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March 05, 2009
Apache Takes Out Insurgent and Other News of Our Awesome Troops
Apache Takes Out Insurgent With A hellfire Missile In Iraq "Insurgent Body Flying 20ft Away"
AH-64 Takes Out Insurgent With A Hellfire Missile In Iraq.
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Second Video telling about our Troops in the snow
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Man's Best Friend, a Soldier's 'battle Buddy'
Story by Spc. Phillip Adam Turner
Air Force Staff Sgt. Joel Townsend and his partner, Sgt. 1st Class A-Taq, a two year-old Belgian Malinois, have racked up numerous mission hours during their 13 months in Iraq. Townsend says A-Taq provides an invaluable service to the Soldiers he works alongside in patrols, many of them owing their lives to A-Taq and other heroic military working dogs serving overseas.
Two year-old Belgian Malinois, Sgt. 1st Class A-Taq, a military working dog assigned to the Stryker K-9 unit, 1st Cavalry Division, Multi-National Division — Baghdad, does bite work during attack drills at the Victory Base Camp Military Working Dog compound Feb. 22. With nearly 1,200 pounds of pressure per square inch, his bite is one of the most effective forms of subduing armed enemy personnel.
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Soldiers trust their battle buddies to have their backs in any situation. Regardless of the danger, it is a bond of war; a closeness that is rarely verbal, just understood through a simple nod or pat on the back.
We see, or want to see, examples of emotional bonding throughout nature; humans are generally pack animals. We find comfort in others and therefore seek out our kind. Proof of this can be seen every day in Iraq between military working dogs and the Soldiers they patrol alongside on a daily basis.
These highly trained and proficient canines and their military handlers perform to the highest standards in some of the most dangerous of situations.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Joel Townsend, and his partner, Sgt. 1st Class A-Taq, a two year old Belgian Malinois, are a military working dog team assigned to the K-9 Stryker Unit, 1st Cavalry Division, Multi-National Division — Baghdad. During their 13 months of working together in Iraq, they measure success by finding enemy improvised explosive devices, weapon caches, and in some cases, the enemy themselves.
“A-Taq is very proficient in explosive detection and attack work,” said the Still Water, Minn., native. “For him, it’s not because he is vicious or malicious; it’s fun for these dogs. It is their mission. Finding a bomb or a bad guy, that’s his reward and [A-Taq] is very good at what he does. I know he will never hesitate, every time we go out the wire I put my life in his paws, and so far we’ve been doing all right.”
Classified on paper as a sensitive item worth more than $80,000, Townsend treats his four legged partner much differently than just another piece of government equipment.
“I sweep him every morning for scratches and bumps, anything out of the ordinary that could keep us out of the fight. We do [physical training] together every morning and we train everyday just keeping him proficient in his tasks,” Townsend said.
“We do have those times when he knows it’s OK for him to be a dog. He knows how I feel about him, and he shows me as well. It’s more than just a working relationship.”
Just watching these animals in action, it doesn’t take long to realize how specialized and difficult their training must be. Dogs like A-Taq receive and perform commands with clock-like precision for nothing more than a positive word or a pat on the back.
Military working dogs are trained to overcome typical dog “behavior,” explained Townsend. When passing by the entry to a dark building, most dogs will tuck their tail and turn away. A military dog is trained to enter that building, as the handler’s eyes and ears, to recon and alert his partner to whatever is inside.
“It’s not just the training,” explains Townsend. “These guys are a little nuts to begin with.”
This ignites a barrage of long, wet tongue kisses from A-Taq — his form of approval for the joke.
However, just getting to the training was the first hurdle.
After joining the Air Force as a security force officer, Townsend said he spent three years as a “decoy” just trying to get in the dog handler program. While waiting from approval by his chain of command, he did whatever he could to be involved in the military working dog program. From cleaning kennels to “catching dogs,” a reference for being on the receiving end of bite training, Townsend paid his dues and earned his opportunity to join this elite team.
Now, as a full time handler Townsend continues to evolve with an ever expanding training regiment; from calling basic commands to how to correctly maneuver his companion safely in and out of vehicles and down crowded streets.
All military handlers are required to attend the Military Working Dog Program Academy at the Yuma Proving Grounds in Yuma, Ariz., prior to deploying. The program is the closest and most realistic deployment training experience for these dogs and their Soldier/Airmen counterparts.
“They simulate downrange so well, you and the dog feel like you are in Iraq,” remembers Townsend. “Pressure plate IEDs, buried weapons caches, one-five-five rounds, the villages, it is exactly what you are going to see over here. We are living together, working together, learning together … the training prepared us both for coming here. It’s an indescribable confidence that A-Taq and I gained.”
It is this confidence that reinforces the training once these teams step outside the wire. The dog’s attitude is a direct reflection of the handler’s explains Townsend.
“Everything I feel is transferred right down the leash. He knows when I am anxious, uneasy, excited, or upset; he feels that. These guys are the four-legged unsung heroes of this war … the last things you want to do as the handler is throw that off because you may not be having the best of days.”
From their everyday heroics, to the times they spend together as best friends, Townsend is adamant to show all service members that the opportunity to work alongside A-Taq is not just another aimless business relationship. It is an opportunity to trust the Soldier next to you.
“This is hands down the coolest job in the military; we have a bond with these dogs that are as attached to us as we are them. I have gone to war with this dog, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I will go to the end of the world and back again for this dog, and I know he would do the same.”
Wild Thing's comment.......
God bless these heroes and A Tag is also one of our Heroes.
Posted by Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 05:55 AM
Comments
May God continue to love and bless "Man's best friend." Do muzzies really taste like... chicken? We miss our chow-chow Scooter for she's in heaven after 12 wonderful years...
- All Dogs Go To Heaven
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at March 5, 2009 07:14 AM
Just a bit off topic. Vilmar has a video posted of the different reactions Marines have when Presidents Bush and Obama enter. Even CNN remarked about the tepid response the Marines gave Obama.
Posted by: BobF at March 5, 2009 07:27 AM
Bob that was great. Taking care of the Troops was President Bush's forte, he was great at it. The best one I saw was when he made a surprise visit to Iraq during Thanksgiving that was a major momnet. That was President Bush at his finest and now we have the Quicker-F#cker-upper Obama. Vilmar that is a hoot.
But I digress. This thread started out with a Jihadi being launched to Alla. That video was Awesome. Those dogs are awesome too. They can smell the bad guys long before we can.
Posted by: Mark at March 5, 2009 12:13 PM
Love those videos. Apaches taking out Allah's boys is always entertaining. Trying to get that convoy through snow and stalled traffic in Afghanistan must have been very frustrating for those Marines.
Also, interesting to see how long it took Townsend to become a dog handler.
Posted by: TomR at March 5, 2009 01:05 PM
He flew through the air with the greatest of ease without the aid of any trapeze, now he's a good muzzie too!!!
I just love dogs, our mascot Boom Boom, a fitting name for a couple of reasons:) if she headed for the bunker you had better follow her there, best 122MM rocket alert ever, she slept light too, so we could get some rest. Always pregnant she was a puppy factory, none of them looked like the First Sgt although we had our suspicions, it was her excuse to stay at base and off the road. If dogs aren't in heaven I don't want to go there.
I remember a dog handler along the DMZ, coming in from a solo night patrol, the man's eyes said it all!!! God bless them all!!!
Posted by: Jack at March 5, 2009 05:21 PM
Darth, I know just how you feel about your little Scooter. It is hard and they will always live in our hearts.
"Do muzzies really taste like... chicken?"......LOL I hope they are paw licken good heh heh. Corny I know I could not help myself. haha
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 06:48 PM
BobF., thank you so much. I just went over there and left a comment.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 06:57 PM
Mark, oh I loved that so much, when Bush did his surprise visit to Iraq during Thanksgiving. That was so special!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 06:59 PM
Tom, giggle me too, it was something how the terrorists was sent all those feet in the air.... he almost made it up or I mean down to allah and his virgins. haha
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 07:01 PM
Jack, LOL he sure did fly. hahaaha
Wow thank you for sharing that, I love reading about Boom Boom.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 07:05 PM
PS: All dogs go to heaven and don't Devil Dogs guard the Pearly Gates?
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at March 6, 2009 07:40 PM
