We do not know the name nor have we seen a photo of the Military War Dog that accompanied the Navy Seal unit that took out Osama. One specially trained MWD was lowered onto the roof top with his handler to aid in securing the Bin Laden compound. Modern MWDs are bred and trained to infiltrate enemy positions; they are shielded by body armor and sometimes strapped to their handler for jumping into a mission. They carry video cameras for remote monitoring providing better protection and safety for their human teammates.
Dogs have served their masters for centuries as friend and protector. Almost everyone is familiar with the local fire dog, the police dog that accompanies your local sheriff and search and rescue dogs. However many are unaware of canines serving military masters. Let's look at our canine friends in the modern military.
The Role of the MWD as Defined in the Army Dog Field Manual
The 1977 Army dog field manual (FM) reflecting the military protocol developed during the Vietnam conflict became outdated and obsolete with the elimination of the highly aggressive dog tactics of the 1960s and 1970s. In the 77 FM the military dog, when recognized at all, was listed as an "item" in the military supply system. As recently as the Vietnam conflict military dogs were trained in the fine art of aggressive attack methods, killer dogs if you will.
In 2005 a new FM (3-19-17) was published with protocol and doctrines of the modern MWDs. Now officially recognized as a "living item" in the military supply system, the position of the MWD is highly enhanced. Today all MWDs are paired with a handler and the team generally trains and serves together for a year or more, but not likely for their whole career. Enhanced breeding and training programs produces motivated canines dedicated to the task at hand.
FM 3-19-17 defines the MWD as a "key resource" in the military police combat. They are trained for tasks such as scouting, patrolling, and building and area searches. When properly trained canines can prevent intruder or suspect escape and provide the added dimension of physical force as opposed to deadly force.
MWD Serving Today
Specially trained US canine teams serve around the world today as in the Bin Laden operation. From Afghanistan, Iraq and across Europe they are enhancing security, force protection, and antiterrorism while expanding the soldier's effectiveness against the enemy.
Canine corps have deployed successfully in modern operations including Just Cause, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Uphold Democracy, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Utilized as scouts, in arms, explosive, and enemy detection, and perimeter security MWD teams are considered an asset to modern US forces. During the Gulf war the US deployed 88 MWD teams while France used over 1,700 German Shepherds to protect troops, supplies and aircraft. It is agreed that the operational effectiveness of the highly trained MWD team cannot be duplicated by the most complex machines.
While rarely used on the front lines in modern combat as of 2011, over 600 MWD were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. MWDs tasks in combat include security patrol, detainment of captives, sentries and trackers. A more controversial role was the use of MWDs to intimidate prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq. Upon investigation of allegations regarding mistreatment of Afghan and Iraqi inmates Donald Rumsfeld prohibited the use of canines in interrogations by regular US forces.
One of the rare unsuccessful assignments was the use of MWDs to detect mines. Conditions surrounding the task proved too stressful and the dogs too nervous to be effective in this role.
Monuments of MWDs
While European countries have built monuments and awarded decorations to military dogs since the 1800s the contributions of our canine soldiers went largely unrecognized by the U.S. military until recent times. Continued pressure from armed forces personnel led to the recognition so greatly deserved with the dedication of the first U.S. War Dog Memorial at the National Infantry Museum located at Fort Benning, GA in October of 2000. The War Dog Memorial on Guam honors Kurt, a Doberman, credited with saving the lives of 250 marines by warning them of Japanese troops lying in ambush. A third memorial was erected at March Field Air Museum in California.
MWD Care and Retirement
Post Vietnam Conflict belief that a highly trained (aggressive) military canine was incapable of being "untrained" caused the routine euthanization of MWD according to military field manual protocol once they had served their purpose. Of the 4,000 dogs deployed in Vietnam, only about 200 were returned home. The rest were either killed in battle, euthanized, or abandoned. The Vietnam canine contingent was credited with saving over 10,000 lives.
Not so today: the military have begun to adopt out retired and infirm war dogs giving priority to the animal's former handler or their families. Lex is the first active duty, fully fit MWD to be granted early retirement so he could be adopted. Lex, wounded in an attack that killed his USMC handler Cpl Dustin Lee in the Iraq War, refused to leave Lee and had to be dragged away by medics for treatment. Subsequently Lee's parents petitioned the military for the release and adoption of Lex. Lex was eight years old and had served five years of active service prior to being released for adoption by the Lee family.
The canine medical center dedicated in October 2008 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas is a new $15 million dollar veterinary facility for MWD. Specializing in medical treatment for combat-wounded dogs, the Lackland facility receives MWD from military operations such as Afghanistan and Iraq after they have been treated in field hospitals and further stabilized in Germany. Lackland provided advanced surgical and rehab treatments prior to retirement or reasignment.
Future articles will include information on adopting MWDs.
- 1977 Army Dog Field Manual
- 2005 Army Dog Field Manual (3-19-17)
- Us Wardogs
- Military Working Dog
- Military-info
Sherry Rust - Growing up in cowboy country of Montana I began writing stories at an early age. This passion has continued throughout my life even as I ...
