Military Working Dog Demonstrations at Fort Stewart, GA
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July 2012 Military Working Dog Team Support Association, Inc. Award Winning Bi-Monthly Newsletter MWDTSA KENNEL TALK Volume 4, Issue 4 www.mwdtsa.org Support MWDTSA now and you won’t miss any of the photos, stories, news and highlights of 2012! Kennel Talk is now an award winning MWD publication! Inside this issue: MWD Demonstrations at 1 Fort Stewart, GA 2012 Proclamation Pre- 3 sented at Moody AFB, GA Road Trip! 4 Members of the Vietnam era 62nd Combat Tracker Platoon with the 385th Military Police Offutt—Nebraska’s Military 5 Dog Handler Day MWD Section at the MWD kennels on Fort Stewart near Savannah, GA. John Douangdara War Dog 8 Park Thank You to our Donors 9 Celebration at Military Working Dog 10 Davis-Mothan AFB, AZ Demonstrations at Fort Stewart, GA What skills can you share By Avril Roy-Smith to support our dog teams? We are looking for volun- On Friday, June 8, 2012, Vi- Man, a Team Leader and, of Stewart’s Gate 1 and guided nd teers in: etnam era 62 Combat Track- course, the Dog Handler and the convoy of attendees er Platoon members, along dog. The dogs used in these through the Fort to the kennels Fundraising with their family members, teams were more akin to SSD were guests of the MWDTSA dogs than the Patrol and Se- The kennels are located in a th Grant writing at an event held at the 385 curity dogs employed by the secluded and rather charming Military Police Battalion MWD 385th Military Police Battalion area on Fort Stewart surround- Section kennels on Fort Stew- MWD Section. ed by some of the great old Giving presentations art, GA. Dixie Whitman, and I oaks for which the Georgia represented MWDSTA. SSG John Hughey, the Train- coast is famous. As it was a Soliciting in kind - th ing NCO of the 385 MP Bat- typically warm, sunny and donations The 62nd Combat Trackers talion MWD Section, was our humid day for the Savannah were some of the most highly military contact for coordinat- area, the oaks provided some Newsletter editing decorated special teams in ing the event. His patience welcome shade Vietnam. They worked in and help were a big factor in Social networking teams consisting of a Visual the success of the day. SSG The event started with a wel- Tracker, a Cover Man, a Radio Hughey met us near Fort come from Kennel Master SFC Continued on page 2 Pa ge 2 MWDTSA KENNEL TALK Volume 4, Issue 4 www.mwdtsa.org Continued from page 1 — Fort Stewart questions about their uses. Parked nearby were vehicles I was at Fort Stewart and was used to transport the dogs very impressed by many things. The number of the here and in the field. handlers that had been deployed and the many We were offered a tour of the that had 2, 3, 4 kennel area and saw how the deployments. Wow, America dogs live between training will always be safe with the Troops we have. A great sessions and deployments. group of guys and The medals won by the indi- gals............... vidual dogs were on display Above: We saw demonstrations of scent work. outside their respective kennel I enjoyed them letting me and it was sobering to see "practice" with them. As a Purple Hearts displayed there. Visual Tracker I had never seen Lavalle who asked the ten dog the dogs in action, or in any handlers of the MWD Section Next was a quick tour of the type of training......just a great SFC Lavalle presented a to introduce themselves and offices and training areas day and a day I will always demonstration by some of the describe their military experi- along with gear familiariza- remember. handlers of the training meth- ences. Their youth coupled tion. Articles used by the We can never thank our Troops with the extraordinary number ods used in the section. Alt- MWD handlers and trainers enough, and we KNOW what hough the dogs are trained of deployments greatly im- everyday were laid out and these Troops do, very special in before being sent to the sec- pressed and moved the 14 explanations of their uses our hearts. nd tion, the handlers and dogs members of the 62 Combat given. This display included train on a daily basis to keep Estel Matt Trackers attending the event. the full padded suits and proficient in their skills. Cur- Visual Tracker The Vietnam era Veterans gradations of padded pants, rent training methods employ then introduced themselves jackets and sleeves, collapsi- positive reinforcement with and recounted their service ble water bowls, foot protec- rewards such as Kongs, rather Demonstrations were given of and experiences. tion for the dogs, leashes and than the repetitions reinforced basic training techniques and collars and other items. All by praise and corrections used scent work. Then we were treat- these have to be carried in the past. The former dog ed to a display of search tech- The demo at Ft. Stewart when the teams are down handlers who had served with niques as a dog was put through was outstanding, a real eye range and are stuffed into a the 62nd Combat Trackers an obstacle course. After, we -opener for us old "dog" backpack which was also men. Especially of interest were awed by these differ- got to witness bite work training shown. We had the oppor- to us trackers was the new ences. reward-based training pro- tunity to inspect and handle cess. Quite a bit different the items and ask further than the classical condition- Below: We were given a deomon- ingMy we loadmaster, employed (praise, stration of basic training tech- correction, repetition). The Below: Current training methods employ positive rein- niques . kennel facilities were also forcement with rewards such as Kongs, rather than outstanding,Leon, got far on above the the the repetitions reinforced by praise and corrections conditions we experienced used in the past. evenradio in CONUS. and SFC Lavalle and her team wentannounced out of their wayto allto make us feel welcome and their training demonstra- tionsthose prove who that indeed,cared "the Army is in good hands."to listen, “Our Dick Baumer COL,patient Inf (USA is Ret.)a K -9, CO, 62 IPCT (1969) CO,that 26 IPSis a(1968) Delta - Continued on page 4 Volume 4, Issue 4 MWDTSA KENNEL TALK Pa ge 3 www.mwdtsa.org 2012 Proclamation Resides at Moody 820th Kennel By Dixie Whitman In late March, Georgia Gover- shoot in a simulator. I’m not truly impressed by the creativ- nor Nathan Deal signed a sure who enjoyed the shooting ity and engineering of Ameri- The best time of the day was proclamation honoring Military simulator more, the guests or ca’s innovators. One of the getting to sit and watch the Dog Handler Day. That origi- the handlers. We had a blast “rides” in the building is a breath-taking military working nal proclamation, framed and – literally. simulator that allows trainees dogs work, their caring han- ready for its new home, was to practice egress from an dlers eager to show off the driven to Moody Air Force Shooting weaponry is hard- overturned Humvee. While I results of the endless love and Base near Valdosta, GA on wired in the DNA of most men think I made the right decision work that it takes to build a April 20, 2012 and presented I know and my husband was not to test my breakfast by great dog. The majority of to the staff of the 820th Ken- no exception. He got to shoot being turned upside down and the dogs utilized at Moody are nels. all kinds of guns – the more spun around, the young folks German shepherd dogs and automatic and the bigger the making their way out of the Belgian Malinois, both breeds What an amazing day it was! caliber, the bigger his smile. vehicle were learning im- from the herding group. We The day started early with an We also got to see technical portant survival lessons before watched the six phases of opportunity to do some basic gadgets being used in the heading down range with their aggression, which highlights introductions, meet the skilled current conflicts and we were dogs. the various ways in which dogs and their devoted han- dlers, visit the kennels and get familiar with the gear used on missions. Following that, MWDTSA sup- porters were treated to a spe- cial opportunity to visit the Right: The proclamation was cool F.A.T.S building. What is presented to the Kennel an F.A.T.S. building? It’s a Master, MSgt. Keith Crowd- Firearms and Training Simula- er, by Jerry Whitman, tor building with really cool, MWDTSA supporter. new, cutting edge technical gizmos and a chance to go “down range” without the travel time or the sand to Left and Right: The best time of the day was getting to sit and watch the breath-taking military working dogs work, their caring handlers eager to show off the results of the endless love and work that it takes to build a great dog. Continued on page 6—Moody Pa ge 4 MWDTSA KENNEL TALK Volume 4, Issue 4 www.mwdtsa.org Continued from page 2 — Fort Stewart couple of the working dogs been deployed and the many joined us and were much that had 2, 3, 4 deploy- admired and petted, especial- ments. Wow, America will al- ly by the children present. ways be safe with the Troops we have.