This K9 awaits the next command at a competition to test dogs’ noses and obedience. The event took place in September at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. (Video image by Jon Micheal Connor, Army Public Affairs)
By Jon Micheal Connor, Army Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan—These dogs’ noses save lives.
But aside from an ultra-sensitive nose, the dogs must have traits of absolute obedience, discipline and loyalty. And more smarts than can be imagined, along with the power to take down an adversary if necessary.
These are only some of the qualities the dogs here must possess in order for them to assist in the U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.
“All the dogs have to be certified,” says Sergeant First Class Christopher Ogle, theater military working dog program manager, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, Combined Joint Task Force 36. “I certify the contract dogs in theater to make sure they’re able to do their job.”
The breeds of the dogs at the kennel complex are German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. While Shepherds are more muscular, the Malinois does not lack for strength. Both are ideally suited for security purposes.
The dog teams—consisting of handler and dog—provide direct counter to Improvised Explosive Devices, the enemy’s weapon of choice.
Detection improves mission effectiveness and reduces IED-related casualties. A dog’s nose is the key to sniffing out bombs inside and outside the wire, Ogle said.
“There’s no machine built yet that can duplicate what a dog can do.”
“There’s no substitute for the detection of a dog,” says William Cronin, director for American K9 for Afghanistan and Mali, West Africa.
Cronin has been in his position for five years working out of Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital. He was at Bagram Airfield to see some of his dogs carry out their skills in a two-day K9 competition in mid-September.
The company’s headquarters is in Moyock, North Carolina, and part of a bigger organization, Constellis. That company is a leading provider in risk management and operational support services to government and commercial customers, according to its website.
“We keep people safe,” Cronin said of AMK9. “We make the world a safer place. There’s a lot of passion in the guys that do this type of work.”
AMK9 has more than 25 years of experience in training and staffing highly qualified detection dogs and handlers with the ultimate goal of quickly implementing and sustaining K9 operations in high-threat, complex locations worldwide, the website stated. And, AMK9 has been working with U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2004.
The dogs are of the highest quality with proven working dog bloodlines from European sources. In fact, less than 10 percent of the dogs screened will pass the initial evaluation and be approved for training at AMK9 facilities, according to the organization’s website.
Two-day K9 competition tests dogs’ noses and obedience
Ogle explained the competition was to build morale, sharpen the dogs’ skills, and enable better dog teams.
“This actually sharpens their skills because these teams have been preparing for a month and a half to get ready for this competition,” Ogle said.
The first day tested the teams on explosives detection. The dogs had to find two explosives placed on a possible 10 vehicles with distractors such as foods like bacon and sausage. In this timed event, most dogs averaged about two minutes to find explosives, Ogle said.
“The dog can locate it (explosives) outside the vehicle and tell you there’s something wrong. Some of the dogs can hit it up from 50 feet away,” Ogle said. “Therefore, you’re not putting people in harm’s way. The dog can go up and search the object, take the Soldier out of the aspect, reducing the risk of the handler getting hurt.”
The second day tested obedience. Situations were created to see how obedient the dog was to his handler regardless of what was going on, i.e., a man in a padded suit trying to get the dog’s attention resulting in an attack.
Top honors
In the end, handler Frank Musoli and his partner, Tina, took the most honors with the top Overall Dog Team and also received a second place in the Detection category and third in the Obedience/Controlled Aggression Category.
Dog handler Frank Musoli of Kampala, Uganda has 10 years’ combined experience as a dog handler in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Video image by Jon Micheal Connor, Army Public Affairs)
Musoli is from Kampala, Uganda, and has been a dog handler serving in Iraq for five years and now in Afghanistan for five years.
“We are a team. Me and my dog are a team. So, we work hard,” Musoli said.
Asked what he thought of having a non-computer job while helping to save lives, Musoli said he recognizes how vital such a job is to the mission in Afghanistan.
“It doesn’t mean I’m only here for money. I’m here to support the U.S. Army … we are in it for peace. We make sure our people in the FOB (Forward Operating Base), stay alive,” Musoli said.
“I make sure when I’m out there at the checkpoint, I make sure I focus on what took me there. I make sure people’s lives—the generals, colonels, other guys and civilians—are safe,” he said.
So, between man and dog, IEDs do have an enemy.
“The dogs are the best resource out there that units can employ to make their units safer,” Ogle said. “The dogs detect stuff … explosives.”
Cronin put it another way: When “you go into your grandmother’s kitchen, you smell stew. The dog goes in your grandmother’s kitchen, he smells carrots, pepper, tomatoes and lettuce. I mean he smells all the ingredients.”
This article and a slide show originally appeared here. Many thanks to author Jon Micheal Connor, Army Public Affairs, for inviting MWDTSA to repost.
**********
MWDTSA sends quarterly care packages to military working dog teams (dog plus handler) deployed in global combat zones. We are currently collecting items for our Q4-2018 boxes, which will ship on December 1. You can contribute by visiting MWDTSA’s Amazon Wish List. It’s a quick, easy way to say thank you to these intrepid teams.
https://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-kenneltalkblog-dogsnoses-photo1-20181030.docx.jpg8851126MWDTSAhttps://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-website_headerlogo-01-2020-300x138.pngMWDTSA2018-10-30 15:19:592020-04-04 16:16:19Dogs’ noses, key to security, detect explosives in Afghanistan
During a recent MWDTSA visit to Fort Campbell, this young team provided a great demo on the obstacle course.
Story and photos by Dixie Whitman
Three cars, arriving separately, ferreted out the correct Fort Campbell gate. This was no small feat, given the base spans over 100,000 acres, straddling the Tennessee/Kentucky border. This expansive base has a big mission: “Fort Campbell sets the standard for integrating and delivering installation services and base support to ensure readiness, empower resiliency, and enable our soldiers, families, civilians, retirees, and community partners to remain…..unmatched!”
Old friends in new places
We coordinated the event with the Kennel Master (KM), a friend whom MWDTSA supported on his last deployment to Afghanistan as a dog handler. He no longer holds the end of a leash but, in his role of Kennel Master, embraced plans for our first Fort Campbell visit. The Army, however, stirred the pot and just days before our arrival, promoted him to a new assignment and installed a new KM, SSG IaFelice. Fortunately, SSG IaFelice hit the ground running and our plans never wavered. It was especially reassuring to know that two other aces-in-the-hole, SSG Vaughan, a wonderful friend from a previous base visit to Fort Jackson and SSG Espinosa, a previous Fort Benning handler, hustled behind the scenes to ready the kennels for our visit.
The Fort Campbell bench is deep
MWDTSA volunteer Jerry Whitman stands with some of the Fort Campbell dog handlers.
Fort Campbell has a large kennel. In sports terminology, the bench is deep. After introductions, SSG IaFelice invited us to walk through the facility. Handlers stood beside their dogs’ enclosure doors. Our volunteers and guests were able to interact individually with each team. This allowed people to have more detailed and focused conversations while asking in-depth questions. These meet-and-greets allowed the handlers a moment to brag about their dogs.
Seasoned veteran SSG Vaughn, in his role as a trainer, catches a young dog. Sharing his expert feedback will help the new handler determine how to adjust her training to ensure that she and her dog will become an excellent team.
The levels of experience in this kennel guarantee that newer handlers and dogs have dedicated K9 professionals to lead, teach, and mold their younger comrades into polished, certified teams. Some of them recently graduated from dog school, which means that MWDTSA guests witnessed a variety of skill levels both in handlers and in their dogs. It was inspirational to see the transfer of experience and knowledge during the demonstration exercises.
Pizza and presentations
Four MWDTSA volunteers attended, along with some additional guests, including Ruth and Robert Conroy of the Betsy Ross Foundation. This foundation sends substantial support to our dog teams via MWDTSA. In their honor, we gifted the kennel at Fort Campbell with a small office Keurig machine. In a breathtaking coincidence, the flag flown on MWDTSA’s behalf as a thank you gift and presented to the Betsy Ross Foundation several years ago was originally flown for us by SSG Espinosa. A joyful smile spread across Ruth’s face when she met him.
Ruth and Robert Conroy from the Betsy Ross Foundation flank their dogman, Jay Espinosa.
MWDTSA never attends a base visit empty-handed. We brought KONGs and Chuck-It Balls for the dogs. For the handlers, we provided T-shirts, water bottles, and a gigantic decorated tub filled to the brim with tasty treats. The wonderful folks from the Betsy Ross Foundation also gifted a bottle of savory Allegro Marinade to all attendees. (Shout out to Allegro: We have switched marinade allegiance. Best. Marinade. Ever.) Additionally, MWDTSA provided a lunch of salad, Luigi’s pizza, drinks, and one of our guests brought a beautifully decorated MWDTSA cake.
A great MWDTSA cake followed the pizza luncheon as a sweet surprise.
A memorable base visit for so many reasons
As MWDTSA volunteers, we spend much of our time working independently from our homes scattered across the country. While that gives us a wide swath of reach, it also means our volunteers often work diligently with people they’ve never personally met. It was my absolute honor to meet volunteers Shelli and Randel from Nevada for the first time. They embody dedication, capability, and honor. I also treasure the personal introduction to Ruth and Robert, the fine folks behind the Betsy Ross Foundation. And, as always, the young men and women who work with our amazing military working dogs remain focused and fabulous.
What a phenomenal experience for us all, thanks to the military working dog teams at Fort Campbell!
********************************************
MWDTSA thanks its generous donors for making stateside kennel visits possible. To learn more about how you can support our nation’s military working dog teams, visit https://www.mwdtsa.org/donate/.
https://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-kenneltalkblog-fortcampbell-photo1-20181016.jpg21331430MWDTSAhttps://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-website_headerlogo-01-2020-300x138.pngMWDTSA2018-10-16 16:38:452020-04-04 16:21:49Fort Campbell and friends: kennel visit recap
Colorado-based True Dogs, LLC is offering a generous matching program to help MWDTSA collect Spotnik Rocket and Asteroid toys for Q4-2018 care packages.
CEO Adam Baker arranged a special donation link on his company’s web site for a Space Force Combo. Together, the Rocket and Asteroid toys retail for $26.00, not including shipping. When you donate via this link, however, you pay only $13.99. True Dogs is covering the remaining amount, giving MWDTSA two toys with shipping for the price of one.
This is the 4th consecutive quarter that True Dogs, LLC has supported MWDTSA’s care packages. In Q1-2018, the company donated 200 of their clever Soda Pup Can Toys. In Q2, they provided a matching program that enabled us to send the USA-K9 Grenade Reward Toy to deployed teams. And thanks to a match in Q3, we included the USA-K9 Cherry Bomb Durable Chew Toy and Treat Dispenser in our boxes.
Below, Adam answers a few questions about these creative product lines.
MWDTSA: Your toys are so clever. What can you share about your company’s creative process? How do you come up with such out-of-the-box dog toy ideas as the Spotnik Rocket?
AB: Dog owners are a diverse group of people, and yet most dog toys look alike—coming in predictable shapes like bones or resembling children’s toys (stuffed animals). At True Dogs, LLC, we try to understand the diversity of consumers and then build products that will appeal to targeted segments. We work hard to create products that are unexpected.
The biggest challenge with making any consumer product is figuring out a way to build an emotional connection with the consumer. We hope that by creating toys in familiar shapes that the consumer already has an affinity for, they will become curious enough to pick our product off the retail shelf and give us a try.
MWDTSA: Tell us about the rubber. Military working dogs tend to be hard on toys.
AB: Manufacturers produce dog toys in lots of different materials, many of which are called rubber. However, not all materials are alike. The vast majority of dog toys are made from thermoplastics which are petroleum-based products. These include synthetic rubber, TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber), TPU (thermoplastic urethane), EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate).
The problem with these materials is that they may or may not be safe for your dog, and they are certainly bad for the planet because they won’t biodegrade. Our products are all made from natural rubber. The raw material comes from rubber trees. This is a sustainable crop, and the material will ultimately biodegrade (although not in your lifetime). The rubber is non-toxic and FDA compliant. It is perfectly safe to have in your dog’s mouth even if he ingests bits of the material.
By reducing inexpensive fillers and maximizing the amount of pure latex, our material has superior durability and tear strength. Because our compounds are made in the USA (not China), we have much tighter control over our proprietary formulations, ensuring both quality and safety.
MWDTSA: Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?
AB: The more toys you donate, the more matching toys we can send, and we are excited to be able to support MWDTSA in this way.
*****************
Here, again, is the link where you can view and donate a Spotnik Rocket.
MWDTSA is grateful for True Dogs, LLC’s ongoing support!
https://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-kenneltalkblog-spotnikrocket-photo-20180926-scaled.jpg17792560Leigh Steerehttps://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-website_headerlogo-01-2020-300x138.pngLeigh Steere2018-09-26 10:43:222020-01-29 11:35:50Launch us a Spotnik Rocket!
The annual KONGs for K9s drive kicked off on August 1 and will continue through December 31, 2018. It’s a collaboration between MWDTSA and KONG Company. The matching program helps us provide KONG toys to military working dog teams deployed in global combat zones.
MWDTSA will provide you with posters for your store, describing the initiative.
You order in a supply of the toy and create a display to draw customers’ attention to the matching program. Some retailers place the display by the register and ask every customer, “Would you like to donate a KONG to a military working dog deployed in a global combat zone?” This active approach often results in more donations.
Your patrons purchase the KONGs at regular retail price (or whatever price you set) and leave them with you at the register. Some stores set up visible donation bins so that customers can see the number of donated toys. Other stores tuck the donated KONGs in a back room.
At the end of the drive, MWDTSA will pick up the donated KONGs from your store, if we have a volunteer in your local area. If we don’t have a volunteer near your store, we will provide shipping instructions on how to get them to us.
Once we receive your toys, we document the quantity and notify KONG. For each toy donated by your customers, KONG is matching with a second toy.
Calling all dog-loving businesses
There’s still time to sign up for 2018. Just contact president@MWDTSA.org if you’d like to take part. Indicate the name and address of your organization. Also, specify which month works best for your KONG donation drive, and which toy above you’d like to collect. We will get the posters to you right away.
While most KONGs for K9s participants are pet-related businesses, that’s not a requirement. In 2017, our largest KONG total came from Veterans United Craft Brewery. We also received KONGS from CrossFit Invasion, a fitness studio in New York!
Thanks for your interest and support!
https://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-kenneltalkblog-kongs4k9s-photo-20180905.jpg960960Leigh Steerehttps://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-website_headerlogo-01-2020-300x138.pngLeigh Steere2018-09-05 13:13:242022-10-30 10:04:44KONGs for K9s: How pet stores and veterinary clinics can take part
MWDTSA could not send quarterly care packages to military working dog teams without the help of generous corporate sponsors and donors. Our Q2 boxes, which arrived in time for Independence Day, contained goodies from the 29 organizations listed at the end of this post, many of them veteran-owned. Please visit their web sites and explore their products.
We also extend a heartfelt thanks to the dozens of individual donors and Amazon Wish List participants, whose contributions rounded out each box. We are grateful for your support!
If pictures are worth a thousand words, tail wags are worth 10,000. We hope you enjoy these photos, submitted by Q2 care package recipients…
For more information on how you can become a MWDTSA corporate sponsor or donor, email president@mwdtsa.org. Thank you for your interest in our mission!
https://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-kenneltalkblog-Q2-photo7-20180829.jpg10511078Leigh Steerehttps://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-website_headerlogo-01-2020-300x138.pngLeigh Steere2018-08-30 12:11:422020-04-04 16:15:01You rock, MWDTSA Q2 corporate sponsors!
On June 16, 27 volunteers met at Mills Park, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, to assemble MWDTSA’s Q2-2018 boxes. Led by MWDTSA volunteer Jesca Daniels and Steel MMA & Fitness, the packing team also included representatives from three other groups. Faith, Kailin and Ashley helped on behalf of Pinups For Vets. As well, handlers and family members from MCAS Miramar and 32nd Street Naval Base joined the effort. The group packed 200 12”x12”x 5” USPS flat-rate cartons for military working dog teams in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.
“When I volunteered to coordinate the Q2-2018 packing event, I knew I wanted a theme related to Independence Day,” recalls Jesca. “I also wanted to make it fun, giving handlers a bit of a celebration in a box.”
“Each year at our July 4th celebration, folks shout ‘Merica 726,383 times,” quips Jesca. That might be a slight exaggeration, but the tradition inspired the humorous Q2 graphic design. Jesca painstakingly penned Frank the Freedom Eagle and Merica the Mal, with the goal of showing cause, pride, and humor.
Marvin Madariaga incorporated Jesca’s illustration into a rock-star t-shirt design. This care package also included athletic shorts and a baseball cap for each handler.
MWDTSA volunteer Jenny Gan adapted the drawing into a graphic for the FIFTY/FIFTY bottle.
The majority of Q2-2018 care package contents came from veteran-owned businesses.
“It is cool to be able to promote veterans while also supporting active duty handlers,” says Jesca. “My goal was to include items that every handler would want and be able to use. I am confident that MWDTSA succeeded on that front.”
Logistics for MWDTSA care packing events vary from location to location. In this case, the United States Postal Service could not drive onsite for the packing event, due to base security. So, Jesca’s team rented a U-Haul to bring supplies to the park and later take the completed packages to the Post Office.
“It has been an absolute honor to be able to put this together for the deployed handlers,” notes Jesca. “The MWD community is my family and I am so grateful to be able to do this to show them how much they mean to all of us.”
From Rex Specs to protect Special Operations dogs from rotor wash and desert sandstorms to collapsible bowls to keep MWDs hydrated, care packages include both practical items and treats for handlers and their four-legged comrades.
Volunteers arranged product cartons on picnic tables to facilitate a care package assembly line.
For information on how you can support MWDTSA’s quarterly care packages, see https://www.mwdtsa.org/donate/.
https://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/merica-new-2-06-06-2018-CPS-Printable.png579785Leigh Steerehttps://www.mwdtsa.org/wp-content/uploads/mwdtsa-website_headerlogo-01-2020-300x138.pngLeigh Steere2018-07-02 11:50:072020-05-21 15:26:33Q2-2018 boxes timed for Independence Day
Dogs’ noses, key to security, detect explosives in Afghanistan
This K9 awaits the next command at a competition to test dogs’ noses and obedience. The event took place in September at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. (Video image by Jon Micheal Connor, Army Public Affairs)
By Jon Micheal Connor, Army Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan—These dogs’ noses save lives.
But aside from an ultra-sensitive nose, the dogs must have traits of absolute obedience, discipline and loyalty. And more smarts than can be imagined, along with the power to take down an adversary if necessary.
These are only some of the qualities the dogs here must possess in order for them to assist in the U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.
“All the dogs have to be certified,” says Sergeant First Class Christopher Ogle, theater military working dog program manager, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, Combined Joint Task Force 36. “I certify the contract dogs in theater to make sure they’re able to do their job.”
The breeds of the dogs at the kennel complex are German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. While Shepherds are more muscular, the Malinois does not lack for strength. Both are ideally suited for security purposes.
The dog teams—consisting of handler and dog—provide direct counter to Improvised Explosive Devices, the enemy’s weapon of choice.
Detection improves mission effectiveness and reduces IED-related casualties. A dog’s nose is the key to sniffing out bombs inside and outside the wire, Ogle said.
“There’s no machine built yet that can duplicate what a dog can do.”
“There’s no substitute for the detection of a dog,” says William Cronin, director for American K9 for Afghanistan and Mali, West Africa.
Cronin has been in his position for five years working out of Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital. He was at Bagram Airfield to see some of his dogs carry out their skills in a two-day K9 competition in mid-September.
The company’s headquarters is in Moyock, North Carolina, and part of a bigger organization, Constellis. That company is a leading provider in risk management and operational support services to government and commercial customers, according to its website.
“We keep people safe,” Cronin said of AMK9. “We make the world a safer place. There’s a lot of passion in the guys that do this type of work.”
AMK9 has more than 25 years of experience in training and staffing highly qualified detection dogs and handlers with the ultimate goal of quickly implementing and sustaining K9 operations in high-threat, complex locations worldwide, the website stated. And, AMK9 has been working with U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2004.
The dogs are of the highest quality with proven working dog bloodlines from European sources. In fact, less than 10 percent of the dogs screened will pass the initial evaluation and be approved for training at AMK9 facilities, according to the organization’s website.
Two-day K9 competition tests dogs’ noses and obedience
Ogle explained the competition was to build morale, sharpen the dogs’ skills, and enable better dog teams.
“This actually sharpens their skills because these teams have been preparing for a month and a half to get ready for this competition,” Ogle said.
The first day tested the teams on explosives detection. The dogs had to find two explosives placed on a possible 10 vehicles with distractors such as foods like bacon and sausage. In this timed event, most dogs averaged about two minutes to find explosives, Ogle said.
“The dog can locate it (explosives) outside the vehicle and tell you there’s something wrong. Some of the dogs can hit it up from 50 feet away,” Ogle said. “Therefore, you’re not putting people in harm’s way. The dog can go up and search the object, take the Soldier out of the aspect, reducing the risk of the handler getting hurt.”
The second day tested obedience. Situations were created to see how obedient the dog was to his handler regardless of what was going on, i.e., a man in a padded suit trying to get the dog’s attention resulting in an attack.
Top honors
In the end, handler Frank Musoli and his partner, Tina, took the most honors with the top Overall Dog Team and also received a second place in the Detection category and third in the Obedience/Controlled Aggression Category.
Dog handler Frank Musoli of Kampala, Uganda has 10 years’ combined experience as a dog handler in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Video image by Jon Micheal Connor, Army Public Affairs)
Musoli is from Kampala, Uganda, and has been a dog handler serving in Iraq for five years and now in Afghanistan for five years.
“We are a team. Me and my dog are a team. So, we work hard,” Musoli said.
Asked what he thought of having a non-computer job while helping to save lives, Musoli said he recognizes how vital such a job is to the mission in Afghanistan.
“It doesn’t mean I’m only here for money. I’m here to support the U.S. Army … we are in it for peace. We make sure our people in the FOB (Forward Operating Base), stay alive,” Musoli said.
“I make sure when I’m out there at the checkpoint, I make sure I focus on what took me there. I make sure people’s lives—the generals, colonels, other guys and civilians—are safe,” he said.
So, between man and dog, IEDs do have an enemy.
“The dogs are the best resource out there that units can employ to make their units safer,” Ogle said. “The dogs detect stuff … explosives.”
Cronin put it another way: When “you go into your grandmother’s kitchen, you smell stew. The dog goes in your grandmother’s kitchen, he smells carrots, pepper, tomatoes and lettuce. I mean he smells all the ingredients.”
This article and a slide show originally appeared here. Many thanks to author Jon Micheal Connor, Army Public Affairs, for inviting MWDTSA to repost.
**********
MWDTSA sends quarterly care packages to military working dog teams (dog plus handler) deployed in global combat zones. We are currently collecting items for our Q4-2018 boxes, which will ship on December 1. You can contribute by visiting MWDTSA’s Amazon Wish List. It’s a quick, easy way to say thank you to these intrepid teams.
Fort Campbell and friends: kennel visit recap
During a recent MWDTSA visit to Fort Campbell, this young team provided a great demo on the obstacle course.
Story and photos by Dixie Whitman
Three cars, arriving separately, ferreted out the correct Fort Campbell gate. This was no small feat, given the base spans over 100,000 acres, straddling the Tennessee/Kentucky border. This expansive base has a big mission: “Fort Campbell sets the standard for integrating and delivering installation services and base support to ensure readiness, empower resiliency, and enable our soldiers, families, civilians, retirees, and community partners to remain…..unmatched!”
Old friends in new places
We coordinated the event with the Kennel Master (KM), a friend whom MWDTSA supported on his last deployment to Afghanistan as a dog handler. He no longer holds the end of a leash but, in his role of Kennel Master, embraced plans for our first Fort Campbell visit. The Army, however, stirred the pot and just days before our arrival, promoted him to a new assignment and installed a new KM, SSG IaFelice. Fortunately, SSG IaFelice hit the ground running and our plans never wavered. It was especially reassuring to know that two other aces-in-the-hole, SSG Vaughan, a wonderful friend from a previous base visit to Fort Jackson and SSG Espinosa, a previous Fort Benning handler, hustled behind the scenes to ready the kennels for our visit.
The Fort Campbell bench is deep
MWDTSA volunteer Jerry Whitman stands with some of the Fort Campbell dog handlers.
Fort Campbell has a large kennel. In sports terminology, the bench is deep. After introductions, SSG IaFelice invited us to walk through the facility. Handlers stood beside their dogs’ enclosure doors. Our volunteers and guests were able to interact individually with each team. This allowed people to have more detailed and focused conversations while asking in-depth questions. These meet-and-greets allowed the handlers a moment to brag about their dogs.
Seasoned veteran SSG Vaughn, in his role as a trainer, catches a young dog. Sharing his expert feedback will help the new handler determine how to adjust her training to ensure that she and her dog will become an excellent team.
The levels of experience in this kennel guarantee that newer handlers and dogs have dedicated K9 professionals to lead, teach, and mold their younger comrades into polished, certified teams. Some of them recently graduated from dog school, which means that MWDTSA guests witnessed a variety of skill levels both in handlers and in their dogs. It was inspirational to see the transfer of experience and knowledge during the demonstration exercises.
Pizza and presentations
Four MWDTSA volunteers attended, along with some additional guests, including Ruth and Robert Conroy of the Betsy Ross Foundation. This foundation sends substantial support to our dog teams via MWDTSA. In their honor, we gifted the kennel at Fort Campbell with a small office Keurig machine. In a breathtaking coincidence, the flag flown on MWDTSA’s behalf as a thank you gift and presented to the Betsy Ross Foundation several years ago was originally flown for us by SSG Espinosa. A joyful smile spread across Ruth’s face when she met him.
Ruth and Robert Conroy from the Betsy Ross Foundation flank their dogman, Jay Espinosa.
MWDTSA never attends a base visit empty-handed. We brought KONGs and Chuck-It Balls for the dogs. For the handlers, we provided T-shirts, water bottles, and a gigantic decorated tub filled to the brim with tasty treats. The wonderful folks from the Betsy Ross Foundation also gifted a bottle of savory Allegro Marinade to all attendees. (Shout out to Allegro: We have switched marinade allegiance. Best. Marinade. Ever.) Additionally, MWDTSA provided a lunch of salad, Luigi’s pizza, drinks, and one of our guests brought a beautifully decorated MWDTSA cake.
A great MWDTSA cake followed the pizza luncheon as a sweet surprise.
A memorable base visit for so many reasons
As MWDTSA volunteers, we spend much of our time working independently from our homes scattered across the country. While that gives us a wide swath of reach, it also means our volunteers often work diligently with people they’ve never personally met. It was my absolute honor to meet volunteers Shelli and Randel from Nevada for the first time. They embody dedication, capability, and honor. I also treasure the personal introduction to Ruth and Robert, the fine folks behind the Betsy Ross Foundation. And, as always, the young men and women who work with our amazing military working dogs remain focused and fabulous.
What a phenomenal experience for us all, thanks to the military working dog teams at Fort Campbell!
********************************************
MWDTSA thanks its generous donors for making stateside kennel visits possible. To learn more about how you can support our nation’s military working dog teams, visit https://www.mwdtsa.org/donate/.
Launch us a Spotnik Rocket!
Colorado-based True Dogs, LLC is offering a generous matching program to help MWDTSA collect Spotnik Rocket and Asteroid toys for Q4-2018 care packages.
CEO Adam Baker arranged a special donation link on his company’s web site for a Space Force Combo. Together, the Rocket and Asteroid toys retail for $26.00, not including shipping. When you donate via this link, however, you pay only $13.99. True Dogs is covering the remaining amount, giving MWDTSA two toys with shipping for the price of one.
This is the 4th consecutive quarter that True Dogs, LLC has supported MWDTSA’s care packages. In Q1-2018, the company donated 200 of their clever Soda Pup Can Toys. In Q2, they provided a matching program that enabled us to send the USA-K9 Grenade Reward Toy to deployed teams. And thanks to a match in Q3, we included the USA-K9 Cherry Bomb Durable Chew Toy and Treat Dispenser in our boxes.
Below, Adam answers a few questions about these creative product lines.
MWDTSA: Your toys are so clever. What can you share about your company’s creative process? How do you come up with such out-of-the-box dog toy ideas as the Spotnik Rocket?
AB: Dog owners are a diverse group of people, and yet most dog toys look alike—coming in predictable shapes like bones or resembling children’s toys (stuffed animals). At True Dogs, LLC, we try to understand the diversity of consumers and then build products that will appeal to targeted segments. We work hard to create products that are unexpected.
The biggest challenge with making any consumer product is figuring out a way to build an emotional connection with the consumer. We hope that by creating toys in familiar shapes that the consumer already has an affinity for, they will become curious enough to pick our product off the retail shelf and give us a try.
MWDTSA: Tell us about the rubber. Military working dogs tend to be hard on toys.
AB: Manufacturers produce dog toys in lots of different materials, many of which are called rubber. However, not all materials are alike. The vast majority of dog toys are made from thermoplastics which are petroleum-based products. These include synthetic rubber, TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber), TPU (thermoplastic urethane), EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate).
The problem with these materials is that they may or may not be safe for your dog, and they are certainly bad for the planet because they won’t biodegrade. Our products are all made from natural rubber. The raw material comes from rubber trees. This is a sustainable crop, and the material will ultimately biodegrade (although not in your lifetime). The rubber is non-toxic and FDA compliant. It is perfectly safe to have in your dog’s mouth even if he ingests bits of the material.
By reducing inexpensive fillers and maximizing the amount of pure latex, our material has superior durability and tear strength. Because our compounds are made in the USA (not China), we have much tighter control over our proprietary formulations, ensuring both quality and safety.
MWDTSA: Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?
AB: The more toys you donate, the more matching toys we can send, and we are excited to be able to support MWDTSA in this way.
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Here, again, is the link where you can view and donate a Spotnik Rocket.
MWDTSA is grateful for True Dogs, LLC’s ongoing support!
KONGs for K9s: How pet stores and veterinary clinics can take part
The annual KONGs for K9s drive kicked off on August 1 and will continue through December 31, 2018. It’s a collaboration between MWDTSA and KONG Company. The matching program helps us provide KONG toys to military working dog teams deployed in global combat zones.
Here’s how the KONGs for K9s program works…
Participation is easy:
Once we receive your toys, we document the quantity and notify KONG. For each toy donated by your customers, KONG is matching with a second toy.
Calling all dog-loving businesses
There’s still time to sign up for 2018. Just contact president@MWDTSA.org if you’d like to take part. Indicate the name and address of your organization. Also, specify which month works best for your KONG donation drive, and which toy above you’d like to collect. We will get the posters to you right away.
While most KONGs for K9s participants are pet-related businesses, that’s not a requirement. In 2017, our largest KONG total came from Veterans United Craft Brewery. We also received KONGS from CrossFit Invasion, a fitness studio in New York!
Thanks for your interest and support!
You rock, MWDTSA Q2 corporate sponsors!
MWDTSA could not send quarterly care packages to military working dog teams without the help of generous corporate sponsors and donors. Our Q2 boxes, which arrived in time for Independence Day, contained goodies from the 29 organizations listed at the end of this post, many of them veteran-owned. Please visit their web sites and explore their products.
We also extend a heartfelt thanks to the dozens of individual donors and Amazon Wish List participants, whose contributions rounded out each box. We are grateful for your support!
If pictures are worth a thousand words, tail wags are worth 10,000. We hope you enjoy these photos, submitted by Q2 care package recipients…
Q2 photo gallery
Q2 corporate sponsors and donors
Black Rifle Coffee Company
Bowser Beer
Condor Outdoor Products, Inc
The Dog Bakery
Duke Canon
EPIC Bar
Fieldworks Supply Company
Fresh Balls
FIFTY/FIFTY Bottles
Grenade
GSI Outdoors
Hat n’ Patch
Hoo-Rag
Jelly Belly
KONG Company
Mariani Packing Co.
Normalyte
NutriSource Pet Foods
Pawstruck.com
Planet Apparel
Reaper Customs, LLC
S A Company
SodaPup
Soffe Active
Steel MMA and Fitness
Strike Force Energy
TactiPretty
Q2-2018 boxes timed for Independence Day
On June 16, 27 volunteers met at Mills Park, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, to assemble MWDTSA’s Q2-2018 boxes. Led by MWDTSA volunteer Jesca Daniels and Steel MMA & Fitness, the packing team also included representatives from three other groups. Faith, Kailin and Ashley helped on behalf of Pinups For Vets. As well, handlers and family members from MCAS Miramar and 32nd Street Naval Base joined the effort. The group packed 200 12”x12”x 5” USPS flat-rate cartons for military working dog teams in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.
Photos by Honey Wasden Photography and Heather Shough Photography
“When I volunteered to coordinate the Q2-2018 packing event, I knew I wanted a theme related to Independence Day,” recalls Jesca. “I also wanted to make it fun, giving handlers a bit of a celebration in a box.”
“Each year at our July 4th celebration, folks shout ‘Merica 726,383 times,” quips Jesca. That might be a slight exaggeration, but the tradition inspired the humorous Q2 graphic design. Jesca painstakingly penned Frank the Freedom Eagle and Merica the Mal, with the goal of showing cause, pride, and humor.
Marvin Madariaga incorporated Jesca’s illustration into a rock-star t-shirt design. This care package also included athletic shorts and a baseball cap for each handler.
MWDTSA volunteer Jenny Gan adapted the drawing into a graphic for the FIFTY/FIFTY bottle.
The majority of Q2-2018 care package contents came from veteran-owned businesses.
“It is cool to be able to promote veterans while also supporting active duty handlers,” says Jesca. “My goal was to include items that every handler would want and be able to use. I am confident that MWDTSA succeeded on that front.”
Logistics for MWDTSA care packing events vary from location to location. In this case, the United States Postal Service could not drive onsite for the packing event, due to base security. So, Jesca’s team rented a U-Haul to bring supplies to the park and later take the completed packages to the Post Office.
“It has been an absolute honor to be able to put this together for the deployed handlers,” notes Jesca. “The MWD community is my family and I am so grateful to be able to do this to show them how much they mean to all of us.”
From Rex Specs to protect Special Operations dogs from rotor wash and desert sandstorms to collapsible bowls to keep MWDs hydrated, care packages include both practical items and treats for handlers and their four-legged comrades.
Volunteers arranged product cartons on picnic tables to facilitate a care package assembly line.
For information on how you can support MWDTSA’s quarterly care packages, see https://www.mwdtsa.org/donate/.