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The Marine Corps first introduced military working dogs to their
active ranks in World War II. During the war, the dogs were donated
by American citizens for use in the Pacific Theater to take back
islands from axis forces. The K-9 unit with the Marine Corps Air
Station Miramar Provost Marshal Office, carries on the legacy and is
dedicated to the security of MCAS Miramar, California.
This
dedication was showcased at a military working dog demonstration
conducted by the K-9 unit at the Miramar Youth and Teen center on
MCAS Miramar on Feb. 17, 2017.
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February 17, 2017 - Officers with the Provost Marshal's Office at
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., demonstrates how a
military working dog is trained to attack a suspect during a K-9
showcase at the Miramar Youth and Teen Center on MCAS Miramar.
Military working dog handlers train their dogs to assist in
neutralizing a threat to aid in base security. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Liah Kitchen)
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“We showed the kids the foundation of anything K-9, which
is basic obedience,” said Staff Sgt. Mark Daniels, the K-9
unit kennel master and a military police officer with PMO.
“Then, we transitioned into detection where the dogs were
utilized for explosive or narcotic detection. From there, we
demonstrated some of our patrol work where we put someone in
the bite suit and the dog goes after the suspect to
neutralize a situation.”
This type of presentation
provides an opportunity for the handlers to control their
dog in front of a crowd where the dog could get distracted.
This allows the dogs to focus on their mission and complete
everyday tasks such as standing watch at the gates,
conducting vehicle searches and dealing with potential
threat situations.
“We act in numerous capacities,”
said Sgt Desean White, chief K-9 trainer and a military
police officer with PMO. “The dogs act as a psychological
deterrent by standing on the gate, they assist with
searching vehicles, and we can also employ a dog to bite a
suspect if we need additional force.”
In the unit,
military working dog handlers with PMO are paired with
military working dogs to form “dog teams.” These teams can
be together for up to 10 years depending on several factors.
“We have both civilian and Marine handlers in the unit
so the amount of time that a dog team is together can vary
based on several different things such as the age of a dog,
the amount of time we have a Marine on station or how long a
civilian officer works with us,” said Daniels.
To
work effectively, the dog team trains together, building a
relationship with each other based on trust. Handlers build
this trust by spending time with their dogs.
According to Daniels, any time spent with their dogs whether
bathing them, providing medical care for them or training
together for mission essential tasks helps to build trust
between a handler and K-9 companion.
“Having a good
relationship between dog and trainer is one of the most
vital parts of our training,” said White. “Without a good
relationship with your dog, you’re very limited on what you
can do.”
According to Daniels, a military working dog
handler isn’t a job that you can immediately train for.
Following the basic MP officer training, officers are able
to request a K-9 job transfer. The K-9 unit will train them
on-the-job to determine if they have the necessary skills
required to be a handler. Finally, the officer is sent to
the Military Working Dog Basic Handler Course instructed by
the 341st Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland,
Texas, the same location that all military working dogs for
the branches are trained.
“This job is definitely a
morale booster,” said White. “The officers get to work with
the dogs in addition to their regular duties as police
officers.”
According to White, being a handler is the
reason that he is continuing his Marine Corps career.
“I’ve been doing this for 12 years and to me, it’s the
best I could have,” said Daniels. “If you put your mind to
doing this job, and you push for it, you can definitely be
successful.”
By U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Liah Kitchen
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
The U.S. Marines
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