Markey leaps over an obstacle, as SSgt. Jason Albrecht runs the military working through an obedience training session at Shaw AFB, S.C., in July 2011..

USAF photo by SrA. Kenny Holston

62 AIR FORCE Magazine / February 2015 From foreign battlefi elds to the homeland, serve airmen in countless ways.

Best Friend Photos by DOD photographers

BSA-Lackland, Texas, home possesses, the dogs are trained to Jof the Defense Department’s detect explosives and drugs and to military program since accompany their handlers on patrols. 1958, has the world’s largest train- The US military has predominantly ing center for military dogs and their used four working dog breeds since handlers. World War II: Doberman , With a heightened sense of smell , Labrador Re- that is stronger than what any human triever, and Belgian Malinois.

AIR FORCE Magazine / February 2015 63 |1| Military working dogs fi ll a variety of roles. Here, Breston, from the 375th Security Forces Squadron, subdues an airman acting as an uncooperative suspect during a K-9 competition at Scott AFB, Ill., on May 17, 2014. |2| Then-SSgt. Leonard Anderson takes a break from training with his military working dog, Azza. |3| Maj. Regina Owens, a psychiatric nurse, pins an oak leaf on the newly promoted “Major” Goldie, a from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Md., during a Nov. 12, 2014, ceremony at the Pentagon. Several nonprofi t organi- zations provide service dogs for vet- erans. |4| SSgt. Christopher Ebeling, a military working dog handler as- signed to the provost marshal’s offi ce at Camp Victor in Baghdad, Iraq, and his German Shepherd, Nero, search through a palm grove for weapons or explosives.

1 USAF photo by SrA. Sarah Hall-Kirchner

2 USAF photo by A1C Zachary Perras

4 USAF photo by SSgt. Mark Burrell 3 USAF photo by Scott M. Ash

64 AIR FORCE Magazine / February 2015 USAF photo by A1C Jack Sanders

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USAF photo by SrA. Stephen J. Otero

2 USAF photo by SrA. Melanie Bulow-Gonterman

3 USAF photo by SrA. Justyn M. Freeman

|1| SSgt. Greg Maatta yells at a “suspect,” played by TSgt. Robert Black, to stop before releasing Dusty during an exer- cise at JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Both airmen were assigned to the 3rd Security Forces Squadron. |2| Alex, from the 6th Security Forces Squadron at MacDill AFB, Fla., lays next to his handler before a Coast Guard helicopter training fl ight. The experience conditions the dog to the loud noise and high altitude, assuring the handler that the canine part- ner can perform on deployment under hectic circumstances. |3| Retired SSgt. August O’Niell kisses his service dog, Kai, before swimming in the 2014 Warrior Games last Sept. 30 at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. |4| SSgt. Kristopher Russ and Rouge, both with the 2nd Se- curity Forces Squadron at Barksdale AFB, La., participate in 4 an expeditionary combat skills training course. The dogs are integrated into it to provide a realistic patrolling experience.

AIR FORCE Magazine / February 2015 65 |1| Iggy lunges toward SrA. Alexan- TSgt. Keith Sekora, to fi nish the an explosives and patrol attack dog, der Nutting, a 379th Expeditionary track and fi eld portion of the War- search an area during a clearing Security Forces Squadron MWD rior Games.The dogs are allowed operation south of Baqouba, Iraq, in handler, during a working dog dem- all-access to every event and area, 2007. |4| SSgt. Laura Felts, with the onstration at Al Udeid AB, Qatar, on to maintain constant contact with the 386th Expeditionary Security Forces April 5, 2014. Nutting was deployed athletes. |3| SSgt. Dennis Brown- Squadron, releases her partner, Bert, from Moody AFB, Ga. |2| Pintler ing, a MWD handler deployed from to attack a decoy during aggression waits patiently for his owner, retired the 21st Security Forces Squadron training in 2007 at a deployed loca- at Peterson AFB, Colo., and King, tion in Southwest Asia.

1 USAF photo by SrA. Hannah Landeros

USAF photo by SSgt. Tia Schroeder

2 USAF photo by SSgt. Torri Ingalsbe

USA photo by Sgt. Armando Monroig

4 3

66 AIR FORCE Magazine / February 2015 |1| SrA. Brian Claypool, with the and Training Range. |3| Two military 22nd Security Forces Squadron, working dogs sit in front of their encourages Rakker with a toy in newly remodeled kennels in Novem- September 2013, at McConnell AFB, ber 2010, at Offutt AFB, Neb. MWDs Kan. Dogs at the squadron’s kennel patrolled the base nearly 24 hours a section receive training once a year day. |4| Petty Officer 3rd Class An- at the base pool to familiarize them drew Barnhart restrains his dog dur- with bodies of water and encour- ing a session of working age them to perform in different at JBSA-Lackland. Military working environments. |2| Se curity forces dogs go through a 60- or 90-day airmen and a MWD secure the area training program where they learn to after getting out of a mine-resistant, detect explosives and drugs. They ambush-protected vehicle during a also learn deterrence training and training exercise at the Nevada Test how to protect their handler.

1 USAF photo by SrA. Laura L. Valentine

USAF photo by SrA. Christopher Griffi n 4 2

USAF photo by A1C Daniel Hughes

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USAF photo by Josh Plueger

AIR FORCE Magazine / February 2015 67 1

|1| Gabe, a 12-year-old German Md., last November. O’Niell was a theater hospital patient at JB Balad, Malinois, takes a bite out of TSgt. pararescueman who was wounded Iraq, in 2009, has a lighthearted Nathan Nash’s padded sleeve during in July 2011 in Afghanistan. |3| moment with Cezar, a 332nd Ex- an attack demonstration on July 27, TSgt. Randall Blair, 20th Security peditionary Security Forces Group 2010, in Southwest Asia. |2| Service Forces Squadron military working explosives-detection military working dog Kai lays on O’Niell’s lap during dog trainer, falls away from Markey dog, during a K-9 visitation program. an Air Force Wounded Warrior sitting during training at Shaw in July 2011. The program furthers patient recov- volleyball practice at JB Andrews, |4| Spc. Than Kywe, an Air Force ery through animal-assisted therapy.

USAF photo by SrA. Laura Turner

4 2

USAF photo by TSgt. Brian Ferguson

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USAF photo by SSgt. Dilia Ayala USAF photo by SrA. Kenny Holston

68 AIR FORCE Magazine / February 2015 2 USAF photo by Perry Aston

USA photo by Pfc. William Servinski III

1 3 USAF photo by Greg L. Davis

4 USAF photo by SrA. Jette Carr

|1| Johny crouches down while on Feb. 28, 2006. The dogs wear archery competition on Oct. 1, 2014, running through a pipe at the 436th “doggles” to prevent sand and debris at the US Olympic Training Center. Security Forces Squadron’s obedi- from getting in their eyes. Mascolo ence course at Dover AFB, Del., and Garcia were assigned to the “As a nation, we owe our war dogs a last September. |2| Military working 35th Security Forces Squadron and tremendous debt of gratitude,” said dog Ali goes after Seaman Andrew had just completed a sweep, looking John Burnam, a scout dog handler English in July 2010 at Al Asad for weapons and materials used to in the Vietnam War and author of AB, Iraq. |3| TSgt. John Mascolo make improvised explosive devices. two books on military working dogs. and Ajax, left, await a helicopter |4| Moe, an Air Force service dog, “Their selfless service, loyalty, and pickup with SSgt. Manny Garcia and watches retired MSgt. Kyle Burnett sacrifices to our country must never Jimmy outside FOB Normandy, Iraq, compete in the 2014 Warrior Games be forgotten.” %

AIR FORCE Magazine / February 2015 69 USAF photo by SSgt. Natasha Stannard

Capt. Brian Walker, an Air Force Reserve judge advocate, runs a Commissioned Offi cer Training class at Maxwell AFB, Ala. In 2013, OTS produced 1,445 line offi cers, plus 1,582 offi cers in COT.

he Air Force has taken a And it will advance the strong brings to the fi ght, the capabilities, the significant step forward in emphasis on building a Total Force limitations, the special nuances of every its effort to mold its Active spirit that has been promoted by Air component,” he said Duty, Air National Guard, Force Secretary Deborah Lee James “It really makes sense to get train- and Air Force Reserve airmen and Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. ing at the accession level of our Total intoT a Total Force team, merging the Welsh III. Force,” the colonel said. “And what that previously separate training programs The combined commissioning pro- required was for us to go past some of that commission new officers for the gram is a “natural follow-on” to the the inhibitions that were out there.” three components. last 13 years of “going to war as a The first class combining officer Total Force,” Lockwood said. “We SHARED, COMMON EXPERIENCE candidates from all three components train as a Total Force US Air Force The proposal to merge the separate formed at the Air Force Officer Train- for everything, except for the initial commissioning programs at OTS, ing School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., in [officer] accession.” which Lockwood said in 2013 pro- January and is scheduled to conclude Lockwood termed the unifi ed offi cer duced more than half of all new Air with a commissioning ceremony March development program a capital invest- Force officers, originated with the 13 after eight weeks of sharing the ment that will pay off years down the school’s leaders and was approved by same demanding regime of mental road. “We’re going to be a much better Gen. Robin Rand, commander of Air and physical training and character force for it. We’re going to have offi - Education and Training Command, development. cers at the very senior levels that have and by the Air Staff. That class will be the start of a grown up in a Total Force construct, But perhaps the most significant ap- unifying process that Col. Scott M. and they’re going to better understand proval came from the National Guard Lockwood, OTS commandant, calls the different components, the vitality of leadership when the adjutants general “one furnace, one metal.” each one, and what each one of them (TAGs) of the states agreed to give up 70 AIR FORCE Magazine / February 2015