Army Spc. Marc Whittaker, with the 529th Military Police Company, holds back his military working dog Anax while Senior Airman Erin Simes, a canine handler attached to Task Force Duke, acts as a decoy during an end-of-leash drill at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, on April 5. They conducted three portions of training involving detection, obedience and patrol skills.The scenarios incorporated real-life distracters such as an entry team to get the dog accustomed to such distractions before going out into the field. US ArmyCanine Programs Expand To Save More Troops -- Army Times
But sometimes the dogs are the casualties.
U.S. troops in Afghanistan are relying more and more on the superior noses of military working dogs to sniff out deadly improvised explosive devices.
These highly trained dogs landed in the spotlight recently when it was learned that Cairo, a Belgian Malinois, was part of the team that raided Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. Cairo is the only member of the team to be identified so far, and even President Obama met with the famous dog when he visited Fort Campbell, Ky., to thank the team of special operators after the May raid that led to bin Laden’s death.
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My Comment: If trained properly .... they are a soldier's most loyal and trusted buddy.