improvised explosive devices, roving more than 100 meters in front of
their handlers to find the deadly devices before they can be
triggered.
SSD handlers with Military Police Support Company, III Marine
Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III MEF worked with their dogs
to perfect their detection abilities at Oura Wan beach at Camp Schwab
July 26, clearing designated lanes of travel of explosive devices
planted for training purposes, much as they would do on a combat
deployment.
"We set up scenarios such as a possible IED lane that friendly forces
need passage through. The SSD handlers needed to clear the passage-way
prior to the friendly forces going through," said Cpl. Anthony J.
Manfredini, combat tracking dog handler, MP Support Co. "We set up
what we call 'aids'. They are live explosives without the initiating
system and I can either bury them or hide them under something."
SSDs and their handlers also train to be able to identify other
threats and bomb-making materials along with IEDS.
"Our dogs are trained to find different types ammunition, explosives,
IEDs, weapons caches, whether they be freshly dug or hidden for a long
time. They are also trained to find homemade explosives," said Lance
Cpl. Joel Juarez, specialized search dog handler, MP Support Co.
It is the ability of the dogs to be released from the leashes to move
freely in front of their handlers that makes them unique.
"Most dogs in the military working dog program work on-leash, and
there is always a limitation there. Even though they have leashes that
go from six-feet to 50-feet, there is still a limitation, so SSDs were
implemented into the military working dog program to extend those
limitations," said Juarez. "That provides a safety barrier for the
handler. When the handler is working on-leash, he is always in greater
danger because he is right up there with the dog finding the IEDs."
SSDs are only one of the tools in the fight against IEDs, but their
ability to remotely detect explosives saves lives.
"SSDs are not the answers to everything even though they are very
effective. They are just one of the tools we have, and they, along
with military working dogs in general, save lives," said Juarez.
To achieve this level of effectiveness, extreme care must be taken in
the dogs' training, according to the handlers.
"We always take notes (on the dogs' training), The handlers post
records everyday of exactly what kind of training they did and the
proficiency and deficiencies they have with their dog," said
Manfredini. "The records let them know what their dogs need to work at
and what they are good at."
The bond between an SSD handler and their dog is unlike that of other
military working dogs and their handlers.
"One of the unique things about SSD handlers is that they usually stay
with their dogs for the course of their careers," said Juarez. "Almost
from day one, a handler is assigned two dogs, and throughout the
training the handler take cares of his dogs and trains his dogs as
best as possible."
The IED-detection training here served to make the bond stronger,
helping prepare the dogs and their handlers for potential service in
Afghanistan.
The specialized search dogs did very well locating the bomb-making
materials that were planted, according to Manfredini. He went on to
say that the dogs demonstrated a good ability to determine their own
search patterns and focus on high-probability areas for improvised
explosive devices.
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