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ROCK SOLID WARRIOR

  • Published
  • 42nd Military Police Brigade
CAMP BUCCA, Iraq --  Staff Sgt. Joseph Null

Job: Military Working Dog Handler

Home unit: 52nd Security Forces Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany

How do you support the mission here? I am responsible for patrolling the internment facility with Military Working Dog Luca where roughly 12,000 detainees are kept. I conduct explosive sweeps, as well as searches for United States Customs Inspectors. I have been tasked outside the wire to clear areas for possible improvised explosive devices as well. I am required on occasion to educate the base populace on proper Military Working Dog utilization procedures by conducting K9 demonstrations.

How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? This is my fourth deployment, second to Iraq. There are two things about this deployment that make it unique. The first one being that this is the first time I have deployed as a dog team. Things are much different when you have a partner who counts on you to not only help protect them, but to take care of all of their basic needs such as food, water and cleanliness. The second aspect that makes this unique is that I am attached to the Army. Even though we are fighting the same war, there are still little differences that I had to adjust to as opposed to the Air Force way of doing things.

How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base?  As a Security Forces member, it is important never to let things become routine, but I would say the risk factor in a war zone is much greater than being in say a place like Germany. All in all, things don't really change that much, though. Whether I am at home station or in a war zone I know what my mission is, I have been trained to do a specific mission, and I stay focused when I am taking care of business. It's as simple as that.