 62nd Security...

...Was watching the CBS Evening News tonight (which I'm not usually in the habit of doing) and heard some sad news. ...Not sure if anyone recalls this story from back in November (see below) but apparently Capt. Smathers died last week, after collapsing during Reserve training. Capt. Smathers was an attorney in Maryland. During his year in Iraq, he earned four Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts and an Army Commendation medal during his year in Iraq. Might be nice if we shared our expressions of sympathy, as well as our gratitude for his service to our country. If you'd like...

AL ASAD, Iraq (Feb. 7, 2006) -- On Jan. 5, a suicide bomber tried to interrupt Iraq's rebuilding process at a police academy in Ramadi, but honor, courage and commitment by Iraqis and Marines alike was the only lasting result from the attack. The bond between one Marine, Cpl. Brendan N. Poelaert, a military working dog handler with 5th Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment Provisional Military Police Battalion, and an East Kingston, N.H., native, and his MWD, Flapoor, a 4-year-old Belgium Malinos, came through the carnage unscathed, even if the pair did not. Poelaert, an Exeter High School graduate, joined the...