Soldier Dogs
Page 22
Johnson, Garth. “Awww: A War Dog Helped Take Out Osama,” Gothamist, May 4, 2011, http://gothamist.com/2011/05/04/awww_a_war_dog_helped_take_out_osam.php.
Kriel, Robyn. “Civilian Casualties Helped by Marines in Safar Bazaar Garmsir Province Afghanistan,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBIzVysaJXs&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL.
Lemish, Michael G. War Dogs: A History of Loyalty and Heroism (Dulles, VA: Potomac Books, Inc., 2008).
Waller, Anna M. Dogs and National Defense, Department of the Army, Office of the Quartermaster General, 1958, http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/dogs_and_national_defense.htm.
PART TWO
“Funny Police Dog Fail,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTDn0-jIm7k.
Interviews with Marine Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Burger (program manager for the Improvised Explosive Device Detector Dog [IDD] capability), Navy Master-at-Arms First Class McAuthor Parker, Navy Senior Chief Machinist Mate Sean Craycraft, Navy Master-at-Arms Third Class Cameron Frost, Ronnie Nye DVM, John Engstrom, John Bradshaw, David Garcia, Air Force Staff Sergeant Richard Crotty, Air Force Master Sergeant Richard Reidel (341st Training Squadron operations superintendent), Air Force Technical Sergeant Justin Marshall, Air Force Technical Sergeant Jason Barken, Navy Master-at-Arms First Class Ekali Brooks, Navy Master-at-Arms Seaman Glenn Patton, Victoria Stillwell, Mark Hines (Canine Behavior and Training Specialist, Kong Co.).
Richardson, Lieutenant Colonel Edwin H. British War Dogs: Their Training and Psychology (London: Skeffington & Son, Ltd., 1920).
Statement of Work: Potential Military Working Dogs, 341st Training Squadron, 2006, www.lackland.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-061211-005.pdf.
“Your Country Needs Your Dog,” Mod.uk, http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/TrainingandExercises/DefenceAnimalCentre/YourCountryNeedsYourDog.htm.
PART THREE
Bradshaw, John. Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet (New York: Basic Books, 2011).
Coren, Stanley. How Dogs Think: What the World Looks Like to Them and Why They Act the Way They Do (New York: Free Press, 2005).
Interviews with Alexandra Horowitz, Air Force Technical Sergeant Gwendolyn Dodd, Marine Staff Sergeant Kenny Porras, Marine Corporal Charles “Cody” Haliscak, Navy Master-at-Arms Second Class Joshua Raymond, Air Force Technical Sergeant Adam Miller, Army Captain Emily Pieracci DVM, John Bradshaw, Stanley Coren, Navy Lieutenant Commander John Gay, Marine Corporal Wesley Gerwin, Brian Hare, Alice and Duane Putnam, Jingzhi “Hippo” Tan.
Stillwell, Victoria. Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know (New York: Scribner, 2009).
PART FOUR
Dalton, Curt. “The Dog Days of War,” DaytonHistoryBooks.com: http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/page/page/1640971.htm.
Fimrite, Peter. “Marine, Dog to Reunite After Hard Journey for Both,” San Francisco Chronicle, November 24, 2011.
“Guardians of the Night,” K9Pride.com, http://k9pride.com/2008/05/06/guardians-of-the-night/.
Interviews with Marine Sergeant Mark Vierig, Air Force Staff Sergeant Brent Olson, Air Force Staff Sergeant Chris Keilman, Army Sergeant Amanda Ingraham, Robert Kollar, Walter Burghardt, DVM, Kelly Mann, DVM, Nicola J. Rooney (Research Fellow, University of Bristol Anthrozoology Institute), Marine Sergeant Rosendo Mesa, Julie Schrock, John Engstrom, Sylvana Stratton, James Bailey, Larry and Lynette Sargent, Debbie Kandoll, Jerry and Karen Self, Ron Aiello, Michael Jernigan, Marine Gunnery Sergeant Chris Willingham, Marine Gunnery Sergeant Justin Green, Marine Corporal Andrei Idriceanu.
Lemish, Michael G. War Dogs: A History of Loyalty and Heroism (Dulles, VA: Potomac Books Inc., 2008).
Letter from Connie Totten-Oldham, manager of stamp development for the U.S. Postal Service, to Ron Aiello, president, United States War Dog Association, September 19, 2011.
Letter to Sen. John Warner from William Putney, DVM, October 18, 2000, Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. 16, October 13, 2000, to October 24, 2000.
McCombs, Phil. “A Soldier’s Best Friend,” The Washington Post, November 25, 2000.
The Papers of George Washington—Documents, October 6, 1777, http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/documents/revolution/howe.html.
Perry, Tony. “Afghanistan’s Most Loyal Troops,” Los Angeles Times, February 8, 2011.
“PFC Colton Wesley Rusk, USMC,” http://www.sawyergeorgefuneralhome.com/obituaries/2010/12/pfc-colton-wesley-rusk-usmc/.
Roughton, Randy. “Fallen Marine’s Family Adopts His Best Friend,” U.S. Department of Defense, February 4, 2011, http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=62703.
Schrock, Julie Burget. Missing Max: Finding Hope After My Marine Son’s Death (Altamonte Springs, FL: Advantage Inspirational, 2011).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A platoon of dedicated men and women—both military and civilian—had my back throughout this book. I am really lucky to have had their support in telling the story of these devoted handlers and their incredible military working dogs.
Arod (Master Sergeant Antonio Rodriguez) was always a phone call or e-mail away, day or night, from the very beginning of this project. He may not have a starring role in the pages of this book, but he was there every step of the way, supplying me with credible sources, rich background information, and an honest look at every aspect of the military working dog world. His goal from the outset was just to get these handlers and dogs the recognition they richly deserve.
Gunny (Gunnery Sergeant Kristopher Knight) was also deeply devoted to helping tell the story of these teams. He provided me with invaluable contacts and behind-the-scenes info, and unprecedented access. And like Arod, he pulled no punches when it came to telling it like it is. The fact that neither of these guys is a sheeple has greatly benefited the book.
If it hadn’t been for Gerry Proctor, the public affairs officer at Lackland Air Force Base, this book would have been left at the gates of a vital part of the Military Working Dog Program. He does not grant this kind of book-author access easily or lightly, and I am indebted to him for seeing that this was a project worth supporting.
Also to thank at Lackland for their hard work in regularly getting me the info I needed: “Doc” Stewart Hilliard, Air Force Master Sergeant Richard Reidel, Nancy Ori, Ronnie Nye, DVM, and Walter Burghardt, DVM.
Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Rounds, Navy Master-at-Arms First Class McAuthor Parker, Navy Master-at-Arms Second Class Lisette La Torrre, Navy Master-at-Arms Seaman Silvia Cureses, and Navy Master-at-Arms Second Class David Gutierrez are among many who contributed excellent information and stories that did not make it into the book in the final cut because of space constraints.
Lieutenant Commander John Gay, public affairs officer at Navy Expeditionary Combat Command in Virginia, worked overtime to get me access to a submarine with a jaunty little dog inspecting it for bombs. I’m grateful to him for letting me see the many ways the navy uses dogs and for his introduction to Master Chief Scott Thompson, who had just gotten back from his yearlong command of the dog program in Afghanistan.
I’m deeply grateful to Julie Schrock, Corporal Max Donahue’s mother, for being able to open up and talk about her son, which, if painful for me, must have been almost unbearable for her at times. And to all the marines who helped fill me in on Donahue’s story.
A salute to Marine Captain John “Brandon” Bowe for his across-the-board support, and to Bill Childress, Marine Military Working Dog Program manager.
Michael Lemish generously assisted me in delving into this history of military dogs, and Ron Aiello helped me look to both the past and future of these dogs.
In the realm of the senses and sciences, a big thanks to John Bradshaw, Alexandra Horowitz, and Stanley Coren for their contributions. Hats off to Korrina Duffy, at the Duke Canine Cognition Center, and to Brian Hare, who heads the center with aplomb.
There are several people I’m grateful for on the editorial side of things: Agent Deirdre Mullane, for seeking me out to do this book afte
r finding out about my passion for military working dogs, and for helping me whip the proposal into shape in record time; agent Carol Mann, for her usual great work throughout; Dutton editor Stephen Morrow, for his enthusiasm for the book and his superb guidance and suggestions; Dutton’s Stephanie Hitchcock, for dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s; writer Mark MacNamara, for his eye for a good story; clearance consultant Valarie Barsky, for her fine work in getting all permissions and clearances in order; Kimball Worcester, because how often does a copy editor specializing in military history move in next door the day you sign a military book contract?; Janine Kahn, for holding down the fort at Dogster while I took a leave of absence to finish this book; author Jane Miller, for helping Deirdre Mullane find me; and writer Daniela Caride, of Taildom, for bending over backward to share her sources when I was fresh out the gate.
A heartfelt grazie to my terrific husband, Craig Hanson, for pitching in with everything during the extremely busy months of putting this book together, and ditto to our daughter, Laura, for hanging in there and being a great kid while I disappeared into this book.
Finally, to all the military working dog handlers who let me into their lives, and to their dogs: You have gained my utmost respect and admiration.
Photographs
Sergeant Stubby, World War I hero, lives on at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. MARIA GOODAVAGE
This photo from World War II’s Battle of Peleliu is a favorite of former Vietnam dog handler Robert Kollar. To him there’s something about the handler, Marine Corporal William Scott, and his Doberman pinscher, Prince, that captures everything about the bond between wartime handler and dog. NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Dog alerts to the scent of a homemade explosive (HME) at the Inter-Service Advanced Skills K-9 (IASK) Course in Yuma, Arizona. JARED DORT
The author “catching” a dog at Lackland Air Force Base—Ground Zero for dog and handler training. ROBIN JERSTAD
A new dog draftee at Lackland wears a bucket around his head after undergoing surgery that will prevent the fatal effects of a syndrome called bloat. The bucket keeps him from interfering with the surgical site. ROBIN JERSTAD
Navy Master-at-Arms Second Class Joshua Raymond and Rex P233 learn to work off leash together for the first time at the IASK course. It’s a potentially life-saving capability that enables dogs to follow their noses better, and it keeps handlers and others farther from explosives. MARIA GOODAVAGE
Marine Gunnery Sergeant Kristopher Knight, who runs the IASK course, gives Raymond some tips on searching for IEDs. MARIA GOODAVAGE
Raid exercises at the IASK course take place in very realistic settings and come with loud sounds of ammo, IED, and mortar blasts. JARED DORT
“If this doesn’t prepare you for Afghanistan, nothing will,” Air Force Technical Sergeant Adam Miller says of the IASK course. On this day, in 114-degree heat, Miller has to carry his dog, Tina M111, to safety after she was “shot” during an exercise. JARED DORT
What’s in a name? Ask Davy N532, a female dog whose name does not match her gender. Oddball names are not uncommon among military working dogs, whose breeders, usually from Europe, name them. “I trust her with my life. If I didn’t trust her, I wouldn’t be here,” Army Staff Sergeant Marcus Bates says of his Belgian Malinois, Davy N532, during their deployment in Afghanistan. MARCUS BATES
You don’t have to be a big dog to be a soldier dog. Lars J274, a Jack Russell terrier with a Napoleon complex, is the perfect size for sniffing out bombs in submarines. U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS PAUL D. WILLIAMS
Lars’s handler lifts him from bunk to bunk on the USS Norfolk so his nose can get close enough to detect explosives on any level. U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS PAUL D. WILLIAMS
A “training aid” dog and his handler-in-training start the day enjoying the shade at the Department of Defense Military Working Dog School, at Lackland Air Force Base. ROBIN JERSTAD
Lex L479 and his handler would go to sleep in the foxholes they shared while on patrol in Afghanistan. Soon after his handler fell asleep, the Belgian Malinois would crawl out from their tarp-protected foxhole and stand guard over him through the night—often in torrential rains. MARINE SERGEANT MARK VIERIG
Marine Corporal Max Donahue and Fenji M675—shown here in Garmsir, Afghanistan—bonded as soon as they met at Camp Pendleton, San Diego, six months earlier. MARINE GUNNERY SERGEANT CHRIS WILLINGHAM
Donahue and Fenji during a combat patrol. Fenji, like most dogs deployed in Afghanistan, uses her powerful nose to sniff for explosives. CHRIS WILLINGHAM
Donahue and Fenji on patrol in a marketplace in Garmsir. “You asked if Fenji has a good nose,” says Marine Gunnery Sergeant Chris Willingham, who took this photo. “I wouldn’t have been walking behind her if she didn’t.” CHRIS WILLINGHAM
Air Force Staff Sergeant Brent Olson was awarded a Purple Heart for his actions in Afghanistan. Blek, who was also injured, received nothing. Military working dogs do not officially get commendations. “Dogs are soldiers, too. They give up their whole lives for this,” says Olson. “Not to be recognized officially is a slap in the face.” U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SERGEANT JEFFREY ALEXANDER
Olson and Blek on a mountain mission in Afghanistan. U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SERGEANT JEFFREY ALEXANDER
“He always had my back,” says Air Force Staff Sergeant James Bailey, of his first military working dog, Robby D131. He has since adopted Robby. JAMES BAILEY
Rex L274 on guard in Iraq as his soldiers take a lunch break in their Stryker vehicle. Rex did not make it as a patrol dog because he was too gentle. “If you were playing and you acted as if he bit you, he’d let go and look all sad,” Army Sergeant Amanda Ingraham says. But she knew he would put his life on the line to protect her. AMANDA INGRAHAM
Ingraham on a mission with Rex in Iraq. More than anything, she remembers the companionship he provided her and the other troops. “He’d always find the one soldier who was having a hard day and hang out with them.” AMANDA INGRAHAM
Marine Sergeant Mark Vierig and Lex L479, on patrol in Afghanistan’s Upper Gereshk Valley during rainy season. A common refrain among handlers who have deployed: “War would have been hell without my dog.” MARK VIERIG.
Army Staff Sergeant Marcus Bates enjoys a little down time with Davy. MARCUS BATES
Air Force Staff Sergeant Christine Campos relaxes on her cot with her dog, Bico F544. Dogs on deployment often share their handlers’ bunks and even sleeping bags. Being together nearly 24/7 deepens the bond between dog and handler. CHRISTINE CAMPOS
Ajax L523 shows off his pearly whites after his handler, Air Force Staff Sergeant James Bailey, gave them a good brushing while on deployment. JAMES BAILEY
War hero Fenji needs to wear “Doggles” to help with an eye problem, but she doesn’t much care for them. When she’s not working, she tries to take them off at every opportunity. MARIA GOODAVAGE
Marine dog handlers mourn the loss of a beloved fellow handler—one who appears in this book. MARINE PHOTO BY CORPORAL SKYLER TOOKER
About the Author
Maria Goodavage, a former reporter for USA Today and the San Francisco Chronicle, is the editor and featured writer for one of the most widely read dog blogs in the world, “For the Love of Dog” at Dogster.com. She is the author of The Dog Lover’s Companion to California and The Dog Lover’s Companion to the San Francisco Bay Area. She coproduced and wrote an award-winning children's video about dogs and other animals, starring the voice of Ed Asner. She lives with her family in San Francisco, and the four-legged guy on their team is a Lab named Jake.
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