U.S. AND EUROPEAN SOLDIERS PARTICIPATE DURING COMBINED RESOLVE II IN HOHENFELS, GERMANY

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

U.S. and Albanian soldiers dismount from U.S. Bradley fighting vehicles to conduct urban assault training during Combined Resolve II at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, May 17, 2014. U.S. Army photo by Capt. John Farmer.

U.S. Army Sgt. Kara Yost, foreground, huddles on the ground with Kajo, his military working dog, as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter takes off during Combined Resolve II at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, May 17, 2014. Yost, a military police dog handler, and Kajo are assigned to the 131st Military Working Dog Detachment, 615th Military Police Company. U.S. Army photo by Capt. John Farmer.

THE DOG WARRIOR SAVES LIVES IN AFGHANISTAN

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSEMaxx, an improvised explosive device detector dog, licks the face of his handler, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Stephen Mader, during a convoy in southern Helmand province, Afghanistan, July 26, 2012. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Buckwalter

　
Face of Defense: Dog, Handler Protect Marines By Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Brian Buckwalter
Regimental Combat Team 6 HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Aug. 27, 2012 - Riding in an armored truck over Afghanistan's rutted dirt roads is scarcely a smooth or comfortable experience.
Each bump is felt as springs groan and creak under the weight of the mine resistant, ambush-protected vehicle. The air conditioner circulates dusty air, and unless you're right next to the vents, you're drenched in sweat. Body armor weighs down on shoulders and compounds the pain of sitting in one spot for hours on end.
For Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Stephen Mader and his dog Maxx, this experience is routine. Mader is an improvised explosive device detector dog handler with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 6.
Their MRAP hits a large bump, and water in a metal dish near the truck's back entrance splashes onto the floor. Maxx, who was dozing, stands up, puts his front paws on Mader's lap and nuzzles his head against Mader's body armor. Mader wraps his arms around Maxx, gives him a pat on the side and a scratch behind the ears, and reassures him everything is all right. Maxx settles down with his chin across Mader's boots – his spot – and closes his eyes again.
"It's basically like having a 3-year-old in Afghanistan," said Mader, who is responsible for every aspect of Maxx's care. He feeds him, cleans him and even monitors Maxx's behavior for signs of stress or fatigue.
And like a 3-year-old, Maxx, a yellow Labrador, always wants attention.
"Otherwise, he'll start licking me," Mader said.
Mader and Maxx have been together for seven months since they met at the five-week IED detector dog handler school in Southern Pines, S.C. The dogs come to the school trained to obey commands and track explosive scents. Human students go to learn how to handle the dogs.
School instructors interviewed Mader about his demeanor and personality and asked questions such as, "Are you laid-back or a hard-charger?" to get an idea of which dog to assign him. Mader said he's a mix of both.
Mader, who joined the Marine Corps in 2009, said the dogs need a good rapport with their handlers. If there is a personality clash, the dog won't perform. Maxx is a perfect match, he said.
"If I want to be playful and active, he will be," Mader said. "But, if I want to relax, he'll lay down next to me."
Overall, Maxx, who is actually 4 years old, is "pretty chill" and will sleep when he's not working, Mader said. But, Maxx does have his wild streaks, he added. The dog likes to break out of his kennel and to try to swim in the canals in the southern Helmand River Valley, where the battalion's personal security detachment often travels.
"He'll try, and I'll have to stop him," Mader said.
Unlike some military working dogs, IED detector dogs are not trained to be aggressive. Their handlers have the discretion to allow other Marines to approach or pet their dogs. Maxx is popular with the Marines and gets a lot of attention, Mader said, but when it comes time to work, he's ready to go.
"In the truck, he's like a pet, but whenever we're out there, he's like a tool," he added, noting that IED detector dogs are "a great tool to have if you use them correctly."
The duo spends a lot of time on the road. Mader said Maxx can sense where they are.
"It's weird, but he'll know what [forward operating base] we're going to," he said. When they're getting close to FOB Geronimo, a larger, more built-up base, Maxx gets excited and starts pacing. When they approach a smaller, more austere place such as Combat Outpost Rankle, "he'll just lay there," the dog handler added.
When Mader and Maxx aren't on the road or working, they're training. After missions, while other Marines are relaxing, Mader is making sure Maxx's tracking skills stay sharp. Maxx is trained with a rubber bouncy toy called a "bumper," used as a reward for performing a task successfully. When the bumper comes out, it's a morale boost for the dog, Mader said.
Even with the long hours and the extra responsibilities of being a dog handler, Mader said, it's "the best thing to happen to me in the Marine Corps."
After this deployment, Mader said, he would volunteer to be a handler again if there is a need and an opportunity. He is an infantry mortarman by trade.
"I love being with the dogs," he said.
As the Afghan army continues to take over more of the security responsibilities here, officials at Marine Corps Systems Command said they anticipate the number of dogs to be reduced in the near future, correlating with the reduction in Marine forces in the region. If Maxx is no longer needed, Mader said, he wants to adopt him.
"I don't want to give him up," he said. "I've bonded too much to give him up."
Mader looks down at Maxx, still asleep across his boots, unaware of the potential dangers outside their MRAP. The occasional hard bump in the road is the only thing that stirs him from his nap on this ride. However, if needed, the pair will be ready to go on a moment's notice to track down the scent of any explosives on the route to prevent vehicle damage, injuries or worse.
"A local kid asked if he could buy Maxx for $10," Mader said. "I had to tell him he's worth a little bit more than that."

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A MILITARY DOG HANDLER

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Face of Defense: Dog Handler Enjoys Responsibilities
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jeffery Rodriguez stands with his dog, Dharma, April 26, 2012. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo
By Marine Corps Cpl. Timothy Lenzo
1st Marine Division Public Affairs

TREK NAWA, Afghanistan, May 2, 2012 - Many children beg their parents for a dog. The floppy ears and wagging tail seem to attract children to man's best friend. But many parents know that caring for a dog means a lot of responsibility, training and effort.
Dog handlers in the Marine Corps not only shoulder that same responsibility — they volunteer for it on top of the responsibilities of being deployed to Afghanistan.
For Marine Corps Cpl. Jeffery Rodriguez, a dog handler with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, those responsibilities are more like a privilege.
Rodriguez said he loves being a dog handler. He knows he's helping his squad, and the added responsibilities far outweigh the added attention of caring for a dog.
What sets Rodriguez apart from other dog handlers is the personal effort he puts into Dharma, a 4-year-old Labrador retriever.

"He's the best dog handler I've ever seen," said Marine Corps Sgt. Edward Welsh, Rodriguez's squad leader. "He's constantly taking care of the dog and working to make himself and Dharma better."

Rodriguez, a native of Fayetteville, Ga., knows that a dog handler's job is more than just patrolling with and feeding the dog. The most important job is ensuring the dog is well prepared for the deployment ahead.

Shortly after he arrived in Afghanistan he built Dharma a new kennel. The kennel, made from discarded pieces of Hesko wall, has a door and a crate for Dharma to sleep in. He used excess cargo netting to cover half of the kennel to shield Dharma from the harsh wind and heat of Afghanistan. Keeping the dogs in shape is vital in an area where temperatures will reach more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

"If a dog gets out of breath in 20 to 30 minutes, they actually become a hindrance to the unit," explained Marine Corps 1st Lt. Joseph Hoeksema, Rodriguez's platoon commander. "Dharma is in shape, and [Rodriguez] works her out two to three times a day."
The bond between a dog handler and his dog is based on trust. If a dog doesn't trust the handler, it won't obey commands.

"He tells her to sit there and stay there, [and] she does it," said Hoeksema, a native of Davenport, Iowa. "It doesn't matter if we are getting shot at -- she's obeying [Rodriguez]."
Dharma helps Rodriguez to find improvised explosive devices and weapons caches. "I use Dharma to search compounds, or to verify potentially dangerous objects," Rodriguez said. "She's like my little guardian angel running around."

The Marines patrol with Dharma daily, clearing compounds and routes. "Just trusting [Dharma] helps the Marines," Hoeksema said. "When she goes into a compound and doesn't find an IED, the Marines are able to walk in confident that there aren't any IEDs."
Dharma confirmed two IEDs and some hidden-away weapons while deployed; but beyond her keen nose, she's made more of an impact on the Marines she protects. Dharma also helps with morale of Marines who are away from their families for several months.
After patrolling, the Marines regularly pet and play with Dharma. They also laugh as she interacts with the local animals; goats and turkeys make an interesting find for a curious dog. The sound of wings flapping and a loud gobble lets the squad know Dharma is up to some good-natured mischief. Rodriguez lets it go for a little bit before calling Dharma back.

"It has been a great experience being a dog handler," he said. "It's a great job to have with a lot of responsibility."

In a couple of weeks, Rodriguez and Dharma will return home from their deployment to Afghanistan. This is Dharma's first deployment, and it could be Rodriguez's last. They'll return on the same flight, but then will be separated. Dharma will be assigned a new dog handler, and Rodriguez will return to his squad.

Though the goodbye will be hard, Rodriguez said, he has loved every minute of being a dog handler. The bond he built with Dharma and the experience was well worth the extra responsibility, he added.