Posted on 01/25/2006 6:38:43 PM PST by SandRat
1/25/2006 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- Imagine searching door to door with Soldiers, looking for insurgents, high-value targets and weapons caches in Iraq.
Envision the nerve it takes to do the job after having another Airman in the area critically injured by an improvised explosive device, or IED, only two weeks after being assigned to the unit.
Two Yokota military working dog handlers, Staff Sgts. Gerald Morey and Matthew Claxton, returned here Dec. 28 after serving seven months with Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, part of the U.S. Army’s 18th Airborne Corps.
“We arrived in Tikrit (Iraq) to find out we were providing K-9 support to the Army combat units of the 2-7 Infantry,” Sergeant Morey said. “We are used to being a small group by nature of the job, but it was a serious task assisting the 2-7 with searching vehicles, equipment and various locations throughout the city.”
“Our role was to go in after the Army initially cleared an area to sweep buildings, houses, cars or whatever looked suspicious for explosives with our dogs," Sergeant Claxton said. “Because Tikrit also has a significant number of rural areas, we were constantly sweeping farmlands and river areas for IEDs and explosive items.”
The mission in Iraq was different from their role as base defenders back at Yokota.
“The first thing we noticed was the different way operations were conducted by the Army,” Sergeant Claxton said. “At Yokota we provided search functions for the base to protect it, but out in the desert we were directly responsible for ensuring the security of our search teams.”
During a sweep, Sergeant Morey and his German shepherd, Louis, discovered a cache of 300 155 mm mortar rounds, four 160 mm mortar rounds and five crates of weapons ammunition containing AK-47 rifle rounds.
“It was a great feeling knowing we were able to prevent future attacks on U.S. personnel and Iraqi security forces by finding that weapons cache,” Sergeant Morey said. “That is part of why I enjoy working in K-9.”
While out on another patrol, Sergeant Claxton and his Belgian Malinois dog, Elra, discovered rocket-propelled grenades, AK-47 rifles and mortar rounds in the home of a high-value target -- a person suspected in targeting coalition forces.
“When Elra sniffed out the munitions, it confirmed suspicions the Army had about that person targeting the coalition forces,” Sergeant Claxton said. “The evidence discovered in their house led to their arrest and seizure of the weapons for destruction.”
The deployment didn’t just involve searching for weapons caches and high-value targets, but also performing security sweeps for projects in the community.
“Matt performed a sweep of a new hospital in the town of Owja, south of Tikrit,” Sergeant Morey said. “We also swept areas where high-ranking leaders would be speaking to ensure no explosives were in the area to threaten the speakers or guests.”
Toward the end of their deployment, the two military working dog teams traveled to Balad, Iraq, to provide security during the elections.
“We spent about four days checking more than 50 schools and polling sites during the elections,” Sergeant Claxton said. “We were performing searches constantly, but it paid off because many Iraqis came out to vote in the elections.”
Overall during their tour in Iraq, Sergeants Claxton and Morey were responsible for the arrests of nearly 140 insurgents.
“It was an eye-opening experience,” Sergeant Claxton said. “There were folks who were legitimately happy with us being there, but you could also tell that some people definitely didn’t want us in their country. Ultimately, the work we did there saved lives and that’s what matters.”
“Every bit of training you receive, you need to take seriously,” Sergeant Morey said. “This includes everything you learned back at home station and on your way to the desert or wherever you travel. The Army is relying more on us to help them fill in low-manned areas so if you work with them, they need to be able to trust we’ll be right there at their side.”
Sergeant Claxton spoke of another Air Force K-9 member assigned to an Army unit in Iraq.
“Some people may have heard about Tech. Sgt. (Jamie) Dana and her dog, Rex, who were seriously injured by an IED exploding underneath the Humvee they were riding in,” Sergeant Claxton said. “She was injured only two weeks after we arrived in country and that really opens your eyes to what can happen. Any time we needed to travel somewhere ... we had to weigh the risks of an IED or attack before we left. Attacks happen every day -- it just doesn’t always make the news.”
“Every Airman needs to be prepared for the worst,” Sergeant Morey said. “Listen to what people tell you to do. Being arrogant can lead to you or your teammates becoming a casualty.”
WOOF! WOOF!!!
How do they distinguish between our munitions and their munitions.
Good Dogs, saving our guy's lives.
BTTT
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.