Military Police contains information about military police functions in maneuver and mobility support, area security, law and order, internment/resettlement, and police intelligence operations.
Issue link: https://militarypolice.epubxp.com/i/655275
51
Spring 2016
By Sergeant Jajuan X. Burton
O
ne of the least-discussed subjects in the military and
the United States is the loss of our unsung hero, the
military working dog (MWD). MWDs do not work
for a paycheck, and they do not receive retirement benefts.
They simply work for the love and affection of their han-
dlers.
The military has used canines for more than 70 years.
MWDs received their frst call to action during World
War II, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Unit-
ed States partnered with an organization called Dogs for De-
fense. This group of professional breeders helped the Army
train the frst war dogs, which were known as sentry dogs.
The dogs were then sent to prove their worth in North Africa,
where commanding offcer General F. S. Gage reported that,
because the base was practically blacked out at night, hav-
ing a sentry dog team was like having two sentry Soldiers
on guard.
1
In 1969, the Sentry Dog Program became the Military
Working Dog Program. The U.S. Air Force is responsible
for the initial training of MWDs for all military branches
and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U. S. Department
of Homeland Security. Training for MWDs is conducted at
Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The pre-
ferred MWD breeds are the German shepherd and the Bel-
gian Malinois. However, the military boasts a wide range
of MWDs, including Labrador retrievers, boxers, Doberman
pinschers, and rottweilers.
MWDs have also flled a vital role in Afghanistan and
Iraq by detecting improvised explosive devices, locating
large caches of weapons, and tracking enemy insurgents.
To slow down the use of marijuana in Southeast Asia,
the military began to use drug detector dogs to sniff out
the drug in 1971. The training for these dogs has evolved
over time, and they are now also capable of detecting
harder drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. MWD Pitt was
a dual-purpose service dog, certifed to perform narcot-
ics detection and law enforcement patrol duties. As a pa-
trol dog, MWD Pitt provided the capability to help appre-
hend a person, perform handler defense, increase
security for restricted areas, and protect government prop-
erty.
On 22 September 2015, Fort Bliss lost one of its fnest
guardians to a battle with cancer. MWD Pitt was one of
the best MWDs that the handlers on Fort Bliss had ever
encountered. His most shining moment came perhaps just
1 week after his arrival. MWD Pitt was a master of his craft,
and he passed a force command certifcation just 3 days af-
ter being teamed with his handler. When asked about MWD
Pitt, his handler stated, "When I met Pitt, I could immedi-
ately tell he was a dog that worked solely for the handler
rather than reward. He showed that man's best friend was
more than companionship. The ability to build rapport was
the easiest thing to do because of his dedication to work for
his handler."
The last handler to certify on MWD Pitt had this to say
about his fellow guardian: "I had no confdence in myself as
a handler before I teamed with Pitt. The frst time I pulled
him to train, I went to the obedience yard and did everything
off leash, and to the standard; so I knew at this point, I had
found my dog and he was very special."
MWD Pitt logged countless hours and even deployed to
Kosovo as a patrol drug detection dog. The consensus within
the 513th Military Police Detachment was that MWD Pitt
was a handler trainer who worked until the day he died
doing what he loved to do. Upon hearing the news of his
death, the handlers were heartbroken. It was obvious how
much MWD Pitt meant to the kennel personnel at Fort
Bliss. For a time, he was unbeatable and nothing passed
him undetected. He was caring, and he was the best dog that
a handler could ever hope for. MWD Pitt is, and always will
be, a true guardian.
Endnote:
1
Tracy L. English, The Quiet A History of Mili-
tary Working Dogs, Offce of History, 37th Training Wing,
Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, 15 December 2000,